Was I unreasonable to take my daughters with me to get my nails done?

[OrlaMcCool]

I changed my name for this because I’ve told other people about it.
I was planning on getting my nails done for a special occasion today and I went to a hotel spa I’d been given a voucher for.

I have taken my daughters (5 and 9) with me to a walk in nail bar before and they sit with snacks and their iPad.
No one has ever complained and some customers and the technicians seem to have enjoyed having them there and chatting about colours and designs. If it’s too busy for them to sit next to me then they sit in the waiting area.

The only suitable appointment was today at 4pm so after school. I had no choice so took my girls with me planning to do the same and let them sit and wait with their iPad.
When I arrived the woman on reception said in a really shitty tone of voice that kids weren’t allowed inside not even to wait quietly.
I said they would be really good but she said absolutely not because there were people in rooms having treatments and they wanted to keep a relaxing atmosphere.

I do understand this and didn’t realise that they did nails by the treatment rooms, I asked if there was anywhere else they could sit and I was practically begging.
Another woman came over and said she was the owner and said I needed to make another appointment. I explained I didn’t have a chance and that my daughters would be quiet and watch the lpad and I could turn the volume as low as possible or even turn it off, I was nearly in tears because I was embarrassed and frustrated.

The owner said that no children were allowed in the spa under any circumstances and was hostile and standing like a bouncer at the door. I left because I didn’t want to make a fuss but I was holding back tears and thought the way she spoke to me was rude and unfair.

I know it wasn’t ideal and I probably didn’t think it through properly because I’m used to taking my girls with me to the usual place I go to.
I think they could have been a bit kinder and let them sit in reception but I suppose they didn’t know that they will actually sit and behave nicely.
I’m not asking if I was unreasonable to take them, I want to know if I’m unreasonable for expecting the staff to have been less aggressive and for speaking to me that way in front of my children and making them sound like a nuisance.

I was going to complain to the hotel that rents the space to the spa but my sister said I was being ridiculous and told me to post for opinions on here.

This must be rage bait!. Surely no-one is this obtuse?

I've read all of your responses op and understand that your kids are well behaved usually fine to sit and wait in the nail bar and they don't cause a nuisance etc. All fine but this particular salon are still entitled to say no kids, and let's remember that many kids are not well behaved, how are they to know.

You have fixated on the idea that they should've been kinder to you. It sounds like the receptionist was perfecty polite the first two times she explained to you that your kids couldn't sit there. You then say the owner was stood aggressively.....the thing is that is open to interpretation, she might have just been irritated that her policy had been explained to you twice and you were failing to accept it so she decided to be a bit firmer with her tone of voice, thats hardly poor customer service.

I suspect the only "kind" response you would've been happy with was getting your own way. You were upset afterwards because you were disappointed and you felt reprimanded....but that only happened because they told you twice and you refused to accept. Had you just gracefully remade the appointment and left your daughters and yourself wouldn't have got upset.

Yup, this did it for me, the generous offer to turn the volume down! Not even a consideration that headphones should always accompany an iPad in public.

The entitlement is astounding.

I get my nails done twice a month. I go to an independent nail tech now, and have been to both spas and beauticians before.

Not only would I never have taken my children to any of these places, I wouldn't be at all happy to see someone else's there either. Just because other customers are polite enough to pander to and interact with your little darlings doesn't mean they want to or are happy about it.

I wouldn't be a cow to a pair of little girls either, but I would be really annoyed to be having a bit of peace and quiet interrupted by someone else's kids nattering at me. I'd also hate to hear an iPad playing. Totally unfair on the receptionist you expected to babysit your kids, too. Even if they're capable of entertaining themselves, it doesn't mean that she isn't responsible for them while you're getting your treatment. I'm sure she doesn't want to listen to their iPads (I know you offered to sound off, but only if needed) or their conversations either.

Get a grip.

This is ridiculous! In what world do you think people want kids watching on an iPad out loud when paying to go to a spa. If your regular nail salon doesn’t mind, stick to there.
I can understand kids being allowed in a nail salon. But a spa? Absolutely no! That’s obviously inappropriate.

Also, why an iPad in public? Do you not give your children books? They're very entertaining and completely silent.

