To think this friend is being ridiculous

[lastqueenofscotland]

I’ve got a friend who brings her three year old to most things, including when occasionally inappropriate. But usually it’s ok, she is the type to kick off when she gets invited to a wedding and her daughter doesn’t but otherwise it’s ok.

We all thought it would be fun to go to a beer festival and bought tickets about a month ago. It starts at 7pm in a city centre on a Friday. She has since found out it is (I’d think obviously) no under 18s due to licensing.
She is kicking off sideways about this.
Aibu to think she’s being bloody ridiculous and to tell her so!

Absolutely crackers...more so that she clearly thinks under 18 does not apply to her 3 year old

So because her toddler can’t go her toddler-free friends are not allowed to go either?

No one wants to go the pub and be greeted by 3 yo's.

If I was out and see your friend with child I would completely judge her and your group for bringing the child.

It would be embarrassing for you to have people looking over!

I would tell her, likely all your friendship group think the same

I suspect that its a condition of their alcohol licence which will be imposed by the local authority. I'd enjoy watching her kick off as they won't make an exception for her. Why the hell would you want to take a 3yr old to a beer festival anyway??

Under 18 means newborn to 17 years 11 months 30 days.

Otherwise where would you draw the line ?
How old is old enough to to consider underage drinking ? 13? 15?
Younger children while they wouldn’t be sold alcohol might go round drinking the dregs out of glasses etc.

Your friend is an idiot

The organisers will have a good laugh reading her demented entitled email.
Be a good friend and point out how ridiculous she is.

Sounds as though she has separation anxiety and trusted issues.
Could you suggest that her DH look after the DC or, if not, perhaps he could come with you instead?

Does she never consider that perhaps her friends don’t want a three year old tagging along to every single night out and social event? She’s turning everything into a mother and child out just because it’s what she wants. It totally changes the dynamic!

her argument was that obviously her child was so so young she possibly couldn’t be counted and the under 18s thing was to stop teenagers buying alcohol

And what about to protect children from parents who drink too much or who might be scared by seeing other drunk people? I can imagine the mockery as the organisers read her complaint. Even stranger to complain when she does have other options for child care.

I'd be taking a big step back from the relationship, tbh. She sounds rather unhinged and quite unreasonable.

And please come back and let us know how the organisers responded.

She's an idiot.

You do get some mums who think the whole world should cut them slack for once giving birth!

Why does she think thats a suitable environment or any fun for a 3 yr old.

Its true that other people there would think it very distasteful to drag a child along to a beer festival.
I wish I'd had the available childcare she has. My son's 12 and I still rarely go out due to no childcare.

She has messaged the organisers. Said it’s ridiculous the event isn’t more inclusive
She’s been moaning that it wasn’t absolutely clear that when it said over 18s it meant that excluded very young children to

She's an idiot and/or extremely entitled.

She is being very silly.

She has messaged the organisers. Said it’s ridiculous the event isn’t more inclusive
Yes, the organisers have also forgotten to market their event to teetotallers & raging alcoholics. Perhaps because they are too busy laughing at your asinine 'friend' - but there's no need to be quite so hurtfully exclusive, is there?

She’s been moaning that it wasn’t absolutely clear that when it said over 18s it meant that excluded very young children too

Fucking hell the mental contortions she goes through in order to remain the thwarted, hard-done-by victim are astounding.
What an entitled spoiled brat she is.

I would have thought A 3yo would be the worst age to take to an event like that. Old enough to be mobile, too big to carry for long, capable of grabbing hold of things and pulling but young enough to be scared of rowdy, drunk strangers and not really able to take that much instruction about how to behave.

But I'm not actually a parent, so maybe I'm wrong

Apart from it being inappropriate, I imagine a 3 year old would be tired and bored to tears within half an hour, and more likely to act up because there was understandably nothing for them to do!

Oops wrong thread sorry

he mental contortions she goes through in order to remain the thwarted, hard-done-by victim are astounding

But this is fairly common thinking - that child-free doesn't mean babies, or doesn't mean older teenagers, or that the child will be asleep in a buggy so that's fine. Lots of entitled people who don't think the rules apply.

Yes completely ridiculous.

She's an idiot. Let her know that, and get a new friend.

"(Friend) this is an 'us as adults' letting our hair down weekend - even if they allowed three year olds, it really wouldn't work out now, would it?"

I really want to know what the organisers respond with she's an eejit.

How good a friend is she?

I have a few friends who are close enough that I could tell them what an idiot they were being and that it was time to stop acting like a spoilt, precious numpty and to stop bringing her kid everywhere she goes.

I also have friends I could never be that honest with because they wouldn't speak to me again. If she is close enough then just go in and tell her honestly what an idiot she is being.