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AIBU?

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Original poster

Noisy children in pub

205 replies

retirementrocks · 25/03/2018 19:21

AIBU to think that it is not ok for parents to allow their children to run around a pub and in and out of the toilets making one hell of a racket whilst they sit and chat to their friends? Just visited our local...expect it to be busy as it is Sunday and it is a popular pub for a family lunch, but we left after one drink because the noise was just too much. It took one of the bar staff to politely twice ask the parents to ask their children to be a bit quieter and not to run around but to no avail. It's a pub not a frigging playground!

OP posts:
himalayansalt · 25/03/2018 19:56

People are unbelievable aren't they.

I'll never forget sitting with my two children when they were about 5 and 8 near the door of our local Cafe Rouge.

Some clueless wet blanket and completely middle class parents beamed on indulgently as their toddler ran up and down the restaurant, from their table right at the back, up to us at the front. Each time he would try to open the door (and if he had succeeded he would have ran more or less right on to the road) and each time I would get up and close the door and tell him to go back and find Mummy and Daddy. While they just grinned at me like I must be enjoying this.

After the 4th or 5th time I asked our waitress to go and have a word with them.

But why did they need to be told? just WHY?

MoorMummy · 25/03/2018 19:59

I dread the summers in the pubs near us . It’s a very naice area and summer heralds people bringing in kids but proceeding to let them run wild around hot food and glasses / bottles whilst their parents get pissed and look on smiling indulgently. Apart from being annoying it’s downright dangerous , being a parent ( albeit DS is now 19) I’m a nervous wreck seeing kids risking life and limb and endangering other people.

There have been comments on local social media pages to this eeffec5 which are usually met with rants about ‘killjoys’ and ‘didnt you have kids once ‘ etc etc. Well yeah I did but if they were in a pub they were supervised and not allowed to run round creating mayhem.

lucydogz · 25/03/2018 20:01

I'm amazed how much ineffectual parenting goes on i.e. (to young child) 'don't do that'. Child looks at them and carries on. Parent sits back, feeling they've done their bit.
if my child did that, it would be a red card and we'd be out of there. Children need to know the parent is the boss, but parents often seem to spend their time appeasing their children now.

GrannyGrissle · 25/03/2018 20:05

One of the things i expect from DD (4) is that she bahaves when dining out. (my expectations are pretty low on the whole). She can do as she pleases (within reason) as long as it's at our table and disturbing no one else. Training her up young so i'll have an excellent dining companion
I cannot stand selfish parents who think their children are everyones' problem or that they are so wonderful everybody should feel priviledged to dine in their god awful presence.

GetoutofthatGarden · 25/03/2018 20:06

If it's a family friendly pub then it's sort of tough luck!

I don't understand what this means. Do you mean in family friendly pubs people don't have to supervise their kids? Confused

Tomorrowillbeachicken · 25/03/2018 20:08

I remember a family like this when ds was a toddler.they ended up letting child stand on a chair and shout loud, child then fell off. We ended up offering the high chair weusing to them in the end and once attached in there the child was better.

HostaFireAndIce · 25/03/2018 20:10

I usually think the parents are knackered and just want a tiny break the pub while their children amuse themselves.

Pah, it's not normally this sort of parents who are the most knackered. Not parenting children doesn't take that much energy!

DairyisClosed · 25/03/2018 20:11

YANBU. Unless the pub advertises itself as prole family friendly this isn't what is meant by family friendly.

expatinscotland · 25/03/2018 20:11

Would love to see more adult-only pubs. Oh, yes, Summer will bring them all out, then they'll all be on here bitching about people smoking outside in a pub garden.

lolaflores · 25/03/2018 20:13

Wasn't there a book about the fact that kids in ogther countries can sit at the table in cafes or resteraunts in quite a calm manner rather than running riot?
Something about French kids don't jump on the table?

SheGotBetteDavisEyes · 25/03/2018 20:13

If it's a place that encourages family dining, then noise is part and parcel to an extent. I'd never get wound up about young children making 'normal' levels of noise.

Running around? Nope. Not acceptable.

Ginger1982 · 25/03/2018 20:14

YANBU. I get anxious when DS (nearly 1) starts shouting in his high chair in a pub/restaurant. I'm always desperately trying to shush him. I would never allow him in the future to run about. I was in a Wetherspoons once where the staff were trying to find the parents of kids who were running wild while staff were trying to serve hot food. Ridiculous.

