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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Not to understand why people keep asking about child friendly places to watch the England football match tonight?

290 replies

verdantverdure · 14/07/2024 14:16

What am I missing?

I’ve seen a lot of people asking for ‘child-friendly’ places to watch the Euro 2024 final tonight, what's that about?

OP posts:
EarthlyNightshade · 14/07/2024 15:50

My kids are teens. One is going to a friend's house, one has nowhere to go. I was just thinking earlier "I wonder if there is somewhere my 14 year old could go watch football with his friends?" Thank god I didn't ask that in public!

We could have people round but then the friends would have to sit with me as we only have one TV.
It's baffling that so many people think that everyone's life is exactly like theirs.

Marinade · 14/07/2024 15:51

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Previously banned poster.

What a fun sponge! Pubs can be great, friendly places where local people convene for a chat and a few drinks. How ignorant and prejudiced so castigate everyone in a pub as a 'beered up tosspot'. I am sure you are charming, fun company.

Marinade · 14/07/2024 15:53

user1984778379202 · 14/07/2024 15:43

Your posts reek of someone who a) never goes to pubs when the football's on and b) never goes to pubs. Breathtaking ignorance.

Totally: the terrible impression that these non pub-attending people appear to have does not bear out to the reality. Fun sponges.

3WildOnes · 14/07/2024 15:53

verdantverdure · 14/07/2024 14:57

I've got three.

But if child friendly is the priority then I'm wondering why not watch it at home?

Doesn't violent crime increase if football teams don't win?

I'm not sure kids being out in a crowd of strangers is all that child friendly if things get tense.

I'm not really worried about anyone kicking off at the screening in our church hall!
I think mine will have a lot more fun watching it with a big group of friends and than at home.

DinnaeFashYersel · 14/07/2024 15:53

What's difficult to understand?

Before Scotland was knocked out we took our kids to watch the games in the family section of the Fanzone at our local club.

Amazing atmosphere plus food vans, big screens, Dj before kick off. Just brilliant.

Many families want you to enjoy football together without risk of rowdiness.

MintTwirl · 14/07/2024 15:54

We’re going to the pub with the dc tonight, i guess we are awful parents according to the medal touting mumsnet martyrs.

Especiallymoist · 14/07/2024 15:54

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DinnaeFashYersel · 14/07/2024 15:55

I see the anti football misery guts have moved to this thread.

Sad individuals really. I feel sorry for you.

Epicaricacy · 14/07/2024 15:56

3WildOnes · 14/07/2024 15:53

I'm not really worried about anyone kicking off at the screening in our church hall!
I think mine will have a lot more fun watching it with a big group of friends and than at home.

You never know, the vicar of Dibley might get agitated.

Differentstarts · 14/07/2024 15:56

Where going to the pub with the
Kids they've got their england kits on already

LessOnslowmoreHyacinth · 14/07/2024 15:57

@verdantverdure

It's actually secret code for "can we score some cocaine?"

Tsk - thought everybody knew that.

Marinade · 14/07/2024 15:57

DinnaeFashYersel · 14/07/2024 15:55

I see the anti football misery guts have moved to this thread.

Sad individuals really. I feel sorry for you.

Indeed, how very dare anyone enjoy the excitement and fun brought about by watching our national team compete in the Euro finals! We should all be doing something far far worthier.

Especiallymoist · 14/07/2024 15:57

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Auburngal · 14/07/2024 15:58

Home?

I would never entertain watching something like this in a pub

Epicaricacy · 14/07/2024 15:59

PasteldeNata78 · 14/07/2024 15:33

Exactly. Not sure if the OP is actually stupid or deliberately being obtuse.
Not everybody has the space to host a load of people, or wants to clean up/host for that matter. Also you need a big enough TV.

I think we found one of the lockdown nostalgics. Some people enjoyed them so much they never got over losing them and the rest of us getting our freedom back.

JudgeJ · 14/07/2024 16:00

5128gap · 14/07/2024 14:21

People want the experience of watching it in a crowd. Their children may also enjoy it. But it needs to be an environment that's fit for children.

Or maybe the parents need to accept that a latish night at a pub with all the problems there will be if the result isn't what's wanted is not a place for a child. The world does not exist to make parents' lives easy, they should be taking responsibility for their children and staying at home. I'm sure a lot of people going to the pub to watch it will pray there won't be a load of whiny kids there to spoil the adult evening.

Epicaricacy · 14/07/2024 16:01

JudgeJ · 14/07/2024 16:00

Or maybe the parents need to accept that a latish night at a pub with all the problems there will be if the result isn't what's wanted is not a place for a child. The world does not exist to make parents' lives easy, they should be taking responsibility for their children and staying at home. I'm sure a lot of people going to the pub to watch it will pray there won't be a load of whiny kids there to spoil the adult evening.

