Last weekend, the New York Times ran a piece called “Baby Barflies,” by Risa Chubinsky, in the “Complaint Box” column of the Metropolitan section. In 500 words, Chubinsky, a 20-something who recently moved to Park Slope, Brooklyn, rants about her visits to neighborhood bars, where she and her friends are frequently faced with toddlers grabbing at their drinks while the moms chat away, and babies crying right up against the bar next to their martinis.
She argues enthusiastically that bars are not for kids, and how aghast she was to see a dad changing his kid’s diaper right there on a vacant table at the Bohemian Bar and Beer Garden. Why, she wonders, are parents not leaving their kids home with a babysitter when they feel the need or want to drink at a bar?
After her piece ran, 376 comments followed (mine is comment #154), with readers defending the author’s tirade, telling her to chill out, or shedding light on all kinds of ways for peace to ensue for bar-loving moms/dads and booze-loving non-parents alike.
As both a parent and social drinker, I love the idea of being able to be at a bar with my kids nearby (if I’m not trying to escape from them, that is), and so was immediately drawn to the notion of neighborhood pubs in England, where many have play areas for young children to stay in sight of mom and dad and vice versa. But with our country’s Puritan ideals and school campaigns teaching children as young as nine years old that drinking is ALWAYS bad, I don’t think that idea would fly.
What are your thoughts on kids frequenting bars?
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
It must have been the kind of bars I went to, but I never saw anyone younger than seven!
I agree! As long as there is a separate area for the children, then it’s okay!
Just don’t want a little kid bellied up to the bar or spitting up in my beer!
I REALLY need a place to go where children are NOT allowed. Not everyone is enamored with your sweet little children you know.
I’m british, and I’m pretty sure there werent any bars where children were allowed when I was growing up. My brother and I were put in the ‘family room’ and my parents hung out at the bar. I think the rule was that the children werent allowed in the room where the actual bar was, unless food was being served.
And PS I agree with Carol-Leah!