Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be annoyed at the exclusion of single parents

204 replies

Peachyfizz · 09/03/2018 16:02

There was a bit up roar about the brewers fayre not including single mums in their Sunday mother's day deal.

Just seen a local place of ours saying mums go free with another full paying person. My parents are away and obviously friends are with their families. So just me and DS this mothering Sunday. So I have to pay full price as I normally would. Just feel sad that us single mums are made to feel excluded! It would be nice to have a treat! AIBU?

OP posts:
BackforGood · 09/03/2018 17:02

So, the fact you've now told us it is about entry to an adventure park is even less of an exclusion thing.
This isn't about you getting treated (or not) for Mothers Day. this is about an adventure park realising this is one day of the year Mums might get to choose where they go, and aren't likely to choose an adventure park, so they are making it sound like a bargain.
People tend to take their child to a thing like this, because the child wants to go. Normally, a single parent then also has to pay for them self. If you are a couple, you'd normally either choose for one of you to take them, or you'd end up paying for 1 child and two adults for the child to go to the adventure park. This weekend, they are trying to make it sound like a bargain to 2 parent families is all it is.
No exclusion involved.

OutyMcOutface · 09/03/2018 17:03

(The emoji was a hand up not a feminist power fist but whatever).

wheresmycake · 09/03/2018 17:04

But if you were going with another adult you would be paying for 1 adult meal to get free - wouldn't be saving money compared to your current situation? Also, presumably they made a business decision to encourage people to go there rather than the more usual plan of going to a normal restaurant on mothers day

ArcheryAnnie · 09/03/2018 17:04

But it you're unhappy about being a single parent, shouldn't your ire be directed at the other parent, if they are the one who left you as a single parent, rather than a company that's giving a discount to couples?

Oh, don't be ridiculous. It's perfectly reasonable to point out that as single parents, who on average is likely to be on a lower income that two parents, we rarely get to take advantage of things like "family tickets" and special offers aimed at parents, even though our families are real families too.

Maybe it doesn't affect you - in which case why not just be grateful for your luck?

GerdaLovesLili · 09/03/2018 17:05

Go with an adult friend. It can be any two adults. Join up with another single friend and then you too can have a BOGOF. How is it discriminatory?

ArcheryAnnie · 09/03/2018 17:05

Grammar fail there. Never mind.

k2p2k2tog · 09/03/2018 17:06

What about the fact that it costs me and DP twice as much to go than one person usually?

Well I'm being discriminated against because I have three children and a family is often classed as 2 adults, 2 kids. It's NOT FAIR, I have to pay more, they're excluding me, blah blah blah.

Lots of places offer other deals such as 50% off main courses. Restaurants don't have to offer deals at all, it's entirely up to them. Offering free adult meals with kids meals does not make sense.

SleepingStandingUp · 09/03/2018 17:08

Op I know how you can not pay.

I'm going to this play park for my son not me as he is still young and doesn't understand the concept of the day

I struggle with money enough as it is

Don't go. He won't know he's missing and you can spend the money on something else.

k2p2k2tog · 09/03/2018 17:12

Also, restaurants/bars/visitor attractions are under NO obligation to include everyone.

I don't go around kicking off that I don't get student discount in New Look because I'm not a student and they're excluding me.

Or start demanding free glasses of wine or desserts because the BOGOF doesn't apply to me.

DrinkFeckArseGirls · 09/03/2018 17:13

I know what you mean, OP. Similar thing happens with attraction entires (including gardens, etc.) - plenty 2 adults offers but jone for single parents. Not everyone has a friend available to come along (if it’s weekend they’re with their husbands!) or a family nearby.

Hellywelly10 · 09/03/2018 17:14

I'm surprised at the lack of support for single mums on this thread tbh.

happyvalley74 · 09/03/2018 17:14

The point is that the park are trying to do something nice for mums (yeah yeah I get it's all marketing) but excluding some mums.

It is a bit shit, but to be honest as an LP you get used to it.

ScattyCharly · 09/03/2018 17:14

Well I can see your POV op, it does come off as shit for you.

However, it is essentially a buy one get one free deal and if you have yours free, there’s no bought one and essentially a private company are giving away money.

