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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that pubs are no place for kids

105 replies

swanandduck · 24/02/2010 15:24

Dropped into a pub at about 3am last Sat for a late lunch on way home from funeral. The place was full of children whose parents were drinking and watching telly while the kids ran around. Surely there are better things to do with children at the weekend than plonking them in a corner with a bottle of pop and a packet of crisps while you watch the sports on a big screen.

OP posts:
thesecondcoming · 24/02/2010 20:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Megletwantsittobesummer · 24/02/2010 20:49

I don't have a problem with other peoples children if I'm out. I'm still getting a break and not having to change nappies / amuse and deal with squabbles. As long as their not actually throwing things at me then they can have their fun.

glastocat · 24/02/2010 21:45

Well we usually will call into the pub for a drink at the weekend on our way back from going geocaching, or a picnic or something - sprog will have a comic and a red lemonade, and we'll have the weekend papers - everyone is happy. We're in Cork and I see plenty of people doing the same. I don't often see people with kids getting pissed and letting the run wild, although I did see a fair bit of that when I lived in London, particularly in those kiddie friendly type pubs with playgrounds and stuff in the grounds.

ProzacTheGiggleFairy · 24/02/2010 22:52

I'm not quite sure on this situation, as most of my weekends were spent down the pub as a child while seeing my Dad. This was not a pleasant thing to do as it was really boring for me & my brother.

I will take my kids into a pub for a meal though, but I make sure that they are kept amused.

wook · 24/02/2010 23:00

I may be the only person in the world who thinks YANBU OP, I don't think most pubs are good places for kids. Remember a lot of pub gardens as a child- (admittedly these were an advance on being left outside the pub in dad's Ford Cortina and passed a bag of crisps and a coke every hour or so)- but would only rarely take dcs to a pub garden and would never take them inside a pub. Pubs are where adults drink, there are far nicer places for kids to be.

ScreaminEagle · 24/02/2010 23:01

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hatesponge · 24/02/2010 23:02

YABU, dont see anything wrong with kids being in a pub during the daytime, obviously late a night is a bit different.

incidentally, whats a red lemonade?!

wook · 24/02/2010 23:06

Just read more of thread and seems more people thought you were NBU, not just me.
Also don't think it's snobby judgy - it's not a class thing- round here there are poshy sorts of pubs and kids sit in the beer gardens but all around them are adults getting pissed and I just don't think that's a good environment for kids.

Glad at least that mostly people these days would not go to pub, plus get bladdered and drive kids home without seat belts in the Ford Cortina as my dad did. Still, I suppose we all lived to tell the tale...

scanty · 24/02/2010 23:08

one of the saddest and angriest things I saw in a pub was a family(several adults) and some quite young kids. The guy (total prick) had had too much and started to bait one of the little girls (maybe about 7yrs),think she also had some kind of SN or disability or something. He was an absolute shit and had her in tears. I was so angry and disgusted but didn't know what to do (which still makes me feel bad for not doing something) as he looked totally feral and to be honest I was scared as to how he would react though also didn't want to make things even worse for the little girl. Just hope karma catches up with himone day.

runnybottom · 24/02/2010 23:08

Yawn, this one will go the same way as it always does with 2 sides unable to see the others POV.
Side 1; pubs fine for kids as long as oub welcomes, if daytime/early evening, some pubs are suitable for families/kids etc etc
Side 2; If I leave my little brats darlings at home I don't want yours in my face, pubs are for adults to drink in and not suitable for kids yada yada

Don't see the problem really. Side 1 go to family friendly places, of which there are many. Side 2 toddle off to pubs that say no kids/ are not family friendly.

Everyone happy. Except the people who go to side 1 type places on a Saturday pm and have a big judgefest about how inappropriate it is and what bad parenting it is. And they can just feck off anyway.

tortoiseonthehalfshell · 24/02/2010 23:11

Oh, I miss English pubs with play equipment in the gardens. They don't have those here (which is odd, cos the weather's better). But I'll take my daughter to a pub while I catch up with friends and have a wine and a chat. It's smoke free, it's a big room with lots of people in it, that's what she likes, where's the problem?

wastwinsetandpearls · 24/02/2010 23:15

wook Wed 24-Feb-10 23:00:09

RedbinDippers · 24/02/2010 23:19

Pubs are great places for kids. My only objection is that we have to sneak pints to under 18s based on some antiquated view of adulthood. Get the kids started young and allow them to develop what should be a natural tolerance of alcohol.

