Kids in the hair dressers today

[adoggymum]

I went for my haircut this morning, I always look forward to it as it's a nice salon- not bad prices and they make me feel really pampered (think head massage when washing it, fancy blow dry, glass of wine/fizz whilst you're having it done)

I paid £40 for a wash, cut and blow dry.

Upon arrival there was a family of 4- 2 young kids, one 3 ish and one probably 5 or 6, swinging around on the chairs and running around their (I assume grandmother) whilst she was having her hair coloured. The parents just sat back on the sofas watching- the dad was even on the tablet!

Neither of them made any effort to calm the children down, tell them off for swinging on the chairs/running around/screaming etc. And the grandmother even asked them to maybe take them out for a walk into the town for a while as she was having her colour set and the mother just took one look at the weather and said 'nah it's not nice out there is it?'.

It was myself, the grandmother and another customer in there- even the hair stylists were looking annoyed but obviously didn't want to say anything. For the entire hour I was there the kids were allowed to roam, the parents sat doing absolutely no parenting or attempts at distraction and none of them were even having their hair cut!

A customer came in towards the end of my appointment and didn't have anywhere to sit as the parents had all the kids stuff over the sofas and both were sitting on one each separately.

AIBU to have wanted the parents and children to leave? They weren't paying customers, kids were running riot, parents not parenting and they were ruining my special treat to myself, I couldn't relax with the kids running about and spinning on the chair next to me :(

What do you guys think? Should I have said something do you think?

Note- I'm not some grumpy old lady either, I'm a 20 year old student.

@RB68 haha that's not a bad idea I just hate confronting people😂

It's really not a safe playground, there are sharp things, scissors and razors, chemicals, hot things - rollers, dryers and tongs, so an accident could easily have happened. The salon staff should have said something definitely.

I was completely with you (and still am regarding the children) until you said you weren't a "grumpy old lady". What has age got to do with this, and why is grumpiness seen as the default position of people who have lived longer? "Grumpy bastard" would have done it.

People who ignore their children's behaviour would not react well to 'suggestions' from other people.

I'd just mention it to the hairdresser next time I was in. They could have at least asked them to clear up so that other clients could sit down. (Though to be fair, if I'd just come in I'd have asked them myself!)

I've just messaged them via Facebook to ask about their policy on children and behaviour etc. 😕

@FuzzyCustard Sorry! I didn't mean to offend- I'll use grumpy bastard from now on :)

@Tighnabruaich that's what I was thinking (almost wanted something to happen so the parents would take notice and learn from it!)

unfortunately this kind of benign parenting is becoming more and more common

were the parents both continually eyes down scrolling on devices?

This really fucks me off.

A few months ago I had a similar problem with two DC playing on their tablets opposite me at the hairdressers. It's my treat time when I can sit for a couple of hours in relative peace.

The volume was ear splitting and I asked the mum if she could turn the volume down which she did grudgingly.

It's the total lack of awareness that pissed me off. Give them a bloody book or don't bring them at all.

Yanbu, I bet half the customers were frazzled mums enjoying some adult only time. If I have to take my kids to somewhere where they have to wait like that for whatever reason, I make sure I have fully charged Nintendo's and kids YouTube on my phone so they don't disturb anybody else. I think the salon should have handled it better.

@TheLittlestLightOnTheTree they actually weren't! The dad was one one of the kids tablets for a while but put it away and the mother was jus sitting there talking loudly across the salon to her mother (I'm assuming) at the other end of the room!

N.b. I take the screens off them if they have them loud enough to disturb anyone.

@Sallycinnamum agree. It's so expensive to get a salon treatment, you should be able to enjoy it and feel pampered in a grownup environment.

'benign parenting' LOL!!!

This is a perfect example of shitty, negligent, non-parenting and sadly is becoming more and more commonplace.

OP in your shoes I would have asked the salon to change my appointment if it was evident after my hair wash that the family weren't leaving and parents had no intention of y'know, ACTUALLY PARENTING. I would have loudly expressed why as well, but then I've reached an age where I don't give a shit about offending selfish people who clearly haven't given me a second thought.

It does sound annoying but there must have been a reason why the whole family had to accompany gran. It's not really a place for a family day out by choice.

Added to that, it might mean that if they were made to sit still-who can do that anyway!- it could have led to meltdowns which would have been worse!

But as it spoilt your experience, hopefully the salon will give you a voucher for next time.

@kenandbarbie only me, the grandmother and 2 other customers there but I get what you mean! They could have been having their only child free away time for a while!

As much as I hate screens and people using them to pacify children (what happened to colouring books or reading?!) I agree that they are an effective tool in a pinch- especially for somewhere like the hairdressers.

there must have been a reason why the whole family had to accompany gran

Such as?

@BestestBrownies I think they would have still made me pay to change it after the hair wash as they have a strict cancellation policy. (Plus I would have had wet hair) and I'd waited 3 months nearly for this appointment.

Totally agree - benign parenting, lazy parenting more like.

Sounds like they wanted to chat and gave no thought to anyone else

I feel annoyed for you!

@BestestBrownies the vibe I was getting from the grandmother was that she was aware of what a nuisance they were being and hence asked mother to take them out for a bit! (Which she refused to do😠)

Still have no idea why they accompanied her to the hair salon though.

Grandmother probably wanted to relax too ;

@MarshaBradyo thanks- I'm getting more annoyed now thinking about it all, it's just so rude! It's not like I (or many people) can afford to have a nice hair cut and blow dry often (I go once every 3 months) and as I'm a student that doesn't have loads of disposable income anyway it's just annoying.

I fully understand where your coming from. I work in a salon and get so frustrated with parents not teaching there kids that a salon is not a safe place to run/mess about but also what I think as basic behaviour. As a stylist if the child is getting in my way or making to much of a nightmare I will say something but try to do it in a nice way, unfortunately lazy parents don't help so I would ask them to make sure the kids are sat down. Some stylists won't say anything and it's not because they don't want to it's probably because the boss can got annoyed for upsetting customer and potentially losing clients

Sorry OP I wasn't clear. I meant it as a passive-aggressive tactic to (a) get the salon staff to tell them to quiet down and sit still or (b) shame the parents into fucking off somewhere more appropriate to wait.