They could compromise and say half price for single mums but they’d still be losing out because they’d want ideally 2 adults, give one a free main course but they’d hope that both adults buy drinks etc so they make money that way.

It’s kind of like places where a family of 3 cannot take advantage of “family” rates because they only give discounts for a family of 4.

blastomama · 09/03/2018 17:15

The point is that the park are trying to do something nice for mums (yeah yeah I get it's all marketing) but excluding some mums

No, they aren't. They are trying to take in as much cash as possible, thats it.

happyvalley74 · 09/03/2018 17:15

You also get used to smug bitches telling you to suck it up

GreenTulips · 09/03/2018 17:23

You also get used to smug bitches telling you to suck it up

Uncalled for!

PremierNaps · 09/03/2018 17:25

But you're paying the same as if there was two adults.....

Gingerbread are just kicking off to kick off.

Barbie222 · 09/03/2018 17:33

I'm not sure how a business could offer a single parent deal without you providing proof of single parentdom, otherwise we could all take advantage of it. If they offer a 2+2 deal and you can't find a plus one to go with, in the nicest way that isn't their concern. Let's say they did offer a single parent deal: how can they distinguish between a struggling single parent and someone who'd just like to take their kids out on their own?

Original poster
Peachyfizz · 09/03/2018 17:34

Well it seems someone get what I'm talking about (mainly the other single parents).
And yes I would be paying the same amount as 2 adults but generally speaking a 2 parent family has normally 2 incomes and therefore has more of a benefit. I'm a 1 parent family. 1 Income and I still have to pay. It isn't fair!! As others have said it's the same with 2 parent holidays too.

I don't have any other single parent Friends! And as I stated my other friends are with their families.
How is that drip feeding btw. Still the same conception of exclusion really

OP posts:
Chugalug · 09/03/2018 17:35

Clearly they are using Mother's Day as a way to get people in who wouldn't normally ..obviously they won't do one adult meal free with every paying child,as they would loose money on that ,and they are in business to make money

blastomama · 09/03/2018 17:37

And yes I would be paying the same amount as 2 adults but generally speaking a 2 parent family has normally 2 incomes and therefore has more of a benefit. I'm a 1 parent family. 1 Income and I still have to pay. It isn't fair!!

Don't be daft. Loads of 2 parent families have one income.
It IS fair. It's a buy one get one free, its not their problem you can't find someone to give your free ticket to!

SanFranBear · 09/03/2018 17:46

OP - I don't think you're being unreasonable at all to be upset but unfortunately, some of the posts on this thread show why this still happens. I don't think you're asking for 2 parent families to be penalised, but just some thought given to those of us who don't have a partner when these promotions are considered. Not half price entry but given that it is Mothers Day, a gesture in acknowledgement would be lovely.

Yes, because as single parents bringing up children on one income, we are so very short of things to complain about

This made me properly Grin Annie - thank you!

ChaosAndPiss · 09/03/2018 17:47

They're discriminating against my family too.

Our family is 2 mums but they're only going to let one of us in for free 😂

And we only have one income 😭

Seriously. Get over it. 🙄

Backingvocals · 09/03/2018 17:48

The two parent families with one income wouldn’t normally have the cost of childcare to meet. It is a statistical fact that single parents are more likely to be in poverty than other families. Weird that this thread is so anti that concept.

Yes the business is trying to win new business and it’s got to be commercial but there are ways to do that without making single parents feel that they are not a proper family. You offer 10pc off kids meals if you celebrate mother’s day with them or something.

Gingerbread are currently working with the travel companies to find new ways of structuring holiday pricing so that single parents can also manage to take a holiday. The businesses are keen to get this underserved market on board. It’s all doable with goodwill - bit lacking on this thread though Sad

Gwenhwyfar · 09/03/2018 17:48

"It's perfectly reasonable to point out that as single parents, who on average is likely to be on a lower income that two parents, we rarely get to take advantage of things like "family tickets" and special offers aimed at parents, even though our families are real families too."

Why is it reasonable? If the government or the council was favouring coupled parents over single parents, fair enough, but we're talking about private companies here. Why do they have to give you discounts???

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.