WHY are you focusing on PUBS?

People are asking for PLACES? Why do you keep talking about pubs? Who said they wanted child-friendly pubs?

Stoptherideiwanttogetoff24 · 14/07/2024 16:03

brightyellowflower · 14/07/2024 14:19

I don't understand either. Pubs are for drinking and swearing. No way should adults have to mind what they're doing to accommodate the parents who simply can't be arsed to sit and watch it in their own living rooms.

That’s why they’re asking for children friendly places not pubs - so they can enjoy watching the match with other people. Are you thick or just not interested in reading people’s posts properly so you can make rude comments.

Especiallymoist · 14/07/2024 16:04

This reply has been deleted

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Stoptherideiwanttogetoff24 · 14/07/2024 16:04

Epicaricacy · 14/07/2024 16:01

WHY are you focusing on PUBS?

People are asking for PLACES? Why do you keep talking about pubs? Who said they wanted child-friendly pubs?

People are too stupid to read the actual post and love being sanctimonious

Collexifon · 14/07/2024 16:05

JudgeJ · 14/07/2024 16:00

Or maybe the parents need to accept that a latish night at a pub with all the problems there will be if the result isn't what's wanted is not a place for a child. The world does not exist to make parents' lives easy, they should be taking responsibility for their children and staying at home. I'm sure a lot of people going to the pub to watch it will pray there won't be a load of whiny kids there to spoil the adult evening.

Omg. There are plenty of pubs where people aren't going to be smashing things up when England lose.

I've been away from mumsnet for a while. I don't remember it being so full of self righteous pearl clutchers

Characterbuilding · 14/07/2024 16:05

There will be community centres showing it, also local football clubs will open their doors to families tonight and maybe other family focussed large business venues .
I don’t drink alcohol but also asked on local forums where it may be possible to watch the match with children. The key is we are asking for venues that are hosting families to AVOID the disgraceful behaviour you are concerned about so that children can cheer on their national team. Behaviour incidentally that shouldn’t be happening anyway and isn’t a problem in many other countries across the globe.

Ifeellikeateenageragain · 14/07/2024 16:05

They're asking for child friendly places, not child friendly pubs. Are you being deliberately dense?

inamarina · 14/07/2024 16:08

verdantverdure · 14/07/2024 14:57

I've got three.

But if child friendly is the priority then I'm wondering why not watch it at home?

Doesn't violent crime increase if football teams don't win?

I'm not sure kids being out in a crowd of strangers is all that child friendly if things get tense.

But if child friendly is the priority then I'm wondering why not watch it at home?

Because they’d rather not watch it at home?
Because they’d like to go out and enjoy the crowd experience, but still want somewhere not too full of drunken fans and where the risk of things escalating is low?
That’s why they’re asking for child friendly places.

PerkyMintDeer · 14/07/2024 16:08

verdantverdure · 14/07/2024 15:03

Not moaning.

I just didn't understand that when people asked for "child friendly" they meant less child friendly than their own living room but more fun.

I thought if child friendly was the priority then what's more child friendly than at home in their PJs?

Because it's at the very least a potentially historic event if we win and "I was at home in my PJs" isn't as exciting a place as sharing an environment with other people rooting for the National Team.

Mum, Dad and siblings jumping up and down in jubilation is nice but not the same as when a busy, happy environment with lots of people are celebrating. It's nice to get dressed up for the event with kits and faceprint etc, sing football chants with others, celebrate in a bigger way - for some families.

With lots of alcohol, loutish behaviour, people who don't like having kids in public spaces, there are a lot of venues which are showing the game on a big scale but not appropriate or safe for kids.

Several venues in my hometown are having "family friendly football screenings" where keeping things, "clean", "sober-ish" and totally safe for children is the priority. They're having games at half time, "characters" to visit the kids, mini discos with songs like Sweet Caroline and Freed from Desire etc for them to dance to...That sounds way more fun and yes, "child friendly" for many kids than being at home might be. One of the venues is the (church) school hall, so kids will be able to experience this with their classmates and friends in a way they wouldn't if all of them were at home.

Ultimately, you know what your kids would prefer and if it's staying at home, fair enough, but it's pretty joyless to declare that the living room is the most child-friendly place there is for every child. I mean, why do anything? Why go to the cinema when you have a TV at home? Why have a sleepover at someone else's house when you have a perfectly good bed at home? Why eat out when you can eat at home? Because sometimes it's more entertaining to do stuff outside of the house, and there are many reasons watching the England/Spain Final in a child friendly space would be more entertaining, fun, momentous, sociable than being on the sofa in pjs.

And I say that as someone who is neurodivergent and detests leaving the house.