The fact that you brought devices to entertain your kids but didn’t bring earphones or AirPods is pretty telling. It doesn’t seem to occur to you that others don’t want to be involved with your kids either directly or indirectly. People don’t want to go to hairdressers or manicurists to hear kid’s shows or music. They don’t want to guard their own language or choice of conversation. They are often there for some time out from their own kids.

Whilst I understand as a parent the little me time moments mean so much and would feel frustrated having being let down.

I think the situational awareness in this instance and by the sounds of it with your children present is poor. Whilst I would politely engage in conversation with a child at the nail salon, I certainly wouldn’t haven wanted to go to get my nails done and have to sit and speak to a random persons child. I have children and whilst I love them and think they are wonderful and well behaved. I know strangers in a nail salon really are not going to want to sit there having a conversation with them, and if they were it would solely be out of politeness.

whilst I understand you wanted a bit of me time, please be considerate of the fact others are also doing the same. And a lot of those individuals are taking a bit of time out from their own children

Yes this! I was just thinking if I got out without my kids to go to a nail salon, do what you want but don’t let them disturb me! Even if they’re telling me they like my nails. I don’t find it cute to be disturbed if I’ve left my own kids. If they’re quiet and not disturbing, then fine.

A spa is different to a walk in nail bar on the high street where they will often do kids nails. Spas are generally no under 16s and that’s for a reason. They want to keep a relaxing calming atmosphere. Even the sound of kids stuff on an iPad whilst munching crisps kind of ruins the calming feel. So the spa were not at all unreasonable to say they can’t come in. You are adamant they would have behaved, but the staff don’t know that, and what if they hadn’t? Even generally well behaved kids can be a pain at times.

if you’d have left straight away and booked another appointment at a time you didn’t need to bring the kids I imagine this whole lot of upset could have been avoided.

Wrong thread!

Wrong thread

So selfish to take them into nail places. Its a bit of peace and me time for a lot of women and you take your kids in and have iPads going, unbearable.
Also are the nail bar fumes great for children?

you are being extremely unreasonable. Kids aren’t allowed and you kept pushing the issue trying to make them change the rules for you ‘just once’ as they ‘won’t bother anyone’ which is probably true but rules are rules, they don’t allow children and you should have accepted their answer the first time instead of trying to plead a case to try and get them to make an exception. If they’d let them in, they would have had other spa users complaining about children being there and that they’ve broken policy.

Turning the volume doen as low as possible is turning it off

OP you're on about how you were treated but you were told no multiple times before the owner got involved. You had multiple opportunities to re-arrange your appointment and be on your way.
To avoid the whole situation you could have also called earlier that day when they would have told you that you can't bring your children and ultimately would have had more time to find somewhere else to get your nails done.

The reason I wanted my nails done so badly was because they have grown out and are very long, anyone who gets nails done regularly knows how uncomfortable that is.

If only there were a way of cutting or filing your own nails ...

If this was a hospital/urgent appointment, I may have some sympathy of the urgency but getting your nails done? Ridiculous.

She hasn’t accepted it! She thinks if people don’t want to hear Peppa Pig on full blast while her kids wander round chatting to strangers who are trying to have a treatment done in peace, that is their problem.

I would find it very annoying if I was in a waiting area of a spa where I had come for a relaxing treatment to have to sit and listen to 2 kids iPads - thoughtless and entitled imho - yabu

You should learn to read and respond to what OP said, not make up a ton of BS! 🙄

96% of 3954 votes at the time of writing stating you are unreasonable is a pretty good indicator that you are wrong here.

children in a spa?? Without checking first?
then causing a scene because of your incompetence and entitlement ??

Your sense of entitlement is unbelievable even though you have had lots of people tell you that you are wrong on here you are still pushing your point and that's probably what you done at the salon and you are blaming them. If someone says NO it means NO you don't keep pushing and then blame the other party.

You are being unreasonable thinking it’s ok to let your kids watch the iPad without headphones anywhere. It’s antisocial behaviour even with the sound down low.
And if they shout loudly when they have headphones on then they are not ‘no trouble’.
The fact you considered complaining is unreasonable in itself. The spa did nothing wrong. They are protecting the environment for their clients.