Kids and Small Hotels and Breakfast Time Nightmares

Just_Plain_Jane

Quite simply OP, your choices are:

a) leave
b) put up and shut up

The hotel must be relatively family orientated as they accept bookings from families. The reasons why these families don't stay somewhere cheaper/more convenient are absolutely none of your business.

balletshoes

OP you don't want complete silence at breakfast do you? I always find that kind of library silence very uncomfortable at mealtimes.

PasturesNew

delain wrote: »

No one gives kids fizzy drinks at breakfast time :eek:

I have lots of children and find your comments irritating. You were a child once you know!

I was a quiet child, who was brought up to speak when spoken to.

Maybe your kids aren't the plinth kicking, moody, whiney sort.... this lot are.

JodyBPM

SandC wrote: »

I have to say I have some empathy with PasturesNew on the children issue.

We have family meals on my brother/sis in law's side whenever there is a birthday. This always means a table of 12-20 with the majority being adults but kids would be 2x 15 year olds, 1x12 year old, 1x 8 year old and 1x 5 year old. The 8 and 5 year old girls run riot every, single time and their respective parents only see the meal as a rest for them and my sis in law is usually the one trying to keep peace. One or both of them will always be crying at some point. Kids' packs of colouring books etc. don't keep them quiet, they will play with mum's mobile phone on games for a bit but after that they start wanting to run around, climb around under the table and generally be noisy and irritating.

I thought it might be okay this time as we were at a long table, backed to the wall with a 'booth' wall at one end. The two girls were effectively hemmed in. Or so I thought.

They are lovely families, they are lovely girls but on family meal occasions it's like the parents take leave of their responsibilities and any threats of 'if you don't sit down quietly you'll get no dessert' go ignored because they know they won't carry it through. My stepmum and I put up with it because it's not like it's every month but both of us were pretty much nearly at the end of our tether this last time. Of course, we can't say anything as it isn't our place. They were under the table at one time trying to tickle my toes through my sandals and mess with the laces of one of the 15 year olds!

At that point both mums were outside having a smoke.

Anyway my point is that *sometimes* parents are oblivious of their childrens dreadful behaviour. At least this time we were in Frankie and Benny's so a noisy place anyway. We have been in pubs before now where it's kind of embarrassing.

I'm sorry, but that's just bad parenting from the girls' mothers. My children are 6 & 7, and for many years now have been able to sit down on their bottom at the meal table and eat politely. They tend to do the colouring books if they are there, or perhaps they might play on a mobile phone, but more likely they'd just be chatting politely with the people there. If they even thought about getting up and running round in the restaurant, they'd packed into the car and taken home pronto, and they know it. There was a period between about 18m and 2.5yrs where my son struggled to stay still, but constant re-inforcement (and having to take him home occasionally) meant that by 3 he could sit and eat his dinner nicely. There is NO excuse for a 5yr old and an 8yr old to be running around a restaurant, and I'm afraid that when you become a parent you give up "me time" and have to accept that you are "on duty" 100% of the time, even (especially) when you go out for a meal.

PasturesNew

skypie123 wrote: »

What's next? A pie chart with pros and cons for them staying in a caravan versus them staying in the b&b??

Brilliant idea! I'll get onto that.

skypie123 wrote: »

Either concentrate on sorting your life out so you don't need to be around people ever, or get a life in general.

I am trying to - and a quiet, orderly start to the day is the way to do it.

I am trying to get a life.... but you can't do it overnight. When I get it, it'll be a bl00dy quiet one.

PasturesNew

balletshoes wrote: »

so is it just these particular guests, and are they staying as long as you are?

I've no idea how long they're staying, I'm here another week though. Trying to find somewhere to move to after that, but it's peak season and most places have 0 or 1 single rooms, so few choices.... and prices are pumped up for the summer (especially as the sun's out).

And I've tried looking for houseshares, but they're either not getting back to me, or are wanting people aged 20-35 or 20-40... maybe I should remove my age from my profile.

And I've tried looking at renting, but prices are super-high.

So now I am looking at just buying a s0ddin' house... but that still leaves the issue of where I will sleep next week.

PasturesNew

warehouse wrote: »

In a local Chinese restaurant last weekend my 10 year old Daughter was patiently waiting by the buffet for her turn, when an adult barged in and helped himself to every single king prawn available. My Daughter was disgusted by this behaviour, as were we.

PasturesNew, I think I know where you were last week.

I've only ever been to a chinese buffet once, about 12 years ago - and I hate prawn.... and I'd have waited until the child had finished before leaving my table.

PasturesNew

JodyBPM wrote: »

Live and let live

Always an interesting phrase as my point is I am not being allowed to live .... live a quiet life.

delain

Look in the paper at ppl wanting lodgers. Ex mil takes them in and has a (super clean) quiet house, and she'd love a quiet, tidy older person!

It'd drive me crazy to live there but theres no love lost between us

PasturesNew

balletshoes wrote: »

OP you don't want complete silence at breakfast do you? I always find that kind of library silence very uncomfortable at mealtimes.

Yes. Silence is lovely .... a woman last week was taking way too long to shove the rustling cereal packet back in the box......