Should pushchairs be banned in some public places?

[Janers]

Ok I must admit I dont pay attention to Brick face at all but for the sake of debate I shall give my 2 pence. I am also not shocked at the anti child and mother comments on the daily fail.

We do not live in a child friendly society at all. People seem to see mums with buggies as a hindrance and dnt think they deserve any help. I hate this unhelpful selfish attidude. Its a shame mums with prams get so much disrespect , would they be the same way with a person in a wheel chair? no tolerance at all. The usual childism crap. ffs I baby wear now and the looks I have gotten with that, I dont think its what transport you cart your child around in any more its people in general to children and mums.

It seems to me that people seem to thinks children are a hindrance. We get the strangest looks when our four yr old might get a bit loud in a "family friendly" restaurant. We also get "go to hell" looks when we try to discipline him. We have had people getting ready to call emergency because he was screaming like we were killing him when we would leave somewhere (trying to put him in his car seat and he would scream and stiffen). I agree...we aren't family friendly.

Isn't that too bad, babies and little kids NEED to be out in public, they are learning through these experiences so when they are older they know how to behave in all types of situations. I love taking my LO out, and your right, sometimes she misbehaves (i mean she's only 9 months!) and the looks I get sometimes are incredible!

When my daughter was 4 months old we were at a family restaurant, at 10am for breakfast. My LO was laughing giggling and chattering in an already very loud restaurant. A couple middle aged men sat in the table beside us, and after just a few minutes one of them turned around and said "Is this going to continue the entire time?" at first I thought he was joking, but he continued to berate me, my 4 month old, and the lady I was with. He told me to shut my daughter up, and asked if we were stupid, and so on. It was awful, I was in tears, and not one person in the busy restaurant helped. They all stared. I still feel sick to my stomach remembering this. Obviously this man had some issues, and was wrong to do what he did but, after it happened the restaurant staff came up to us to get the dirt on what happened, and I looked around at too see all the other families and babies there. I wish someone would have helped me stand up to this bully.


However I digress. I think there are some very wonderful, helpful supportive people out there but I'm afraid the bad ones, the bullies, the unsupportive individuals overshadow them.

 

[Janers]

Ok I must admit I dont pay attention to Brick face at all but for the sake of debate I shall give my 2 pence. I am also not shocked at the anti child and mother comments on the daily fail.

We do not live in a child friendly society at all. People seem to see mums with buggies as a hindrance and dnt think they deserve any help. I hate this unhelpful selfish attidude. Its a shame mums with prams get so much disrespect , would they be the same way with a person in a wheel chair? no tolerance at all. The usual childism crap. ffs I baby wear now and the looks I have gotten with that, I dont think its what transport you cart your child around in any more its people in general to children and mums.

It seems to me that people seem to thinks children are a hindrance. We get the strangest looks when our four yr old might get a bit loud in a "family friendly" restaurant. We also get "go to hell" looks when we try to discipline him. We have had people getting ready to call emergency because he was screaming like we were killing him when we would leave somewhere (trying to put him in his car seat and he would scream and stiffen). I agree...we aren't family friendly.

Isn't that too bad, babies and little kids NEED to be out in public, they are learning through these experiences so when they are older they know how to behave in public. I love taking my LO out, and your right, sometimes she misbehaves (i mean she's only 9 months!) and the looks I get sometimes are incredible!

When my daughter was 4 months old we were at a family restaurant, at 10am for breakfast. My LO was laughing giggling and chattering in an already very loud restaurant. A couple middle aged men sat in the table beside us, and after just a few minutes one of them turned around and said "Is this going to continue the entire time?" at first I thought he was joking, but he continued to berate me, my 4 month old, and the lady I was with. He told me to shut my daughter up, and asked if we were stupid, and so on. It was awful, I was in tears, and not one person in the busy restaurant helped. They all stared. I still feel sick to my stomach remembering this. Obviously this man had some issues, and was wrong to do what he did but, after it happened the restaurant staff came up to us to get the dirt on what happened, and I looked around at too see all the other families and babies there. I wish someone would have helped me stand up to this bully.


However I digress. I think there are some very wonderful, helpful supportive people out there but I'm afraid the bad ones, the bullies, the unsupportive

 

[Dragonfly]

There is a restaurant here thats banned children, awful rows on their facebook page over it.

 

[Loui1001]

I'm in NI too and didn't hear about that? Whereabouts is it?

 

[Foogirl]

I don't see a problem with restaurant choosing not to allow children in. If they feel they have enough of a customer base who wants that then it's fair enough. I wouldn't eat there if I had Abby with me and I wouldn't make a fuss. Some places have a licencing issue and children aren't allowed in because they sell alcohol and don't have the space to have a seperate bar area.

We've been turned away from restaurants with the pram and that did irritate me as if she'd been able to walk we would have been allowed in and even though we offered to fold it and carry her. But if it had been a strictly no kids policy, that's up to them and i'd have been less annoyed. Who knows, one day I might find I'd like to have a meal free of baby/toddler noise and I suspect there is a big enough market to sustain a business in that way. We do have to remember that not everyone finds our babbling, laughing babies as adorable as we do!

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I don't see a problem with restaurant choosing not to allow children in. If they feel they have enough of a customer base who wants that then it's fair enough. I wouldn't eat there if I had Abby with me and I wouldn't make a fuss. Some places have a licencing issue and children aren't allowed in because they sell alcohol and don't have the space to have a seperate bar area.

