Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to be really annoyed that most NYE parties in/around London do not allow toddlers?

233 replies

tashka · 05/12/2017 15:51

I really want a propert NYE party this year and DD is still sleeping during the day so we can put her to bed later in a day and then she'll be able to stay awake until midnight. So I was trying to find some nice place with a NYE party for about £50 per person around SW London which would allow a toddler but could not find any (( all nice places seem to be either too expensive (£100+ per person) or for 18+ only…

I feel so annoyed about it! All I want is to have a good time and celebrate the NYE with my family!

Anyone has any ideas for NYE party near London with toddler? )))

OP posts:
MentholBreeze · 05/12/2017 20:53

What exactly do you expect your DD to do with people getting drunk around her?

Well, mine ate dinner, danced with us, then watched the fireworks, then we went back to our hotel - much the same as the adults, but without the drinking - although I didn't see people getting paralytic anyway - plenty of champagne, vodka bars etc, but it wasn't messy, we were adults, not 19 year olds.

TBH, having also lived lots of places, it's only the UK I've really encountered this attitude (and even then, only online - no-one's ever said anything to me in person) - my kids have been out with us to restaurants in lots of places, and no-one's batted an eyelid - if we didn't take them, having no family and often no childcare, we'd only be able to go out alone, so they've had to learn appropriate behaviour.

Beerwench · 05/12/2017 20:59

Most licensed premises can't allow children after a certain time, due to the conditions of the license. It's all to do with protecting children from the effects of alcohol (as in anti social behavior, drunk people etc) not everywhere is like that though. That said I wouldn't think most other people paying premium price for a NYE party would be impressed with a toddler around.

emma6776 · 05/12/2017 21:06

Could you compromise? I’m in Edinburgh and there’s loads of stuff on during the day to enjoy with the kids - ceilidhs, big fish little fish etc
You could all do something like that during the day, early dinner (pizza Express type thing) and then home. Bed for the toddler and fizz for you?

emma6776 · 05/12/2017 21:07

Posted too soon - bound to be more choice in London!

I would hate an expensive night out with a small child, but I think it’s acceptable to take a small person for an nice early dinner on NYE - then leave before the party goers arrive!

why12345 · 05/12/2017 21:14

Noooooo don't do it!!! I have two little ones and no way would I wanna take them out on New Years! Who wants to party and change nappy's at the same time!!

Clitoria · 05/12/2017 21:21

Everything in society and certainly the entire month of December is based around people who choose to have kids, have your own wee Tantrum Eve ‘party’ somewhere, who cares, just leave other people to have a few hours where they don’t have to listen to that noise or have to step round unsupervised kids or rein in their conversations. Ugh.

paxillin · 05/12/2017 21:38

It is easy to forget in the fog of PFB madness that nobody, but nobody wants other people's toddlers. No, they are not cute at midnight. No, people won't want to be careful what they say, wear, drink or where they step.

Softplay at 4pm? Go right ahead. NYE til midnight? You will be asked to leave unless it is a party specifically for people who want 100 screaming overtired toddlers.

Appuskidu · 05/12/2017 21:48

Isn’t a party something that people decide to throw and invite their friends or family to? The idea being that you pay some money to have a venue, food, music or entertainment and then you and your friends (and their children if you decide to invite them) have fun all together-catching up with each other.

A party isn’t something you would pay £50 to go to with strangers, is it?! Where you don’t know anyone!? Isn’t that a nightclub or a disco? Neither or which is suitable for a toddler at midnight, surely?!

If you want a party-don’t you discuss this with your friends?

Ragwort · 05/12/2017 22:03

TBH, having also lived lots of places, it's only the UK I've really encountered this attitude (and even then, only online - no-one's ever said anything to me in person).

Of course it is highly unlikely that most polite people won't say anything to you in person if you take a child out to an 'adult event' - doesn't mean they are happy with the situation; I remember some years ago looking forward to going to dinner with friends, when we arrived they said their DD was staying up to join us for her first 'grown up dinner party' Hmm - it really put a downer on the evening, a perfectly pleasant girl, but I am sure she was just as bored with our company as we were with her's.

Dixiestampsagain · 05/12/2017 22:10

Jools Holland’s Hootenanny, London fireworks on the telly at midnight and a glass of wine- was fine for us when ours were toddlers (who am I kidding- it’s been like that for the last 10 years!!).

