child-hating woman in Tate Modern

[bellawilliams]

I went to the Tate Modern this afternoon with a friend as we had heard they were running special family activities - and they were, and the staff were lovely and very helpful. Between us we had 5 children: two 4 year olds, a 2 year old and 2 babies. We were directed to a room in the gallery where the older children could look at the pictures and make their own collage with stickers all supplied by the gallery. While we were in there (and the older children were quietly getting on with the activity) my friend had to run outside and one of the babies started crying so I went to get out her bottle. In the ensuing few seconds of noise a hateful woman approached me and aggressively told me that 'this is not a kindergarten, this is a gallery - you can't have screaming children in here!" I was incensed but managed to keep my cool and explained that we were here as part of a Tate organised family activity. She kept on and said it should not be allowed so I asked her 'Do you think children should not be allowed to look at art?" and she said no!!! So I said very sarcastically 'What a LOVELY attitude' and proceeded to tell my friend very loudly what had happened. I am still furious!! Anyone else had such a reaction?????

I just Googled 'Ireland museum' and got quite a few here

I have worked with (southern) Irish museum curators in the past, have taught them and regularly meet them at conferences, so I am pretty sure they must be working somewhere

Bella. You were considerate and went to get a bottle asap. Babies cry. It was a family thing during half-term week. End of, IMO.

I read an article by Rosie Millard recently. She has 4 children and wrote a piece about letting her children 'be children.' Unfortunately she is a 'Tarquin's a free-spirit' type which, IMO, usually means that 'Tarquin' is a PITA with parents who smile indulgently at his anti-social behaviour.

Anyway, she allows her children to charge around in museums and tuts at anyone who dares to ask them to be quiet.

Oh. And she's got through something like 18 nannies.

But by taking them there you can show them how to behave.

''Do you think children should not be allowed to look at art?" and she said no!!!

So she was agreeing that they should be, but without screaming.

She is still a stupid annoying woman though and it was none of her business!

Soory Kerry, I meant Southeastastra

I have Kerry, it's been a long day, brain isn't what it was...

I agree, it's like taking children to restaurants (other than Macdonalds or Pizza Hut ) How will they learn how to behave in different public places if they are never taken there?

I probably wouldn;t take DS to any other gallery than the TM, it's just it's very different and fascinating place. I would go because I like it and think he would too, not because I have nay pretentions about introducing him to art etc

Although I can;t see why that would be a bad thing.

The Discover gallery in the New Walk Gallery in Leicester is aimed at children aged 2 to 8.
I have been there with my (boisterous pre-school) nephews and they love it. It's designed to cater for children's physical energy and natural exuberance, rather than to expect the children to change their behaviour to fit in with gallery norms. A child wouldn't need to be well-behaved to enjoy it.

I should say that it hasn't put me off going there again - as I said the staff there were brilliant and really enthusiastic with the children. I was just surprised that there are still people who complain about babies crying as if there was a button you could press to turn them off!

SEA - no, they don't. You are right. I wouldn't let Ds behave 'gratuitously' disruptively in a gallery, or anywhere else - including, for instance, a cinema showing a children's film. If he wasn't engaged enough to behave in a reasonable-ish way i would take him out. We didn't eat in restaurants for a lo-o-o-o-ong time because of this. But if he is chatting loudly about pictures or moving quickly from one to another, or (to my horror, as I promise i am not a 'dear tarquin type)) doing a quick dance in the middle of a gallery in response to a piece, then so be it.

But a momentarily crying baby is another matter. It's one of those things, and parents of babies should not need to go into purdah or stay away from a child-orientated activity.

Bella. When something similar happened to me I said.." I'm sure the nanny did a good job bringing up your children."

hmm i don't know but art galleries aren't theme parks, or workshops

if it happens again just say you can't hear any screaming babies as you are listening to a woman moaning which is far more irritating!

In addition to the 'Tarquin's a free-spirit brigade' there are some parents who seem to spend so much time telling their children to 'shhh' and 'keep still, be quiet' that I wonder why they bother bringing their children along to anything. They spend so much time bashing any kind of fun or spontaniety (sp) out of the experience and make it a fairly pointless outing.

So true Bubble. I have manned handling tables in museums where we have had a big sign up saying 'Please touch!' and there are parents who will read that to their children as 'Please do not touch.'
Not their fault - they have just been brought up to feel intimidated by museums and they end up being overly respectful. That's one reason why lots of museums like using sound effects - it stops people thinking they need to be silent. (Annoys another load of people, though, of course.)

southeast, art amd craft "workshops" are being held in loads of galleries this summer.

look there are families with children in this gallery

Manchester Its very good too!

i know i've been to lots, but you shouldn't bring screaming babies

LOL - this thread is making me realise I haven't ever taken my 2 year old to a museum or gallery in her own right and it's about time I did.
We're in Cambridge in the autumn so I'm going to take her to the zoology museum to look at the big array of stuffed animals - she'll love it! And then the Fitzwilliam for a look at the eighteenth century porcelain, perhaps

She would have hated me. I have taken my nephews to the Tate Britain (as I was the spinster aunt then) and the had a great time. I wouldn't let them out of my sight but we enjoyed the trip and sometime they wouldn't be such angels to aunty. We never broke any of the rules nice people thought they were cute. Now 18 & 20, not posh toffs just nice men. I now take my lad with my mate and her two boys and we have a great time running up and down the turbine Hall. Again We don't break the rules in the gallery but we can be loud. Who says art is only for adults.