To think this can't be true about play centres?

[JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows]

Seen this this morning on Facebook from a trampoline park/soft play centre - surely it can't be true? Too many safeguarding issues - My kids are 5 and 8 and I wouldn't leave them alone inside a play centre. I'd sit in the cafe/seating area and look out for them but parents can't possibly be expected to leave their 4+ year olds (they clarify in the comments that it only applies to kids 4 and over) alone?

@Butwasitherdriveway no problem, thank you.

@ParadiseLaundry I feel sorry for them too. The owners are relatively new, they only bought the place 8 months before Covid hit so it must have been a real baptism of fire. The comments on their subsequent post seem more supportive.

the owners will be in more trouble if they get flooded with bad reviews....

@TattiePants I know, they have completely refurbished the place and cleaned it up, they must have spent a fortune.

I've seen the other post and nice messages so it's very encouraging. I remember when they were open briefly in the summer and everyone was singing their praises saying how clean it was and how vigilant the staff were so hopefully people will remember that.

I'd leave my 8 and 6 year old together, I wouldn't leave them if it was just one of them though.

[quote Butwasitherdriveway]@JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows

I can't believe what I'm reading. So even though you get more holidays off than every other profession, and let's be serious don't do a lot then, and you've just had all that time off, 'for a break' you send your kids to holiday clubs?!?[/quote]
Yep.

Not sorry. I'm off with them for 8 weeks, too right I want a break.

Imagine being flabbergasted by a parent sending their child to a dance camp for FOUR DAYS out of 56 😂😂 are you ok? Must be of a sensible disposition to be shocked by that.

Not even gonna address the dig at teachers. You're not worth my time.

James....

I'm a teacher.

Thats some trick, knowing someone you've never met before.

Before I sign my kids up to an activity I always go for a look round the facilities and meet the organisers. I have before had a bad feeling and not signed them up.

@danni0509

What about children with additional needs? I hope allowances are made for that otherwise it’s discrimination.

No chance a random member of staff could ‘supervise’ my ds amongst god knows how many other kids. He has 2-1 support at school and they still cant cope.

Me and Dh sometimes take him out on weekends to things like this, where me and Dh are both needed, sometimes one of us can manage him for small amounts of time 1-1 (directly 1-1, not just keeping an ‘eye’) but the other has to be close by on hand for back up which is often used!

If rules like this are in place then ds can’t attend, which shouldn’t suprise me really as it’s usually the story with any activities / clubs

I do feel like non-NT people have really lost our greatly in this pandemic. Awful

my DD is nearly 9 and if it wasn't for her little brother I probably wouldn't go to a soft play.

I don’t get it because you keep saying soft play but that part is shut and only the trampolines are open?
Soft play is for under 8/9 but trampoline parks are predominantly for older than that. When I’ve been it’s been predominantly 8 plus with plenty of teens/ adults. They’re quite different. Which is it that’s open?

[quote Butwasitherdriveway]@Scepticalch3rry James and pumper will tell you what a nightmare stubborn poster I am but even I can see you are attempting to pick a random argument out of thin air! Why? I'm not really sure what point you are making![/quote]
I'd say no such thing of you @Butwasitherdriveway I don't just offer my gin to anyone

OP, I think that post was supposed to be a joke.

I think the posters who know the establishment have made it clear it isn't what you were insinuating. Although I want to say I'm very impressed you stayed and listened to everyone piling in . Hats off to you! (Genuinely!).

I hope everything goes well for all the establishments opening up next week. My DC are looking forward to swimming lessons and dancing. These businesses need our support just as much as the food places we have been using. Good luck to them.

It was indeed a joke . I thought you'd remembered our shared piss taking at teacher bashes. I said earlier upthread that we leave them at residential a and go to Ibiza too

Reassurance isn't protection, they're different words with different meanings. A parent being sat in a cafe, does not protect a child from another child. Unless you are within arms reach shit happens

Reassurance that a parent is nearby can provide protection to a child who can run to mum before a situation escalates

I bet you were reassured about your mother at that swimming pool, but you were still harmed were you not?

This really raises the issue that, unless we ALL helicopter parent until ages 18 (not productive or feasible) we can't 100% protect our children from harm 100% of the time. What we can do if be there as quick as possible to mitigate when harms happens. This is very valuable and an assurance to children and not one you should dismiss

Also I'm still not sure why you're hammering on about soft play, this is a trampoline park, only the trampoline area is open

Because it applies to soft plays as well

@Same4Walls

Yes, this was what I was trying to get across.

Knowing my sixth formers who work in these kinds of centres, they're great pupils to teach but not mentally equipped to suddenly be responsible for dozens of random (feral) children.

But another poster has clarified its nothing like that even pre covid.

And someone else has said they get no safeguarding training at all 🤷‍♀️

Because it applies to soft plays as well

How? If the soft play is closed then nothing they mention applies to it.

That's Ok James. According to PP, there's too much safeguarding 🤣

@Butwasitherdriveway I'm really sorry I completely misread your post as having a dig at teachers doing nothing in their job rather than in the summer apologies!

I still don't feel bad for putting the little feckers in dance camp though. I'm still a human being afterall

[quote JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows]@Butwasitherdriveway I'm really sorry I completely misread your post as having a dig at teachers doing nothing in their job rather than in the summer apologies!

I still don't feel bad for putting the little feckers in dance camp though. I'm still a human being afterall[/quote]
I was having a dig. But I was trying to be funny, because I am a teacher, and we both know people think like this 🤣

@Devlesko

Too much safeguarding in this country it's bad. Raising children to be wary of adults is wrong, not expecting them to play for a while without their parents. They can do what they want as a business, snowflakes and pfb parents don't need to go.

Yeah let's go back to a time when there's wasn't enough safeguarding and children died as a result. Fucking snowflakes ey

@Butwasitherdriveway you're a teacher too, ah, then have all my gin yeah we do fuck all, just put our feet on the desk and hope for the best ey

@Butwasitherdriveway

It was indeed a joke . I thought you'd remembered our shared piss taking at teacher bashes. I said earlier upthread that we leave them at residential a and go to Ibiza too

I do remember now you say! My memory is like a (hungover) sieve in the holidays

I don’t think soft play can open in april. I think the trampolines can because it’s a recognised sport. From the middle of may you’ll be able to join them on the trampolines so not long to wait..

I was leaving my 5yo to do gymnastics last term when they were still open but 'covid safe' whatever that means. Sat in the car outside or went shopping nearby with my mobile to hand.

Wouldn't leave her for free play though.

I would quite happily let my 2 go to a supervised trampoline session without me.

Just as I let them go to tennis, football, Cubs, swimming etc without me.