To ask how often do you go to the pub with two under 3yrs?

[Albertatata]

We have DS1 2.5yrs and DS2 6months. We are the first of our friends to have children although others now are pregnant or have babies/15month olds.

Friends often arrange to meet up but often its at a pub. DS1 is not the sitting down type (more running around and tantrumming type at the mo) and merely the thought of taking him to a pub is exhausting - also the fact that we also have DS2 now makes it less easy to tag team and not really a relaxing experience that a Sunday afternoon in a pub used to be.

Anyway I feel that we are being antisocial not going and that maybe we should be making more of an effort so just wondering if I'm being unreasonable not going. How many of you still frequent pubs with toddlers?

oh we took ours lots in the summer as there was a lovely garden and play area.

I think it's good for children to see adults socialising together and chattering while they play.

obviously my 20s kids go to the pub now without us and hopefully behave, .

I often meet my teen dds after school in our local lovely pub for a hot chocolate and bowl of chips to chat about their day.

obviously with littlies it depends on the age, stage and weather.

I do think though that young children need to see adults socialising as they are learning social skills and table manners etc by doing so.

definatly not wacky warehouse type places!! yeuk!

Not very often, and only when my family (especially my brother) want to meet up there. We always suggest a family friendly place, but even then they fail to see why it's not a relaxing experience for us as we're always up and down, trips to the toilet etc. in fact, it annoyed me when my brother (who doesn't have kids) said, after a recent family get together, "theborrower - lets come here again, it's great for a Sunday lunch etc". Well, yes, but I'd really rather have lunch in the house so I can eat it in peace/ not worry about bothering other people/ not spend a fortune" etc. I know I sound quite grumpy about it, but it's just not relaxing or like the old days, is it?

Just come back from a pub lunch with DH and DS 2.3 and it was pretty successful. Fairly relaxed place with plenty of atmosphere and noise. Nobody noticed DS's toddler noise. We sat in a booth so we had DS on the inside where he couldn't escape. Food came speedily so was a distraction. After lunch we left speedily as DS had timed out and wanted to run around.
All in all a very pleasant hour and a bit. We've had really nice family meals with another family and their 2 who are similar in age to the OPs at family friendly pubs and restaurants but I think you have to choose a venue that brings food quickly and be prepared not to outstay your welcome.

We don't, I see pubs as adult spaces, often with people getting quietly or not so - shitfaced (which is fine, thats what pubs are there for!), not really a great place for young dc. I know there are some good family pubs but I don't go out of my way to look for them or take dc to them.

Quiet often. We went last weekend in the sun to one along the river. All sat outside at table next to glass screen and they happily watched the boats/ ducks etc on the river, had some lunch and played tic tax toe. Stayed 2.5 hours. They are 2 and 4. We have always done it though as well as late night retaurants so I suppose they are used to it. They are happy to sit and talk.
We usually take them to the park first so they have ran around

I salute your parenting Art.

Couple of times a week. Kids 3.5 and 1yr

We have a two year old DD. We only do pubs daytime amd if they have a good out door play area and a beer garden. Pointless trying to contain a toddler in a pub!

We go to pubs to eat fairly often - never to chain places but to family friendly pubs. We went for Sunday dinner to one today with friends so there were 2 toddlers and 3 babies with us and it was fine (though not exactly laid-back!). But we all got a good meal.

DS is 2.5 and has been going out to the pub to eat since he was about a week old so while he is not sitting there like a marble statue, he knows not to shout, throw stuff, run around etc. He has little toys with him and makes a real effort to behave.

I never went to pubs with a toddler.

Until ds was about 9 months we went every Friday evening to meet friends - it was a fairly quiet village pub, rather than a busy bar. It was great, ds was very chilled and would sit in his seat or in someone's arms perfectly happily. i didnt drink because i was always driving. But once ds became mobile it just became too stressful to have to watch him all the time so we stopped going unless the weather was nice and we could go outside.

We are lucky in that we have a local pub with an outdoor play area, so quite a lot in good weather. Not south when the weather was rubbish though.

As often as possible for lunch. But wouldn't just go to sit about. We find it OK so long as we are eating. Its usually our suggestion of where to meet! We try and take the toddler out in the morning to the park for a run around and tell her we are off to the pub for lunch. While she does generally want to run about like a loon she is quite accepting of being put in a highchair for lunch. Although once she gets out she does want to run about. She is 2.8 and have 8m also. Bit worried that we are nearing her no longer going in the highchair though. Thinking of trying to get some kind of travel booster seat you can strap her into still for our holiday in 6 months.

When my DS was littler - never, he was impossible! Now he is 5 it is fine, he likes his food and happily sits with an iPad. But we go to eat really and not to drink. If I'm not driving I will have a glass of wine with my meal. I don't find going with friends and their kids that successful as the kids always want to run around. Apart from in the summer where there is a place near us with an enclosed area for kids with a slide, swings etc. outside and we can just let the kids out and shout them back for their food. But if you go to these kinda of places at lunch time or early evening I think that you have to accept noise from kids.