turned away from beauticians because I had my baby with me

[PattyO46]

I have just been turned away from a beauty salon because 'we don't allow children '. Not only do I not have childcare but my baby is so exclusively breast fed. I feel so upset, humiliated and angry. Is this a commonly accepted practice?!

"needing"?

you know that salons aren't public places right?
Nobody is saying "don't go out in public"

Jesus Christ. You will be wanting to take your baby to a casino next.

The only time I have taken my baby with me was when she was 3months old and I had a quick eyebrow wax and she was asleep in her car seat away from any danger. I did phone and tell them that I would be bringing her and that she wouldn't come out of the car seat. Normal I don't take her but my child care had let me down and I didn't want to cancel my app last min.

My friend had a massage last week and could hear children running about in the corridor outside. They kept messing with the door handle and opened the door at one point. The therapist was really weak and did nothing and it took my friend to sit up and tell the kids to get out and shut the door (in her best teacher voice) for the kids to leave.

I appriciate your baby wouldn't do that, but it is why some of these places have a 'no children' rule.
Not a very relaxing environment when you are paying £40+ to be disturbed by unruly children.

A little while ago I went to a salon for lash extensions whilst 7 mths pregnant with twins, looking forward to a blissful stretch of peace and quiet away from my 2yo and the lash technician's 12 year old son wandered in and out FIVE TIMES over the 90 minutes. He sat on the chair in the treatment room and chatted with his mum at length about the PlayStation he wanted to sell on the Internet, and what his friends were doing that weekend, and whether he could have a new jacket. One of the times he brought in his lunch - hot jerk chicken by the smell of it - but couldn't be certain as I WAS LYING ON A COUCH WITH MY EYES CLOSED.
I am a very politely assertive person but I was so incredibly shocked that a) the son would think this appropriate and b) his mother didn't immediately tell him to sling his hook before apologising to me, that I said nothing at all.
Added to which, I instinctively felt that to complain about it to someone who was putting glue on my eyes might not be a smart move.

Anyway, slight digression... OP I think you've bravely conceded the general opinion of U. Hope you've managed to find a mobile beauty therapist to pamper you a bit. It's hard to keep making time and space for that with a baby.

I agree that it's weird/probably inappropriate to take a baby to a salon.

But what's with all the 'I go there to relaaaaax'? When I want to relax, I don't volunteer to have hot wax spread all over my pubic area. For me, the beauty salon is a functional visit. Spa might be different, but I don't think that was the sort of place OP meant.

I am a beautician and we allow children within reason ie in a pram and for short treatments. Insurance doesn't cover children running about the salon there are a lot of risks such as hot wax and sharp objects.
I have been known to 'babysit' while a client get an eyebrow wax if I'm free but that's not always possible

Yes, Britain is child unfriendly, where I live (in the Netherlands )bringing a baby to a salon would not be a problem most of the time, nor would it be a problem in restaurants or anywhere else public.Babies don't all'scream' constantly after all! I notice the difference every time I come home. The British have a deep-seated dislike of kids in public- look at the responses on this thread! Patronising and superior, unhelpful. Shouldn't we all be a little nicer to each other? Maybe offer some advice instead of put downs and insults?

I don dislike kids in public at all. But I do want to have certain spaces that are just for adults. That's what most posters are saying. I don't think that's a deep seated dislike of children.

But what's with all the 'I go there to relaaaaax'?

Maybe the only chance to have time away from the kids, time to think without everyday distraction, the only place where you know you don't have to get up to do something or feel guilty because you know you can't do something that's sitting in front of you, an indulgence you normally can't afford, a time off from nursing your child with SN, elderly parent or, in my case, a terminally ill husband AND child with SN. I'm sure others can add to the list. Basically can I have some fucking peace from your children when I'm paying my hard earned cash trying to get peace from my every day life, please?!

MerryKat I don't dislike children at all however I do think that some places should be adults only and a beauty salon is one of them for all the reasons that other posters have stated. That is not the same as disliking children!

Merry I think most places in the UK and all over Europe would welcome beauticians/spas where there was a guarantee you'd get whatever procedure you wanted done (massage, manicure etc) in peace (eg relaxation) and also from the H&S aspect not worrying about whether a child will get injured by any of the tools there etc.

It's a fact of life that children don't always sit still, not cry/be sick etc.

I think actually there was one time I saw the little girl of the owner of a nail bar salon near where I used to work in the salon, but she was sitting or playing quietly, or in and out of the back areas (kitchen etc). She knew how to behave was about 7 or so and presumably her mum had told her not to misbehave and was happy for her to be there with the chemicals and tools etc around. Also this was in the main area of the salon but off to one side (near the payment desk/where you sit to let polish dry etc) so she wasn't really in the way, and if you did want to sit in the area where she was to let the polish dry or pay then I remember they moved her out of the way!

Totally different from having someone else's baby or child there and also totally different from OrdinaryGirl''s experience re the child of the technician wandering in and out. The child and his mother knew this wasn't on, was annoying AND the food. I personally wouldn't have paid in that experience or offered half the treatment price and given the reason why - the child.

