When it comes to having children, there are certain activities and places that most adults are adamant children shouldn't be allowed to venture into. It isn't that anyone has anything against children, per se; it's more that common sense tells us those areas and events might not be suitable for anyone under 18.
That being said, here are Reddit's Top Ten places children should be barred from entering.
10. The Bar
Most people can collectively agree that a bar isn't the place where minors should congregate. That doesn't mean that there aren't differing opinions on the topic though.
Reddit user @wi_believeIcan_Fi agreed but thought there were exceptions to the rule. “I’m totally with you that most bars are NOT the place for babies and kids- but my husband is English and it is SO different there. At pubs on the weekends, it is all families and it is kind of cool.
Just like, moms and dads and kids hanging out while the parents have a few pints and the kids enjoy a fish ‘n chips or cottage pie and they’re watching the game or hanging out with other families. It was actually really charming whenever I’m back in the UK with him.”
9. Beauty Pageants
While there's great debate over child beauty pageants, there are definitely those who are adamantly opposed to the idea. Redditor @E-i8 had this to say. “I know about Toddlers and Tiaras highlights that whole scene in America, but I'm not so sure it's that big of a thing in a lot of other countries.
Before those shows existed I didn't even know child beauty pageants were a thing that existed (I'm not american). Regardless, I feel like baby and less than 6 years old just shouldn't be a thing. baby beauty pageants are just kind of weird and are purely for the weird parents who want that for their child.”
8. Social Media
In a nearly fully digital world, it's hard to track a child's access to social media and the internet in general. And while most parents allow their child(ren) to be on some social sites, there are definitely social sites that aren't necessarily appropriate for children and monitoring is a good way to keep your children safe.
Of course, there are those who think nixing social media altogether is the best way to keep children from ‘wandering' where they shouldn't go.
User @Christo9her couldn't agree more. Here's what they had to say about being on social media. “I agree completely, I came to this conclusion roughly 5 years ago when I was 14 that it was terrible for my parents to have let me use social media so young.
I first started using Instagram at 7 or 8 years old and I remember at that age being added to group chats with people I didn’t know who began spamming gore…I realised that if I hadn’t been exposed to social media so young that I wouldn’t have been so anxious and sad all the time, when I realised that I had decided to try and reverse the damage of social media…”
7. Gentleman's Club
Most adults would consider a ‘gentleman's club' to definitely be off-limits to anyone under 18. Given the content on the inside of the club, it's preposterous that anyone would think to bring their child, right? Reddit user @lonelyronin1 had this exact experience. “I worked in a strip club years ago and some idiot brought in his toddler. He couldn’t figure out why he was kicked out.”
6. Late Night Movie Screenings
While parenting norms have certainly changed in the last forty years, showing up to a late night movie screening (9 pm or later) with your small children in tow might not be advisable. Redditors were almost unanimously in agreement that late-night and horror movie screenings were definitely not the place for children.
User @agooseisloose said this “The 9 pm screening of Avatar at my local cinema last Friday night.” @dankthewank replied with, “The 9:30 pm screening of M3gan at my local cinema last Friday night.” And user @hamiltrash1231 was certainly hoping, “God I hope nobody brings their kids when I go see the new evil dead.”
5. The Dog Park
We can all agree that dogs are fairly adorable creatures and there's almost nothing young children like more than to pet a cute dog. When considering where to allow them to hang out, however, the dog park might not be that place.
Redditor @attack_o_lantern was adamant about their view on kids at dog parks. “Seriously. I’ve seen people bring their kids to a dog park without even having a dog themselves, like it’s some sort of canine petting zoo rather than canine fight club.”
4. Hospice
Most young children don't want to spend hours in the hospital-like setting of hospice care. Moreover, the need for quiet is essential to the residential patients' quality of care when they are living their last days. As Redditor @5hrs4hrs3hrs2hrs1mor put it, “It’s no fun for a kid and can be scarring.”
They also added, “Rowdy kids running up and down the hall is disrespectful to everyone, patients/other guests/staff.”
3. Factory Setting
Generally, people understand that a factory setting or anywhere machines and heavy equipment are operated isn't the place for children. Redditor @seiraphim posted a story with a hard and painful lesson on keeping kids out of such places. “Tool and equipment rental stores.
I half grew up in one as a kid because it was a family business, but I definitely should not have been there or at least out of the office, but the only restroom was in the repair shop area.
Dad stopped the attempted helicopter thing when I was 14 and let me stay at the house (with locked doors and random calls) when he and mom both went in after mom had to take me to the ER for a tetanus shot and some stitches when I tripped and caught myself on a piece of equipment.”
2. A Rave
Loud music and tons of people don't always mix well for young children and considering the nature of most raves, definitely proves to be a place children should not hang out. While rave has become synonymous with drugs and heavy alcohol use, that's not always the case. However, the atmosphere of most rave parties is definitely centered around an experience for adults.
Reddit poster @abortionlasagna posted about an experience they once had at a rave. “There were toddlers at DUSK in Arizona and it felt so wrong seeing them in with the group of people drooling and staring at a guy throwing around a glowing hula hoop.”
1. Tattoo Shop
If you've ever thought about getting a tattoo, artist's and shop owners will beg you to leave your little ones at home. Redditor @tedwardofficial was getting prepped for a client and had this to say about an interaction involving a child. “Yes!! Turned around to make a stencil the other day, came back to the client’s kid reaching up to try to get into my sharps, mom on the phone not even watching 😫🤦♂️.”
Being a parent can be rough in our fast-paced society. Still, there are places where children just should not go, as even under the best of circumstances, things can go wrong. Being an adult means having the emotional and mental maturity to reason whether the consequences of a given action are going to garner a good or bad results.
Because children inherently don't have this maturity, adults in their lives have to be guideposts of what is and isn't acceptable and much like Reddit is lamenting, adults sometimes have to put their own wants aside to care for the children in their lives, even when it hurts.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.