Places actively discouraging children

[Allhallowseve]

Just wondering what other people opinions of this are?
I follow a few local garden centres as we visit quite regularly under normal circumstances. Since they have reopened they are advertising as being open but asking people not to bring children.
I am just finding the way children have been treated throughout this pandemic absolutely awful .... I don't know if it's just me?
Yes I know things could be far worse for them and people are shielding not able to really get out. But garden centres actively discouraging children from visiting?!
Adults are able to meet up in outdoor areas yet it's incredibly hard for children to do the same. Adults can pop out to shops now , grab a coffee maybe do a couple of things they enjoy . However the play parks are padlocked and taped up . Most school year groups are not going back until September , all playgroups , clubs and classes are cancelled. Yet they are the least vulnerable group in society and seem to have been forgotten.

Even if playgrounds aren't open you can still take your kids to the parks or local woods. I have found that my kids engage in much more creative play out in the woods, they have been climbing trees, playing football, cycling, and just generally been doing lots of pretend play that they probably wouldn't do on a generic playground.

Yes it's a sad to see playgrounds all taped up, but from my experience most kids are still having lots of fun in the parks.

It's a shame if garden centres don't allow kids. We have been doing lots of gardening during the lockdown and my 6 year old has been very engaged with it all, so it would be nice to take her and pick more plants. But I guess we'll wait until things have calmed down again.

fedup well said. I actually can not believe what this country is doing to our young people. The imapact of this on children and young people's mental health is going to be horrendous, and the effects will be felt for many years to come. I will also most deifnitely be permenantly boycotting any shops or businesses that are discriminating aginst children or young people at his time.

I love choosing to go to places where there are no badly behaved children and will avoid pubs and restaurants that have a reputation for having parents with badly behaved children. And I'm happier on holiday when there aren't any badly behaved kids.

So I choose where and when to go accordingly.

However, that doesn't spill over into places that are generally child friendly. And as far as being badly behaved is concerned - I've seen a lot more of it from adults than children.

I wonder how many people complaining about the terrible effect this is having on their children were bullying their parents about going out a few weeks ago? Nobody should be “thrown under the bus”, it’s really depressing to see this turned into yet another issue for generational conflict.

I totally agree with garden centres policy. Minimum number people in store to achieve SD should not be taken up by families.

Will you be boycotting shops that are seriously limited to space so have to limit the number of people entering to one per household, so not allowing a child or an additional adult. So not directly discriminating against children?

"Even if playgrounds aren't open you can still take your kids to the parks or local woods. I have found that my kids engage in much more creative play out in the woods, they have been climbing trees, playing football, cycling, and just generally been doing lots of pretend play that they probably wouldn't do on a generic playground. "
I fully agree and mind are happy climbing trees, paddling in wellies ,collecting sticks , running down hills. Infact normally they would prefer it. However we have been doing this for three months .
Taking my 5 year old for a one off trip to a garden centre to pick up some canes for his sunflowers shouldn't in my opinion be frowned upon and discouraged.

I totally agree with you OP! Children have been completely forgotten about in this pandemic. Maybe it's because it'll be years until they can vote in the GE's? But I can and I will and it won't be Tory...
It's also a bit short-sighted to assume that it's not "worth" allowing children into shops because they're not buying anything. My kids are pretty good at getting a little toy or baby cactus or a bag of sweets out of me when we go to the Garden Centre. So there you go. Their [the garden centres'] loss!

For most children, who have had a prolonged period indoors, a trip to a garden centre just to buy plants wouldn't be top of their to do list. (I actually have one that would like it, but accept she's an exception).

Play equipment may be closed, but there are still parks and open spaces to play ball games and ride bikes.

If a garden centre can only have 4 people in, do you think they would rather have 1 parent and 3 children, with the parent buying their children little items, or 4 adults from separate households who will spend more money than 1 household?

tentative3 the chain I am referring to made a point of extending the coffee vouchers and making them available via takeaway and highlighting that in an email - in fact, they have extended the coffee vouchers well past the point of most memberships (renewed annually) so I'm wondering if they will renew the membership to match FOC doubtful, it was reward vouchers that they went silent on despite saying they'd send out the next set.

I doubt I'll hear back from them for a while, unfortunately, my membership may well run out beforehand! They are usually child-friendly and run children's gardening clubs - DD has grown out of that now but still likes their

the long long queues.....can bet theres entitled parents out there who will say they can't queue with their children so will want to queue jump!!

you just know it will happen

Children are disgusting snot monsters who lick their hands and touch things.
Yes we know yours are perfect angels who cough politely into their elbow before antibacing vigilantly but not everyone elses do and they can't just let yours in and not others.

@Nousernameforme

Children are disgusting snot monsters who lick their hands and touch things. Yes we know yours are perfect angels who cough politely into their elbow before antibacing vigilantly but not everyone elses do and they can't just let yours in and not others.

So are adults.

A garden centre or trip to a supermarket isn't really a fun trip out for a child is it. Even in normal times I don't think either would be top of the child's wish list of places to go.

I went to the garden centre a couple of weeks ago. I queued a bit to get in, I went to the shelves I needed, a hovered around a few displays waiting my turn to get to the shelf constantly dodging around to keep the 2m distance like some awkward dance, I queued a bit for the tills, then left. It was not pleasurable at all. It was a slightly stressful, functional visit. A child really wouldn't enjoy it.

Take your kids to suitable child friendly activities. I know playgrounds etc are shut but think of new things. Obviously it depends on where you are but walks, kite flying, paddling in streams, bike rides etc are all still there and more fun than shopping.

Imagine the uproar if people were told 'no over 60's' or 'no adults allowed'

It's long been the rule in many child-centred venues that no adults are allowed in without children - for very sound reasons of safety. It doesn't cause an uproar.

This is a business decision made by shops that are probably within an inch of bankruptcy, to maximise spend per headcount when headcount is limited. They don't want the space taken up by children who won't spend anything significant (and no, a bag of sweets is not going to cut it). M

Make a fuss if you want and urge people to boycott places, but don't be disappointed if, when everything is back to normal, a shop that would usually welcome your children has gone into administration.

Well until they are old enough to vote tory, the government aren't really interested in them

It's about the economy

Children are not economically useful right now in garden centres 🤷‍♀️

It's shit but it's true

That's not comparable to what's happening here though pellear, because adults per se aren't excluded from child centred venues. There can't be a great many kids looking to attend garden centres unaccompanied.

Take your kids to suitable child friendly activities. I know playgrounds etc are shut but think of new things. Obviously it depends on where you are but walks, kite flying, paddling in streams, bike rides etc are all still there

I don’t think the problem is that people aren’t aware of wholesome outdoor family fun activities, as much as that we’ve all been doing the exact same things for 12 weeks now.

My parents in their late 60s get to say they’re fed up with lockdown and happy they can get back out to do other things they like without being chided that they should just get out for a nature walk instead because Won’t That Be Lovely!

I don’t believe there is a single person in the UK who is currently excited about the prospect of going for a walk

@Lemons1571

I don’t believe there is a single person in the UK who is currently excited about the prospect of going for a walk

Best and most correct post ever!!!

@Lemons1571 DH can still fake that he is 😂

@bridgetreilly

now all "non essential" shops are open why are children being discouraged to attend?

Because there is still a dangerous virus out there, killing hundreds of people every day, that is potentially spread through every human contact. We're ALL still supposed to stay at home as much as possible. As few people as absolutely necessary are supposed to go shopping. Most shops do have a 'one person per household' rule, which necessarily includes children. Over 70s have indeed been told to stay at home, not just children.

Excellent

That is just utter shit isn’t it?