Pluckedpencil · 05/12/2017 22:16

Get a cheap flight here to Italy and book literally anywhere.
Although we are doing a party at ours as I don't trust my kids not to crash at 11.

thegrinchreaper · 05/12/2017 22:30

No, you can't take children out clubbing. Which is basically what it is unless you're hosting your own 'do at home.

OwlinaTree · 05/12/2017 22:34

I think this is toddler specific to some extent. A young child, school age or so would probably be fine to join in Eating and dancing and firework watching but I don't think a toddler would really get it.

GreyMorning · 05/12/2017 22:41

Rent a house, caterer and buy booze and throw your own party.

sashh · 06/12/2017 05:49

OP

I've had a look at the Chessington one. They 'do' midnight at 9.30 pm for smaller children. Even they, doing a family friendly event, expect small children to be in bed well before midnight.

kalinkafoxtrot45 · 06/12/2017 06:11

Sorry, that's what it's like when you have kids. A house party with friends and family is one thing, but you really can't expect a fancy adult event to accommodate kids of that age. Exhausting and overstimulating for the kids and a PITA for everone else, assuming they even let you in.

lizzieoak · 06/12/2017 06:15

When my kids were that age I was so tired I could barely stay up till midnight, never mind contemplate dressing up and dragging them out in the cold.

You and yours may be perfectly lovely but the one mum I know who would want to bring her little one is also the one who thinks we all find her kid as interesting she she does: hence child is brought everywhere and we have to watch our language and anecdotes and it puts a fucking damper on every event.

Just venting about that really, not implying you do that with yours op.

pigeondujour · 06/12/2017 06:40

God knows why you'd even want to take yourself to a paid for 'party' in central London on New Year's Eve (it's not a party if they're not your mates and you pay to get in, obviously). Stay in and get a takeaway and have your own wee party as a family, then the kids can disco nap til 11:50pm. Next year with the house done you can invite other families and it'll be lovely.

LadyOfTheCanyon · 06/12/2017 06:54

Well hopefully you've done the logical thing of googling " child friendly events in London on NYE" instead of trawling through 7 mumsnet pages of posters saying the same thing.
Because I did, and there's loads of things to do as long as you do it during the day

Book a hotel room somewhere central, nap in the early evening, dinner somewhere on the south bank but book it NOW and out to see the fireworks for midnight.

I personally think you're raving mad, as London on NYE is beyond hellish. But there you go, reasonable solution. Do I win something?

JenTeale · 06/12/2017 07:08

I think new years eve is overrated. happily, now I have 3 kids under 7, nobody gives me a hard time about going to bed early with a book.

Caulk · 06/12/2017 07:11

But even the ones you’re talking about finish for young children at 9ish!

If you take DD somewhere and she becomes tired/upset at that time, will you take her home or keep her there till midnight?

AmyArmadillo · 06/12/2017 07:30

Yesterday 20:31 Monkeypuzzle32

it does irritate me when asked for a recommendation, you give a decent rec and its utterly ignored. hmm

----

@MonkeyPuzzle - your recommended place is for age 6 and up so doesn't work, I posted earlier to say that. Op has ignored you but then she's ignoring all of us!

Original poster
tashka · 06/12/2017 08:31

Hi everyone. This is the OP and I am not ignoring anyone, I was at work yesterday late afternoon and evening and only read the posts from page 3 up now.

As I said before I am grateful for the opinion and I got my answer (that everyone thinks I ABU). Unfortunately, those recommendations I got are not what I was looking for, but thank you anyway for them. I am not going to respond to everyone separately as I don't see a point arguing, sorry for that.

OP posts:
Roseredwine · 06/12/2017 17:31

Wouldn’t want a baby at my nye Party, I’m well beyond that, but go on have your own you’ll be inundated with friends with little ones

MadCatsBabies · 06/12/2017 17:41

Sorry, I don’t want to pay £50 per head to go to a party somewhere on NYE and have to put up with someone else’s cranky, up til midnight toddler, when I’ve likely left my own kids at home, so I can have some time out. Either you need to find a babysitter (not cheap on that night) or organise something at your house, or go somewhere with friends who also have kids.