AIBU to think Coronavirus is not an excuse to exclude children from public places?

[RoseGoldCloud]

B&Q have banned children from their stores due to Coronavirus. www.diy.com/customer-support#icamp=HP_Cat5_shopsafely
I get that people are scared in public places. I also agree that anyone not respecting the social distancing should be asked to leave. I don’t understand why they are excluding one particular group based solely on age. The rules should apply to everyone and anyone breaking it should have to leave. I have seen many children behaving really sensibly and I’ve also had numerous adults stand right next to me, refuse to follow the one way systems, touching baskets that have been disinfected and then putting them back. Why are the adults allowed to ignore the rules? But all the children get banned? What are single parents going to do if other shops start doing this? And what next? Are we going to ban other groups that are cared for? If we find out certain population groups are more prone to covid will we be banning them too? Are we going to ban children from all public places? Shops? Shopping centres? Town squares?

I recognise that people are scared but I think we really need to remember that we are fighting a virus not other people or certain groups of people.

So AIBU to think we shouldn’t ban people from a public place based on their age?

@MilkTrayLimeBarrel I certainly don't subscribe to such a philosophy however I am a MUM that is why I first found MUMSNET. We can all enjoy discussing other topics and interesting debate etc. My point was purely that on a site called MUMSnet I would have expected to see more responses advocating for the children. Nowhere did I say children are the be all and end all, or that discussion should be limited to that context.

I won't be shopping at B+Q again.

I’m sure they’ll be devastated that there’s one less person dragging their kids around a potentially dangerous store.

• ChristmasCarcass Sun 10-May-20 10:42:47

Do tradesmen really use B&Q? That must cost a bomb. The ones I know go to an actual builders’ merchant*

Yes they do use B&Q, in large numbers. B&Q do a trade/bulk discount via their Tradeclub card scheme.

BINGO!

Personally I don’t think B&Q should even be open except for trade. It’s hardly essential shopping is it?!

You think we should have to pay someone to do those essential home repairs that many people are capable of fixing themselves? And having tradespeople in their houses? They sell stuff that is pretty essential to fix household problems. We need to get some spray to destroy a wasps nest or do you think we should leave the wasps to it just outside my daughters bedroom window?

Really no choice but to go to B&Q?

Other hardware stores are available. For most things even pre-lockdown we ended up going to Screfix over the road and getting the same thing cheaper.

Since lockdown, we've found the Screwfix click and collect service ideal.

Just find another shop. But they won't want children in either.

It’s not a public place.

Most shops only allow a certain number of people in. Why should children take up those spaces.

However I’d let children in with single parents as long as they were in a buggy, in the trolley seat or on reins. Otherwise you flick and collect, ask your friends/ neighbours / family to help or do without

Children are harder to ensure social distancing, I would guess. In something like a D.I.Y store its probably better to order online than go with children in tow, but less easy to get a slot at a supermarket. I imagine B&Q have seen how busy the store got when it opened and thought one way to reduce the number of customers is to restrict the non paying ones, as the children are rarely at a D.I.Y store to make a purchase.

B&Q want yo get their business up and running. If their risk assessment is that children are a risk to others including staff or at risk from others and they are controlling the number of people in their stores then they are right to say no children at this time. The alternative may be not opening stores, putting jobs at further risk and nobody gets to shop in store. They made their decision based on available information.

Maybe they could say one child per adult customer allowed in. That way the parent could keep an eye on the child, if a parent goes in with 3 children its less easy to get them to respect the distancing rule.

@DominaShantotto , why not take your kids out for a walk like normal people. Why not do a click and collect at B&Q or where ever else and then play eye-spy in the car whilst waiting for the order.

As already mentioned stores need to limit the amount of customers inside them. A couple and 3 kids or five paying customers?

Stores also need to work on click and collect options, it is going to be hard work but our local hardware store had all this sorted weeks ago, plus oodles of deliveries. Not once did they feel the need to ask a customer what their percieved class was.

Yesterday however in the massive Tesco queue there were plenty of 2 adults with children in the queue, that needs stopped. I went elsewhere for my shopping

@T0tallyFuckedUpFamily
It’s hardly essential shopping is it?!

It is for tradespeople. The economy needs to flow and having shops like B&Q closed were preventing builders, plumbers, etc from working, which for many householders meant living with leaks, structural damage, homes open to the elements because work stopped suddenly, etc.

B and Q has always been open for trade. It’s recently opened to the public which is not essential.

If parents don't control their children I don't see that they have much choice other than a ban.

The less people there the better.

I don’t care what age they are. 2 over 70’s for. The same house, a child and a parent from the same house, a middle aged couple from the same house........

In all but 1 of those examples only 1 out of the 2 people should be there. And even in the child and parent example - in a good proportion of families the child does not need to be there.

We will all have to have a think about what we want to do and what we need to do and adjust things accordingly. That’s likely to be our new normal I think.

AldiAilsleOfCrap why should people have to pay and have others inside their homes to do essential repairs they are capable of themselves?

Just because some adults also act like children doesn't make it wrong to restrict children. We ban 5yo kids from driving even though we're all met adults who are dangerous behind the wheel.

I don't think I quite agree with their decision, but it is their shop and it's not like a food shop doing it. What they should have said is "children welcome. If they touch something you have bought it."

Just waiting for the ‘I can’t believe Mumsnet hates children so much, this is supposed to be a parenting site’.

I’m waiting for the ‘in Europe, where they actually like children, family outings to hardware stores are actually encouraged. Every year we stay in a gite in France and the local hardware store owner greats us with open arms.’

Oh wait, that’s pubs and cafes.

Banned?

No. They have asked that you don't bring them. You can choose to ignore that advice if you want.

It's not in the interests of B&Q to 'ban' children and they are certainly not using Coronavirus as an excuse to do so.

Tad sensitive OP?

FlamingoAndJohn

I’ve already called bingo on mine, but I’m really looking forward to yours.

Just find another shop. But they won't want children in either.

And that’s the thing. Kids aren’t really welcome anywhere at the moment. Not even in parks, judging by some of the comments on other threads. It does seem that because they can’t vote or spend they have less rights than adults to take up space. And the dismissive comments up thread about ‘families’ suggest that right now this also extends to their carers.

Not saying I want to drag my 2-year-old around B&Q right now - hardly my idea of fun at the best of times - but the general mood seems to be that children shouldn’t seen out in public at all. Just how long are we expected to keep them confined to house and garden? Until September? Until a vaccine is found?

B and Q has always been open for trade. It’s recently opened to the public which is not essential.

It was closed for a time with click and collect only. There has never been a trade only policy. What they did do was a mass product restriction.

My local council tip when it's open doesn't allow children in. Are they being ageist or just ensuring that no children are injured?

Petrol stations don't let children under 16 operate the pumps. Are they being ageist or ensuring that no child is injured?

B&Q is dangerous. In normal times they can just about cope with parents who let their children run riot now they clearly can't with social distancing measures and other H&S to minimise the spreading of a serious infection.

I would allow young children in with single parents. Older children (over 10) can wait outside, or be left at home. Same with couples, unless one of them is a carer and has to be with the other adult.

Stores need to minimise customer footfall whilst increasing sales.

Barring kids is a great way of doing that.

No child needs to go to B&Q. They also do click and collect so no excuse for those who don't have anyone to mind their dc.

My dc have not stepped into a shop since pre lockdown. I'm am very grateful that I've been able to do the food shop alone and am able to leave the dc with their father.

On days he is at work we either pre plan a delivery or wait til another day.