Babies in bars
Apparently there is a big debate going on in Brooklyn about whether it's OK to bring babies to bars.
To which my short reply is: ARE YOU INSANE????
I am a mother of a one-year-old. I can understand stir-crazy. I can understand having a tiny house and not being able to entertain or not being able to find a baby-sitter.
BUT IT'S A BAR.
You know, place with too many TVs, loud music, drunk/loud/making-out/sometimes-aggressive people, and a lot of booze. And that is not even pointing out that a small child will either be scared, cranky, or bored in a place like that and drive the other patrons nuts.
WHO LUGS THEIR BABY/KID INTO A BAR?
If you feel stir-crazy go for a walk with your kid or a museum - something which the kid will enjoy (or at least not mind) and is appropriate. Or even go out to a restaurant - even a fancy one - as long as you make certain adjustments and are considerate to other diners and the staff (we rarely can go out for dinner now due to her bedtime, but lunch is much more doable, we bring something for her to occupy herself, take her out asap if she gets cranky, clean up after her, and leave an extra-nice tip).
But not a bar! If you can't afford/don't know/don't trust a babysitter, take shifts with your partner - do a girls' night out where he minds the baby in exchange for you returning a favor for him. ETC ETC.
And sometimes you just have to give things up. Mr. Mousie and I were huge movie/theater-goers but I can count on fingers of one hand movies/plays we've been to recently. You have to realize life changes when you have a kid - if you don't like the idea that's fine, then don't have one.
Sorry, rant over. Because seriously - a bar? It's awful for your kid AND for other people around you.
To which my short reply is: ARE YOU INSANE????
I am a mother of a one-year-old. I can understand stir-crazy. I can understand having a tiny house and not being able to entertain or not being able to find a baby-sitter.
BUT IT'S A BAR.
You know, place with too many TVs, loud music, drunk/loud/making-out/sometimes-aggressive people, and a lot of booze. And that is not even pointing out that a small child will either be scared, cranky, or bored in a place like that and drive the other patrons nuts.
WHO LUGS THEIR BABY/KID INTO A BAR?
If you feel stir-crazy go for a walk with your kid or a museum - something which the kid will enjoy (or at least not mind) and is appropriate. Or even go out to a restaurant - even a fancy one - as long as you make certain adjustments and are considerate to other diners and the staff (we rarely can go out for dinner now due to her bedtime, but lunch is much more doable, we bring something for her to occupy herself, take her out asap if she gets cranky, clean up after her, and leave an extra-nice tip).
But not a bar! If you can't afford/don't know/don't trust a babysitter, take shifts with your partner - do a girls' night out where he minds the baby in exchange for you returning a favor for him. ETC ETC.
And sometimes you just have to give things up. Mr. Mousie and I were huge movie/theater-goers but I can count on fingers of one hand movies/plays we've been to recently. You have to realize life changes when you have a kid - if you don't like the idea that's fine, then don't have one.
Sorry, rant over. Because seriously - a bar? It's awful for your kid AND for other people around you.