We've been turned away from restaurants with the pram and that did irritate me as if she'd been able to walk we would have been allowed in and even though we offered to fold it and carry her. But if it had been a strictly no kids policy, that's up to them and i'd have been less annoyed. Who knows, one day I might find I'd like to have a meal free of baby/toddler noise and I suspect there is a big enough market to sustain a business in that way. We do have to remember that not everyone finds our babbling, laughing babies as adorable as we do!

 

[Dragonfly]

I'm in NI too and didn't hear about that? Whereabouts is it?

It was a chinese restaurant and it was down south, I have a lot of southern friends and seen it on my news feed. I cant remember the places name.
If I do I will post you a link. I have to remember who it was that commented so I can ask them for the name.

 

[Tasha]

I agree with you Foo, I don't think there is a problem with some restaurants choosing to have a no children policy, in fact I would like there to be some where I live mainly because those that really don't want to eat near children and get annoyed and rude when children do normal children things in a family friendly place, can chose to go to places where there wont be children.

Also yes I too might one day want that peaceful meal.

 

[Dragonfly]

Sorry it wasnt a ban it was a height restriction. If your child is over a certain height they charge you for an adult meal. I remember it causing bother but the pictures they had this on on facebook are gone, its this place though. https://www.jasminepalace.ie/ may have changed I dont know. Probably not relevant to this conversation either.

 

[Redfraggle]

We do have to remember that not everyone finds our babbling, laughing babies as adorable as we do!

Sometimes it is the fact that they are so adorable that people don't want to be around them.

 

[Rhi_Rhi1]

In reality of course you can't just ban prams etc but is it really bad that when lo is at school I go to costa coffee and I think (just for a minute mind) "why is the buggy brigade here" in my local Costa it is a nightmare u can't move for prams ... you can however choose to sit upstairs which is what I do but sometimes you can't help but think miserable thoughts I suppose the difference is knowing when to keep your mouth shut isn't it...

another big one is busses ! During busy periods this really winds me up .. but what would I have them do ? Walk ? Of course not... I can just keep my moaning to myself lol

 

[tinkerbelle93]

Interesting opinions! I definitely think a few more 'no babies/toddlers/young children' restaurants and places would be a good idea. Occasionally I have gone to meet with friends and have a pub-lunch during the daytime with Oliver and have gotten looks and comments from people who are just sitting there to enjoy a drink when he's babbled and laughed etc. And these are the sorts of pubs that proudly state they are 'family friendly' and have a childrens food menu and high chairs etc.! xx

 

[JessPape]

If they can't have a shopping cart (because the store is small), than I am fine with the ban. However, if any of theses places allow shopping carts, I have issues. Because a shopping cart is about the same size.

 

[MummyMana]

The thing that upsets me most is the "no buggies on busses" bit, this infuriated me! I live in a small village in the middle of nowhere through,no choice of my own, for financial issues moving is completely impossible at the moment, I can't drive (not can I afford to learn, or indeed run a car) so the only option I have is to get a bus to the nearest town which is 8 miles away down busy roads with no pavements (so obviously walking is not an option). If I can't take my baby in her buggy on the bus, how the hell am I supposed to get food for her?!

Stupid woman should be given one of those real baby dolls to look after (the ones you can get in schools in childcare) and learn some empathy!!

 

[suzib76]

i have never heard of not being allowed a buggy on the bus

 

[Redfraggle]

i have never heard of not being allowed a buggy on the bus

Some of our older buses in Plymouth don't have the space to put buggies so they have to be put down before you board the bus. Although most of the time the mums tend to say they will wait for the next bus which should be buggy/wheelchair friendly.

 

[suzib76]

i have never heard of not being allowed a buggy on the bus

Some of our older buses in Plymouth don't have the space to put buggies so they have to be put down before you board the bus. Although most of the time the mums tend to say they will wait for the next bus which should be buggy/wheelchair friendly.

I didn't realise that's what was meant, I just read it as not being allowed a buggy on the bus at all.

 

[Lara310809]

That's interesting; buggies aren't a choice, and a lot of the time you don't have a choice on when you need to take your kids out of the house. I have backache and I can't carry more weight than a young baby for long periods of time; in fact I can't stand up for long periods of time either (thanks to my first pregnancy). So I can't just stick my 1 year old in a sling and leave the buggy at home. Also how am I supposed to take my eldest to school (during rush hour) if I can't also take my younger child?

It's funny how buggies are seen as luxury items; they are for babies and children that are too young or unable to walk long distances. Let's see what they say when you threaten to ban WHEELCHAIRS. I bet that would cause a stink; and it's the exact same thing

 

[Foogirl]

It's funny how buggies are seen as luxury items; they are for babies and children that are too young or unable to walk long distances. Let's see what they say when you threaten to ban WHEELCHAIRS. I bet that would cause a stink; and it's the exact same thing

Not exactly the same thing. Most children too young to walk (or walk far) can be carried or even stand whilst a buggy is folded to take on a bus. I can fold Abby's wheelchair but she'd have to sit on the pavement whilst I did it then I'd have to carry a heavy, bulky chair on to the bus and lift a 20kg child (and she's light for her age) on afterwards. I can absolutely guarantee you can go many, many more places with your buggy than I can with her wheelchair. They might not ban wheelchairs but neither do they often make it easy.

 

[Lara310809]

No it's not exactly the same from that perspective, but it takes around a year for a baby to be able to stand without falling over (i.e. while you're collapsing the buggy to take it onto a bus), and rarely to the drivers wait for you do so, so you can't always just leave your baby standing there. Also I wouldn't trust a child of under three years old to stand beside a road and not step into it; it's too dangerous. From that persepctive, buggies are for safety as well as practicality.