To think don't go to a family focused holiday place if you don't want to be around children!

[Familyy]

On holiday at a small apartment complex which advertises itself heavily on being family and young child friendly. The owners are very hands on and have been absolutely lovely with us and our DC one of whom is an 18 month old.

Anyway, today round the pool there was an older couple with no DC who sat by us on some sun loungers and then proceeded all afternoon to tut and look at each other / mutter to each other whenever our youngest made a noise. He wasn't bad, just a typical 18 month old. A couple of whinges throughout the afternoon, one short cry when he fell and then the odd shout / shriek when playing with his brother and dad in the pool.

AIBU to think why go to a place like this (it's all over their website and description on booking sites that it's for families) if you don't want to be disturbed by small kids and why sit next to a family with a small child even more so and then moan about it?!

There were other DC around too making more noise than us but our youngest is one of only 2 babies I've seen here so far (only a handful of apartments in the complex).

That would piss me off because from what I've seen adult only are often more expensive. And even if not, I would still compalin like hell because that is not what was offered, is it.

YANBU

All my dc free holidays (not that many) have been at adult only hotels.

I don't like to hear kids shouting / banging balls / playing and I've got two kids myself. Unless you go on an over 18 holiday of course it will be full of kids. Please don't let them ruin your holiday.

imagine being so joyless and intolerant as to object to a baby splashing in a pool. some people…

What a ridiculous over reaction.

I agree with a pp that a holiday with your own children is a completely different proposition to being surrounded by other people's children when your own are past the stage of wanting to play.

I don't hate children, but if I want peace and quiet I would choose a holiday where there aren't going to be noisy children.

Hell is other people’s children!

My kids’ school broke up over a week ago!

Pre-DC we always went to adults only places to avoid children. YANBU OP. We’ll be back to adults only once they’re old enough to be left at home alone!

My kids’ school broke up over a week ago!

State schools in England don't break up that early.

They tutted and looked at each other and it seemed to you that those actions were in response to your 18mo making normal amounts of noise? But they didn't say anything to you, or in your hearing, or that you overheard, or that someone repeated to you? And they didn't, as far as you know, make any complaints about you to the owner, staff, etc? I would just ignore them. They may not even be reacting to you or your child, at least not all the time.

"An older couple with no DC", whether they are childless/childfree, have grown-up children, or don't have children with them, can still be a family. And many times "family friendly" does not mean "children only" or even "child centred". They may have been attracted to a family friendly place specifically to avoid (what they consider) stereotypical "adults only" types of behaviour.

@RampantIvy maybe so but I just feel that if you’re tutting over a baby having a splash, you’re getting life all wrong. What a miseryguts couple!

send me to somewhere where they understand that bambinos (bambinis?!) are just little humans; a natural part of life like elderly people or people with a disability who might need a few special accommodations but basically deserve to exist and be happy. We were all chubby little babies once upon a time!

I just got back from a week away in family focussed resort, we don’t have kids.
I honestly couldn’t care less about the kids there making noise or having fun. If we did- we would have booked an adults only place. Simple.
I wouldn’t try and quieten your kids for the miserable adults sakes. A holiday abroad is a luxury and they sound the type that would find something to moan about wherever they went!

You say "A couple of whinges throughout the afternoon, one short cry when he fell and then the odd shout / shriek when playing with his brother and dad in the pool."

I say "you're delusional 😅
Like seriously there is nothing that makes more annoying noises then 18month olds. You might be immune to your own child. They shouldnt have tutted that's true but dont be one of those mums that their kid is an angel that makes no noise ever.

Maybe the couple was sold a child free holiday. What do you know.

OP I'm less tolerant as I get older of people being rude

If someone was tutting next to me on holiday whilst my DCs were having fun in the pool - as long as they weren't screaming or shouting and behaving unsociably.

So I would have said equally out loud "we can hear you tutting and being rude. The children are playing nicely , it is a family resort. If you want extreme quiet then book a no children resort. Or move away from our sun loungers please, as I don't want my children to hear you be unpleasant "

This!

Cheeky feckers.

Doesn't matter if they were sold a child free holiday, OP isn't to blame for that.

Doesn't give them the right to upset OPs holiday, she was sold a family resort holiday and assumed she wouldn't have whiners moaning about her children unnecessarily.

YANBU to behave as though the hotel was the sort of hotel that was promoted to you and TheyANBU to expect the hotel to be the sort of hotel that was promoted to them and behave as such. Providing you all are civil to each other. The people being unreasonable are the ones who deceive customers by promoting the hotel in incompatible ways. (All assuming this is why both your family and the childless couple are at the same hotel).

I like a read of TripAdvisor and I've seen plenty of these types of people. Complaining that there were kids at theme parks, zoos, museums aimed at families, etc.

It's fine not to like kids but don't go to family friendly places and be surprised that there are children there.

I’d love to hear their side of the story.

But it doesn't sound like this couple actually did anything? They looked miserable and muttered - could be about your toddler, could not be. Either way it's easily ignored and that's clearly the best course of action. You don't have to do anything to change your own behaviour but there is also absolutely no need to force a confrontation as some pp have suggested!

Yanbu but not everyone can afford adult only places, they tend to be more expensive.

Your kids have right to play, make noise, and they have a right to not like it. They haven’t said anything to you, so why not ignore them. Why create a thread where you know majority of the posters will call them miserable sods. There are threads every other day, judging old, child free people so harshly. Yesterday there was a thread about old man asking little girl if she is dressed for a wedding. Old people can’t be perfect, their lives are 100 times more difficult than younger people.They can be lonely, they have health issues, financial stress, no sense of purpose, unless they have really said something hurtful to you, ignore their minor offences. One day we all will be old. Live and let live. Enjoy your holiday with your kids

Devil is in the detail. How noisy were your kids/other kids and was the block being marketed for adults only holidays on another site. It's happened to me

@Familyy why not try engaging the couple in conversation today.
Are you having a nice holiday? Isn’t it lovely to go away after 2 years of lockdown?
They may be nice people really.
If they’re not at least you tried.

Exactly.

I’d love to hear the other side of this!