Shodan · 24/02/2010 23:22

Totally depends on the type of pub.

Family pub with play area (or something)=fine.

Grotty pub full of shouty drinky people (usually men, sorry) bellowing insults complete with swearing and rude gestures= not fine.

I have to say, I don't really see the attraction of the whole pub thing myself, not as a regular event, but then I am a boring person who rarely drinks and would prefer to be sitting at home with my Pepsi Max. However, that's just my choice. 'Twould be a boring world indeed if we all liked the same thing.....

GemmaG88 · 24/02/2010 23:34

I agree with OP. I manage a pub and it's an adult environment. These days you see far too many parents getting plastered in the pub all day/night and the kids are left to run riot where there are hot plates and glasses and cups of tea/coffee being carried about.

But of course it would be my fault if one of their little cherubs were to hurt themselves in any way.

Original poster
swanandduck · 25/02/2010 10:52

Well, glad that SOME people agree with me. I stil haven't changed my view. I would not bring my ds and dd to a pub for the entire afternoon and have loads of drinks and not be capable of looking after them (which is what I was talking about despite the way some people have interpreted my original post).

OP posts:
Morloth · 25/02/2010 11:27

Depends on the pub and the kid really.

Lots of family pubs around here (a couple even have a play frame in the garden).

Different pubs for different groups I would expect.

islandofsodor · 25/02/2010 11:34

YABU. My Dad & brother often take my two down to the local pub on a Sunday afternoon to watch the football or for a game of pool and I remember doing the same myself as a child (minus Sky Sports of course!!!!!). They love it

cory · 25/02/2010 11:42

Dh was brought up by a really close and loving family, so what happened on a typical Sunday afternoon was that they all sat around after the roast beef and spuds and drank lots of alcohol and feel asleep at home. Any improvement on the pub scene? Dunno.

thesecondcoming · 25/02/2010 11:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

runnybottom · 25/02/2010 11:53

TSC, why don't you just go to a pub that does not allow kids? Why do you think everyone should do what you want?

islandofsodor · 25/02/2010 12:09

Well the pib in question is a real drinkers pub, you know old men, crib, darts and pool and real ale but on a weekend afternoon children are part of that.

Its just always been that way, there are plenty of posh wine bar type places where children are not allowed, why not go there?

ginnny · 25/02/2010 12:30

Swanandduck - YANBU AT ALL. I agree that 'drinkers pubs' are not the place for kids. I wasted God only knows how many hours of my childhood sitting in pubs while my Dad got pissed played darts and watched everyone around me get bladdered. The more drunk people got the more scary I found them. Then eventually he'd drive us home pissed afterwards
The pub I drink in (without the dc) is reasonably family friendly, and some people like to have a night out there with their dc, but they get bored and tired and end up being naughty/loud and annoying everyone. Like someone said earlier, I go to the pub in the evenings to relax and get away from the dc, I don't want to have to listen to other people's dc whining and playing up, its not their fault, its their parents fault.
That is why I never take my dc to a pub unless it is for a private family party or a 'Harvester' type pub that does food and has a garden for them to play in.

islandofsodor · 25/02/2010 12:39

This wasn't the evening though, it was the afternoon at a weekend.

2old4thislark · 25/02/2010 13:04

GemmaG88 good to get the point of someone who actually runs a pub.

Where I live we have a lovely 'locals' pub. In the summer the kids happily play in the garden while the adults have drink. Kids are happy and adults are happy. The non parents seem happy too - it's like one big happy family!

BUT NOT ALL PUBS ARE LIKE THIS!. If it's a drinkers pub then children are going to be exposed to loud, lairy behaviour and foul language - call me prude if you like!

It's not just the whole pub issue, it's kids being in the company of drunken adults. As a child of a parent with a drink problem, it's not much fun seeing your MUM pissed out of her skull. And if the pub visit has lasted a couple of hours that's too much drink consumed to be in charge of a child.

Sorry - bitter experience speaking here!