Yes, Britain is child unfriendly, where I live (in the Netherlands )bringing a baby to a salon would not be a problem most of the time, nor would it be a problem in restaurants or anywhere else public.Babies don't all'scream' constantly after all! I notice the difference every time I come home. The British have a deep-seated dislike of kids in public- look at the responses on this thread! Patronising and superior, unhelpful. Shouldn't we all be a little nicer to each other? Maybe offer some advice instead of put downs and insults?

Perhaps the reasons babies don't really work well in UK salons is that we don't have a 'pass the baby around' kind of culture.

Here's some intresting info on other countries views on this. I have spent 18months in China. They are very Child tollerant. They even have beauty salons combined with play area so mums can have treatments whilst watching their children play or sleep!!! You can choose to pay to have someone watch them if requied but if they are old enough, you can watch them yourself from the comfort of your seat. I take my daughter to hairdressers, nail appointments etc. I make sure she's asleep when I go in 😂. They love having her there! I understand that there are some people who want to go in and relax without kids but I'd bet there are salons that would allow the little one if you ask in advance. I know of a couple in our area that are relaxed in Manchester.
English are a bit uptight ( im English too) . Pissed me off when I couldn't take my daughter in the hotels indoor pool in Italy (They said adults only - outside for kids). It rained every day and we did not get to swim! My daughter is 20 months and would hardly have been dive bombing people! I was slightly insulted and annoyed but I had to respect their (in my opinion) stupid rules. I'm also learning to check places are child friendly x

I'm child-free. I'm lucky enough to be able
to be able to go to a salon whenever finances/time allows it. I love having a relaxing facial and if I visited a salon where children were allowed in I wouldn't be going back. It's expensive enough without being disturbed by babies crying/children needing to be entertained.

Sorry posted too soon. What I think this thread shows is that there are places that allow little ones and those that don't. I'll do
My research to get what I want and you can do yours too.

So sick of seeing Britain is so unfriendly to kids just because some places ban them ( for bloody good reasons), just because some countries do not.
Ofcourse some beauty places don't allow kids.
I go for massages for chronic pain , if i had to listen to a baby crying i'd be asking for a refund. This is the hour i have to sort of relax. I live with constant pain, i don't pay nearly £40 to also listen to a crying baby.
Also, some places it just isn't safe for a small child!
Yes there are fumes and chemicals involved that would be potentially hazardous for a baby but not to us.
When ihave my nailsdone they've given me a mask they wear as it sets my asthma off, can't imagine what it would be like for a baby breathing in acrylic fumes and bits of plastic
The varnish to get them off i also wouldn't want a baby inhaling, makes my eyes water.
Aromatherapy oils are safe for adults, but for babies they are supposed to be extremely diluted ( and some should be completely avoided).
I also would hate to be cutting someone's hair whilst they were holding a baby. As someone said up thread if they wake up hardly makes for a good cut.

I feel so upset, humiliated and angry

Really? You must have a charmed life if you get upset so easily.

I don't want to hear a screeching baby when I am having my eyebrows waxed. Bad enough when you get them on trains and buses.

I don't really like other peoples kids if I'm being really honest, so would prefer not to smell their poonami or hear their hungry cries.
That said its very easy to assume everyone loves your pfb as much as you, so although YABU you deserve some slack cos we have all had our moments.

I once took umbridge with a woman who had a go at a bloke for smoking OUTSIDE a cafe bar at 8.30 at night cos it blew thru the door near her PFB. Twat.

So sick of seeing Britain is so unfriendly to kids just because some places ban them

YES!!!!

I don't consider Engand the most child friendly place I've travelled or lived in actually, but even in the more child friendly places than England, children still weren't running around beauty salons, or night clubs, or day spas, or abattoirs, or operating theatres..

I think Adulting and I'll probably get flamed for this - England has lots of PFBs etc and adults who let their little darlings run around everywhere.

In other countries in the world they generally tend to exercise more soft discipline and it works apart from the French but the kids are older and just plain rude!

I've lost count of how many times I've seen a family eg in Italy/Spain etc who are from that country and they treat their children normally but also don't tolerate any misbehaviour, running around etc. Therefore if they did need to be taken in to eg beauty salons they'd be well behaved. Compare that to some English mums whose reaction on the whole is lily livered, doesn't follow through, lets children run around causing havoc and danger....

nightmare.

SuperFly yep

In cultures where children are more welcome, children also answer to all the adults present I've found, here you don't dare tell off someone else's kid

Abroad where it's more child friendly, your kid'll be looked after "by the village" but they'll also be told off by the nearest adult if they misbehave

And there's still no kiddies in the salons

Excellent point, adulting. The village is more tolerant when it isn't constantly being told to fuck off.

There are certain places more baby friendly than others for treatments. If I'm in town and ds is asleep I'll try to pop to the brow bar in Debenhams. It's in the middle of the main beauty hall and threading takes minutes.

A beauty salon which offers treatments is a different place altogether as is a nail bar.