HarrietKettle · 25/03/2018 20:15

We went to dining pubs when we were little, not pub pubs, and more often than not we'd sit in the garden. But even so, running around and making a racket would ensure we were never taken again.

StopPOP · 25/03/2018 20:15

YANBU. DS is now ten but was always told that there's no running around in restaurants/bars end of. I'd have felt awful if I thought he was spoiling someone else's outing, never mind hurting himself.

That said, now he's grown, I don't mind excessively so if other kids are making a nuisance, I'm just glad they're not mine Wink

AnnieAnoniMouser · 25/03/2018 20:16

If it's a family friendly pub then it's sort of tough luck!

And this is why there’s a problem. Some parents seem to think ‘child friendly’ means children can do as they please when they’re there. They don’t seem to understand they need to actually look after their children, keep them at their table & keep the volume to normal conversation level.

AlonsosLeftPinky · 25/03/2018 20:18

If parents are knackered and want a break then take the kids to soft play, get a babysitter etc.

It is no excuse to take them to a pub and letting them run riot, creating a risk to staff carrying food, glasses etc and creating a fucking annoying nuisance for everyone else who just wants to enjoy their dinner or drinks.

Beerwench · 25/03/2018 20:20

If it's a family friendly pub then it's sort of tough luck!

Like shite tough luck. I think you're confusing 'family friendly pub' with playground. But then several people also do this so don't worry you're not alone in such thinking!

I usually think the parents are knackered and just want a tiny break the pub while their children amuse themselves. As long as the kids aren’t going up to other customers I don’t see the issue tbh

Tbh if I'm waiting, glass collecting etc it matters not one fuck if the child's destination is another customer or not. If They're getting in the way, it's dangerous for all concerned.
And knackered parents who want a break?! That's the best thing I've heard all week. Get a fucking babysitter and go to the pub alone if you want a break. Don't drag them along, refuse to parent and then expect everyone else to put up with it. Take some responsibility!

Disclaimer - may have had a shit day dealing with ppl as described in the OP. And the OP, IMO, is NBU at all!

ALongHardWinter · 25/03/2018 20:23

Unfortunately,the term 'Family Friendly Pub' means to some parents that everyone else is going to be looking out for their offspring,so they can just sit there enjoying themselves,and everyone else is getting totally pissed off with the little bastards darlings.

Hypermice · 25/03/2018 20:24

Yanbu.

Family friendly should mean kids allowed, and you expect chatter/general child noise. Possibly a layout that allows buggies, kids menu, that kind of thing.
It does NOT mean kids running round uncontrolled. That’s dangerous in a place where food and drink is served. Glasses, servers carrying food, hot food, hot drinks - all potentially dangerous.

Kids don’t need to sit in perfect silence - o think everyone who goes to a family friendly pub expects the odd baby crying, kids chattering etc. But you do need to take responsibility for your kids and have them under your control at all times - that’s just basic safety and decency to others

MrsExpo · 25/03/2018 20:27

I went to a pub recently that had discrete notices on all the tables which read ....... “ Parents please note: We are a pub which welcomes well behaved children, NOT a playground which serves beer”. It seemed to do the trick. Children were present, but sitting quietly and behaving appropriately for the setting. Maybe other establishments should try this approach.

YouTheCat · 25/03/2018 20:31

This is why there's only one pub I frequent. It's a rock pub that doesn't allow kids in at all. Excellent music. Well kept beer. And no sodding kids running riot.

Whenthereshope · 25/03/2018 20:40

So annoying! We have a local pub with a small soft play inside and people just let their kids scream their heads off in there. Even if it's got a soft play area I think it should make sure your kids are more restrained as people are still eating. Definitely no shouting / screaming.

MsHarry · 25/03/2018 20:40

YANBU. Lazy parenting.

MimpiDreams · 25/03/2018 20:41

YANBU

We had this yesterday, it was a nightmare. I'd have a bit more patience if it were little kids wandering around. But we had a group 8/9 years olds chasing each other round the tables playing tag and screaming and squealing the whole time. The group of parents ignored it all and carried on chatting.

boxthefox · 25/03/2018 20:44

I have no problem with kids being out with parents for eats/drinks on a Sunday. At all.

I just choose not to go to such places so I'm fine thanks.

There are adult only places too, and that's where we go. Everyone is happy.