To be pisssed off that the local soft play centre gives priorities to b/day parties all day sat and sun

[lucyellensmum]

Today was not the first time i had to dissappoint my two year old because the ball park had no space. This was because it was running two concurrent birthday parties, so not only where there the children there, but their parents, the birthday childs grandparents, friends etc - honestly, its like a regular mothers meeting. The reason why this annoys me is that the place is clearly too small - the reason we go there is because its smaller and you tend to get less bigger children running riot. The place is obviously running beyond its capacity and must have to dissapoint lots of children, turning them away. It is a council run facility, i'm thinking of complaining AIBU?

I've never used a soft play centre for my dd myself but she has been invited to parties at these places and I always stay with her at parties since they're of short duration. FWIW, I think the parties are a rip-off (having attended one to keep an eye on dd and one older guest with a 'rival' party managed to knock herself out jumping off a giant slide!) and they are probably subsidising the non-party goers.

I can understand you were frustrated that you couldn't get in but you are being a bit UR. I took my dd swimming today and they were rationing entry to the training pool for a similar reason.

Have all these people suggesting little ones shouldn't go to soft play during the week considered that they may actually have two working parents?

during the weekend, sorry.

saveme, my opinion of not taking my Kids to softplay is based on any parent....because at weekends softplay is hell, and even more so with younger children (well, that is obviously only a personal observation I suppose...)
There are always other things you can do at the weekend...no matter what your working status...

I guess the working parents might like to hold birthday parties at weekends too...

I would think, that maybe working parents even welcome the whole softplay/bowling birthparty out of the house with least need of preparations as much as those who are sahp...

"TBH I never took my under 4s to soft play places at weekends - it is the only time the older children and families can have birthday parties."

That's what I'm referring to. It's also the only time parents who both work full-time get a chance to take their kids, but that isn't even acknowledged.

"saveme, my opinion of not taking my Kids to softplay is based on any parent....because at weekends softplay is hell, and even more so with younger children"

It is also the only option for parents who work full-time (other than not going at all).

like I said, there are other things you can do with an under 4 that they and you will enjoy that don't involve softplay...

I can understand the frustration of a f/t working parent...but truely, why would one want to do it to themselfs...yes, softplay can be fun, of course it can be, BUT surely when they are packed they are less fun anywya....and of course older children can be rougher, little ones get knocked down etc...
(and I am talking as a mother of an "older" child, with my oldest being almost 12 now...times when lots of older children are at softplay just are stressful, imo....)

OK so i was being unreasonable, to be fair, i thought i was. Its just my grumpy aversion to having to go to the sodding place in the first place!! I wanted to go to the woods but despite scienceteachers suggestion, it was pissing down here

It's unreasonable to want to take them unless you have a party to go to. Ghastly places.

I work ft, and so DS never gets to go to softplay as the ones close to us are either closed to non parties at the weekend, or so full of party goers that you can't get in, or are forever fishing the toddler out of their party food.

And why would I want to do it to myself ? Other suggestions of energetic things to do with a not-quite-2 yr old when its chucking it down with rain and he's going to go nuts if we don't leave the house, would be good. So far, walking round and round the cloisters at Worcester cathedral seems to be our only option, apart from the one swimming session per weekend that you have a chance of not being trampled on by teenagers

Ours is closed to general public at the weekend, to make way for parties. And jolly good parties they are too!

You need a different weekend activity.

HOw about still going out in the rain, just wrap up well, and do the whole Peppa Pig-jumping in muddy puddles thing...Kids love it

Oh, yes, we do that, but there really is a limit to how long I can stand in the freezing rain whilst DS stands in a puddle splashing.

Personally I hate those noisy sweaty softplay places and would see an opportunity to stay at home with the weekend papers and let the kids play in the garden.

i take dd in the week, theres usually only 2 or 3 others there, its fab. we went on friday and it was packed, loads of big kids. dd burst out crying, tell them to go mummy its just for me.