Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

what are your thoughts on children in pubs....

40 replies

donbean · 12/02/2008 13:19

i mean small kids, with parents/who ever.

went for pub tea with pals last night and a small boy about 6 was with 2 people drinking.was about 9.30, child was curled up on a pub chair asleep.
it made me want to cry seriously.
should he not have been tucked up safe and warm in his bed.
tis not half term either here so tis a school night.
what do you think?

dh said they could have been on hols as it is half term in other places and we are near Blackpool.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

LadyOfWaffle · 12/02/2008 13:22

He may have insisted he went with them? Hard to say really, I don't really have a problem with in providing the children want to be there - I guess it's hard to say.

Reallyworriedsick · 12/02/2008 14:43

maybe it was a special occassion?

i wouldn't personally have mine in a pub past 6pm, but that's me. your DH may well have been right.

babyinarms · 12/02/2008 16:52

I don't have a problem with kids in pubs late if its a special occassion, holidays etc and the kids seem to be enjoying themselves.
If howevever it is a regular thing and parents get intoxicated thats a whole different ball game.
Depends on circumstances I suppose.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting

threestars · 12/02/2008 21:09

As long as it's not every day and there's no banging music non-stop...depends on type of pub. Child could also quite easily be from different part of country on holiday, it's half term here.
In Italy, I've often seen kids in restaurants till late. Some fall asleep, but it's quite normal there and makes it possible for extended families to go out for celebrations. But then restaurants there are alot more child-friendly. DS has fallen asleep in a restaurant in Italy, so we put 2 chairs together, and stretched a shawl over the top of them to make a little tent and he was quite happy and oblivious to where he was and no other diners batted an eyelid.

cory · 13/02/2008 09:16

If it's a special occasion, why not? Who says he would have been happier at home with a sitter? Some kids feel really special about going out with their parents. And others absolutely hate being left at home with a sitter. I'd have thought at 6 he'd be old enough to decide for himself.

It may well have been his holidays, and even if it wasn't- well, he was getting his sleep, wasn't he

My parents took us out travelling a lot and they always spoke warmly of the benefits of teaching a child to sleep anywhere.

In Sweden (sorry, goes into bore-for-Scandinavia-mode), in the summer holidays you will often see young children playing outside at 9.30 or later.

Obviously, if it was a very raucous pub with aggressive drunks falling over him, it would seem inappropriate, but from your account it sounds more like the restaurant type.

lazarou · 13/02/2008 09:31

It used to bother me when people took their babies/children to pubs and then proceed to smoke a zillion cigarettes. I haven't been to the pub in ages so I would be so delighted to just get the chance to sit and have a drink that I probably wouldn't notice kids in there.

themoon66 · 13/02/2008 09:34

I taught mine to sleep anywhere. DD amazes her friends by being able to take a nap in a nightclub! (She's 21 now)

I never liked taking them to smokey pubs though, but these days that's not a problem

stinkycat · 13/02/2008 16:37

no problem taking kids in pubs imo
as long as its not for hours on end and the parents are too drunk to funtion and look after kids

actually its probably good for socialising them

bloody hell, some folk are so uptight

nailpolish · 13/02/2008 16:41

930 is ok, if he had been out for a night pub meal with his parents, and he had nodded off, why should they rush home? its half term here, i would take my dds out for a meal then sit for a few drinks til 930 if they were behavng and not too tired (dd2 might drop off but we just leave her, it doesnt affect her sleeping in bed through the night)

nailpolish · 13/02/2008 16:42

i think its important to take children out and about to social places, how on earth are they going to learn about life and day to day stuff and how to act in social situations?

TheFallenMadonna · 13/02/2008 16:45

I'd do this (and have done this)if I were on holiday.

I would do it if I weren't.

Which is a bit odd isn't it?

ObviouslyTheProblemIsMine · 13/02/2008 16:49

My son (3.5) has had what his granddad calls a very European upbringing. We wouldn't dream of leaving him at home if we were going out for a family meal in the evenings - he's quite a regular at the Indian, Chinese, Italian and Turkish in our area.

He's even been to Conran's Quaglinos restaurant in London - where he enjoyed a very fine chateaubriand steak !

It's certainly easier now, with the smoking ban, to take him anywhere for an evening meal without having to worry about passive smoking !

Obviously things will change when he's at school but weekends and school holidays will still be very social times for him.

dizzydixies · 13/02/2008 16:53

I try to keep mine in a routine for ease of getting them up and to nursery etc but I think in general the UK has a terrible attitude towards family life in the evening, when we're with the family in Spain we don't think twice about the kids running about until 9/10pm or falling asleep in buggies and getting pushed home - then again I don't have to get them up in the morning for any set times

Lazylou · 13/02/2008 17:08

At the time I had DD, two of my other friends were having their DS's. There is a month between each. We used to meet in our local pub every day, and apart from a couple of skanky old blokes sitting in the opposite side of the bar, we were the only ones ever in there. The landady loved seeing the kids and would ply us with tea and coffee, as well close off an area of the pub just for us.

It was a great support to all three of us and a shame when we had to stop using it because new owners took over. None of us were very comfortable with parent/toddler groups and this seemed like a good idea at the time.

I don't tend to take DD in pubs very much now, and certainly not on a school night, but on the rare occasions we do go, she loves it and has a great time with all her 'friends'.

ScienceTeacher · 13/02/2008 17:10

I would only take my kids if we were having a meal. I definitely wouldn't take them just for a drink.

I thought we'd go out to them more when the drinking ban came in, but we haven't really.

ScienceTeacher · 13/02/2008 17:10

smoking ban

IamTooSexyForMyName · 13/02/2008 17:11

I take dd1 and dd2 to restaurants/pubs quite often. It is good to get them used to going out etc. I was in Blackpool a few years ago when dd1 was 5 and we sat in the hotel bar and had a few drinks. We were on holiday so late nights not a problem when you dont have to get up etc. Fwiw my dd is on half term at the moment and we are going out for pizza tomorrow night....dont see the problem tbh...

Unfitmother · 13/02/2008 17:12

It's half term here in Chester which is near enougth to Blackpool for a day trip.

nailpolish · 13/02/2008 17:15

why wouldnt you take them jstu for a drink? its a gorgeous evening here today, when dh gets home in a minute im going to suggest a nice stroll along to the pub fora drink before dinner

IamTooSexyForMyName · 13/02/2008 17:18

I would suggest the same Nailpolish if DP would get home before 6pm. It has been gorgeous here all day. We have spent most of the day in the garden. The DCs have loved it. Maybe when we meet up on the 22nd it will be nice and we can sit outside Tiger Lily!!

ScienceTeacher · 13/02/2008 17:23

If it has a beer garden with a children's play area, then I would go just for a drink, but I wouldn't want the children sitting there with their cokes watching everyone else drink.

nailpolish · 13/02/2008 17:26

they dont just sit and watch everyone drink. they take crayons etc. or sit and chat

iamtoosexy - wh ARE you?

expatinscotland · 13/02/2008 17:27

We've taken ours just for a drink.

Were out for a long weekend in Northumberland, lovely thatched-roofed pub, beautiful afternoon, sat outside and had a pint, kids played around.

Lovely day was had by all.

It's clear and dry but freezing here just the now, so instead we're just sharing a bottle of wine at home.

nailpolish · 13/02/2008 17:27

childres play areas annoy me. why does there always have to be entertainment provided for chidren?

ScienceTeacher · 13/02/2008 17:30

It's not entertainment - it's exercise! Big wooden climbing frames in a pub garden are great!

Flip

1 2