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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

R.E paying for an extra adult at playgroup?

142 replies

Doglikeafox · 05/09/2017 18:42

Hi everyone,
I've been attending a playgroup for a few months now with four children. Entry is £3 for the first child, and then £1 for each accompanying child. So it is £6 for my four children to attend. We love the playgroup, and it has always been well worth the money in my opinion. We usually stop in the cafe afterwards and purchase cups of tea, toast etc and we occasionally meet there with friends (who purchase their own entry separately).
My partner is off work today so decided he would join us too. When we got to the till to pay for our entry, we were told it was £8. When I asked the cost breakdown, they said it was £3 for one child, £1 for an extra child and then my partner had to pay for two of the children too so it was another £4 for the other two children. I said this seemed odd as we had been paying £6 for weeks and it didn't make sense to pay an extra £2 today when I was bringing the exact same amount of children. The lady responded that my DP was paying for 'the privilege of getting in'.
We had only brought £6 with us today, and I didn't have any money on me other than my credit card. I'm not sure if she didn't have a card machine or if it just didn't accept credit cards but she said I couldn't use that to pay so I then had to turn around and head home. The children were quite upset and I feel a bit naffed off. Surely you can't just stipulate that its £2 more because I had an extra adult with me? DP and I were quite obviously a family and not just two random adults trying to get in and pay less.
AIBU? I was really surprised that they turned us away, especially when there were no signs up or anything on the advertisement to say that the £1 per extra child only applied for one adult.

OP posts:
Ttbb · 05/09/2017 18:45

Dear god, it's a playgroup. Ticket lady should have calmed down a bit.

2littlemoos · 05/09/2017 18:46

Imo they are siblings so the rule of £1 per extra sibling stays, whether there is one adult or two. I agree it seems silly and unfair.

PotteringAlong · 05/09/2017 18:46

Why didn't your dp (or you) just not go in then and wait in the cafe?

MsMommie · 05/09/2017 18:48

Wow.
Ridiculous.

NerrSnerr · 05/09/2017 18:49

Although I agree the lady was overly officious and shouldn't have charged you for 2 adults why didn't one of you wait outside/ go for a walk so the children could still get the benefit of the group?

Boatmistress17 · 05/09/2017 18:51

Bet she puts your name and photofit in the window for trying it on. .
What a bloody woman she is. .

JustMumNowNotMe · 05/09/2017 18:52

Why would two adults have gone in the first place?! Not a chance would I go to playgroup with DH and vice versa, it doesnt take two adults being bored shitless to take the kids surely?! Confused

honeysucklejasmine · 05/09/2017 18:55

So, there usually isn't a charge for adults? And she decided to share the kids between you as if you were two sets of parent +2 kids?

That's really odd. I would ask whoever runs it to clarify their charging policy.

Asoiaf · 05/09/2017 18:56

Maybe for company and family experience , JustMum? OP yes that is a ludicrous rule perhaps give them a call for some clarity.

Original poster
Doglikeafox · 05/09/2017 18:56

It was raining quite heavily and we didn't have coats as parking is right outside, so waiting wasn't really an option. The cafe is inside the building and the tills are at the entrance so we couldn't have just gone and waited there either.

JustMum, because looking after 4 children aged 3 and under is hard work and help is lovely and very much appreciated.

OP posts:
RhiWrites · 05/09/2017 18:59

You usually stop in the cafe but today only brought enough money for entry? I'm also a bit surprised you didn't think an extra person would cost more.

I think the lesson is to carry a card for emergencies.

Lurkedforever1 · 05/09/2017 18:59

It seems a bit odd to say it was to split the kids, but it does make sense to charge £2 for an extra adult. Otherwise everyone could pair up and then the playgroup couldn't afford to run.

I don't see why you had to miss it though, surely one of you could go in with dc and the other nip to a cash machine?

Didiusfalco · 05/09/2017 18:59

Blimey! - that's bonkers as well as an expensive playgroup. Who charges for adults at all fgs? Confused

Original poster
Doglikeafox · 05/09/2017 19:01

Rhi I did have a card, as it says in my original post. I always have a credit card on me for emergencies but the till lady said I wasn't able to use it.
Also I don't see how its relevant but we had to be back at the house for a certain time so knew we wouldn't need extra cash for the cafe (which does accept credit cards FYI).

OP posts:
PrincessWonderRabbit · 05/09/2017 19:02

JustMumNowNotMe

Besides four kids that age being insanity maybe it's less boring with an adult you can talk to?!

PrincessWonderRabbit · 05/09/2017 19:03

It's a bit shit op and I'd probably complain next time. If they accept cars at the cafe they could have charged you there as well!

Original poster
Doglikeafox · 05/09/2017 19:04

I'd really like opinions on my AIBU please, rather than me having to explain all the reasons we did different things. We weren't near a cash machine. It was raining. The group had already started and it is only one hour long so if we had loaded all 4 children and pushchairs back into the car and driven to a cash machine it wouldn't have been worth attending at all.

OP posts:
Original poster
Doglikeafox · 05/09/2017 19:05

and you can't use a credit card at a cash machine anyway Hmm

OP posts:
NerrSnerr · 05/09/2017 19:07

I'd have sat in the car and listened to the radio, surfed the internet or had a nap. I wouldn't have taken the children home in this scenario as I'm sure they'd be disappointed.

PrincessWonderRabbit · 05/09/2017 19:08

The way AIBu works is people misread/don't read the post and then make up some random shit. It's how it's always worked.

waterrat · 05/09/2017 19:08

Its very tight and mean of the woman. Generally don't think a regular should be turned away from a playgroup for being short of cash anyway.

NomDePlumeReloaded · 05/09/2017 19:08

You can use some credit cards to withdraw cash at ATM but the fees are generally prohibitively high and it isn't common practice.

MaidOfStars · 05/09/2017 19:08

and you can't use a credit card at a cash machine anyway
Of course you can; most will allow cash withdrawals Hmm

Anyway, I can see their logic if I squint really hard. But seems a bit officious.

NomDePlumeReloaded · 05/09/2017 19:10

I know that isn't the point though dog.

EduCated · 05/09/2017 19:10

I can kind of see the logic, in that you could randomly join up with another person so that you pay £3 and £1, rather than paying separately as you 'should', but seems a bit officious given that you're regulars and they're siblings.