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 had an ex like this.

Why not? It sounds like something you could do with.

This whole "fun is for children" shtick is, ironically, quite an immature phase that a lot of people go through while trying to prove themselves as proper adults. I'd grown out of it by my 30's.

Sadly, they probably got shamed out of doing fun things by an overbearing parent or a judgy peer group.

Lol hardly. My 18 year old was rather worried his childhood would be extended because he was desperate to start uni and travel and go to festivals and was concerned he'd just be stuck at home for another year.

You should. You might unclench a bit.

YABU and you’d hate me - I had the audacity to have a go on the swings the other day!

You are getting a right bashing but I agree with you OP. Some young people nowadays are very infantile. Paying to pet a hamster is the epitome of this. As adults they could just go and get a pet hamster or rabbit if they love animals. But that would involve taking on some responsibility.

It's healthy for children to learn patience and waiting in lines, and I say this as a parent myself. I also frequented these places when I was was first going out with my now dh. Lovely date days that didn't have to only be restaurants or bars. When we had a tragic loss three years ago our twin babies died the week of their birth. I couldn't face it for a long time but on their first anniversary 2 years ago when I was newly pregnant with their sibling we both went together to a wildlife park, the one where aiI had dreamed taking them. We'll probably go again on their anniversary next month. Granny will mind our little ones as its a day where we can just reflect.

There are now more 18+ lego sets than children's sets.

Lego has always had a quiet 🤫 group of Adult collectors a bit like men and trainsets, just wasn't something you admitted to at work.

Lego themselves clocked on to this and decided to fill the gap in the market. And expand the market for adults, kicking it off with big Star Wars sets.
Making it socially acceptable to admit getting lego as an adult. Its also filled a gap in the Christmas and Birthday markets that DVDs and CDs have left vacant.

I also think it's healthy for children to see people of all ages enjoying the animals and not just see it as a "kid thing", because it's not!

👍🏻🙏🏻👏🏻

Your precious darlings will need to learn how to queue. It’ll be good for them.

As an adult i have way more lego than my kids. I also love theme parks and having a wee shot of the swing when I take my kids to the play park. Anyone who judges me for having "childish fun" can fuck right off.

P.s. I also have a PhD.

You sound miserable.
The world is full of sadness.
Take your enjoyment when you can weather its petting an animal, swinging in the playground or going to Disney.
Let's face it adults probably appreciate these things more.

Being fair lots of responsible adults accept they don't really have space for the size of cages that rabbits and hamsters really need.

A hamster cage should be at least 1m x 0.5m
Rabbits need something 3m x 2m thats the size of my bathroom.

@ExtraHotDoubleShot
Probably done for the "likes"
Alongside the "look at me living my best life ever" messages then sent

Rabbits generally don’t like to be touched, especially by people who they don’t know.

Drinking alone, cycling in lycra, assembling furniture, corporate away days, calling HMRC, picking up a prescription, relationship councelling, going to currys to buy a new fridge.

I don't think that word means what you think it means.

Do you believe adults shouldn't get a fuss made of them at birthdays too?

Why do some MNetters think being an adult means being joyless?

Absolutely! I mean what POSSIBLE reason might there be for a young adult to not get a pet other than immaturity and not wanting the responsibility?

<--- x 100

I think it's more childish to be an adult who can't do things they enjoy in case the bigger kids call them a baby!

Honestly, why should anyone care if you have arbitrarily decided they are too old for the thing they are doing? I think most people grow out of worrying about that by their mid teens.

Not when I've paid around 2-3 times for an adult ticket compared to a kids.

Would you also like to ban the adults unless accompanying a child but pay 3x the cost for entry? I doubt it.

Has it not occurred to you that they need the adults to come to pay to keep the place running, open and provide decent environments for the animals?

We live near 3 small zoos, petting places and as two adults often go , look at the animals have a coffee, l would let kids go 1st with the petting and holding but why shouldnt we have a go?

.... oh, and you need to look up the meaning of petulant.

What's wrong with Warhammer?
Obviously it's not going to be to everyone's taste but it's a perfectly normal and regular hobby.