Adults at petting zoos/farms/kids days out

[ExtraHotDoubleShot]

Has anyone else noticed a massive uptick in grown adults (many in late teens and 20s) going on days out aimed at kids/young families? I’m finding it increasingly irritating - small children having to queue behind grown adults to stroke rabbits or see tanks of fish.

(Exception where there is clearly a disability at play)

I know a cracking owl sanctuary 😀 🦉

You are Hyacinth Bucket and I claim my £5

@CrystalSingerFan here you go...

I'm completely with you. I used to bring my old dad with us to the local rare breeds farm, he wanted to join in with the kids becuse he loves animals too. That's normal human behaviour imo, i don't understand anyone who thinks otherwise.

He does have to use a mobility scooter, so maybe she would approve, although that would take up space in a queue, so maybe lego would be okay but not a petting zoo

Putting aside petting zoos, since when was looking at fish considered a childish activity?

I do this, especially talking to squirrels, I talk to the birds as well! 🥰

@Needmorelego

Wins the internet today, as far as I am concerned. Fantastic pic - thanks.

You're the one saying adults shouldn't be allowed. The zoo let in anyone who pays.

And re lego, my Grandad collects and builds it. He's 92 and it's really good for his manual dexterity. Among others things. He doesn't go to the stores though as he isn't near enough to one.

Do you wear spy glasses and ear monitors? How else are you so privy to their conversations when you presumably have children to keep an eye on?

David Beckham loves Lego.

I used to take DC to local garden centre where they had fish in tanks when he was little, free activity!

Me and my DH recently had a day out at the zoo, had a great time together didn't get in front of any kids etc no pushing in, it was fun and a nice date day, don't see any problems with that

I hope you were prepared to leap into a bush and hide in case OP came around the corner with her DC.
Or you could stay, and OP would assume you were disabled or have issues, because only disabled adults like animals.

Oh god I had my own pet rabbit as an adult, god knows what you’d think of me.

But you wouldn’t find me queuing ahead of the children as I wouldn’t be somewhere that lets children handle rabbits. It’s cruel, they’re a prey animal so should have limited handling anyway and certainly not by ham fisted children with pokey fingers.

I can’t even begin to see why you think handling rabbits is a children’s activity?! If anything, it’s an adults activity.

Adults are allowed to like animals too, y'know.

My OH and I play air hockey sometimes! Is that too childish?

I was outside the door with our youngest in the pushchair while DH took the older children in. They took forever to finish looking 🙄 so I certainly had ample time to see all the sights I can tell you.

Life is hard, if I can pay to hug a rabbit you can bet I’m hugging a rabbit

I agree with this. I am currently working through lots of things I didn't have and places I didn't go as a child. It's my one life! I will do so! You can't tell people what to do, op. They aren't hurting anyone.

I have to yell at the parakeets to be quiet because they're so noisy.
I always say "Good Morning Mr Magpie, Good Morning Mrs Magpie" because you have to.
Pigeons I mostly mumble "get out the way" at.

Well what a miserable, horribly judgemental piece of work you sound, OP. What's your job, Head of Misery at the Fun Police?

Lighten up and let people enjoy what they enjoy, ffs. And here's a thought: you can still enjoy what brings you happiness at any age. You're 35 but sound like you're going on 70.

In fact, that's not fair. I know 70-year-olds who sound far more cheerful than you!

Going against the grain of the thread here, but I'm with the OP.

Yes, it's harmless fun.
Yes, adults are paying more than the kids and have as much right to be there.
Yes, grown adults should be free to do what they want with their hard-earned money.

But there does seem to be a growing number of young adults who seem unable to cope with the adult world and are trying to cling to a more childlike existence. Of course they're not hurting anyone, but I do wonder how they are going to cope in a few years when they have children of their own, or move up the career ladder.

I wonder if it may be one of the unintended consequences of lockdowns - it hit Gen Z particularly hard, I think.

This just in - Zookeepers, a Job only for kids.

😆 i once went on a date to a parrot sanctuary with dp, great memories.

I bet the OP would have decided that my kids were too old to do stuff when they were exactly the same age as other kids she approved of but looked older because they were very tall.