Toys & Games

[tansy]

com'on you lot...hadn't you realised that there has been a revolution?..the brats have taken over - they know their rights better than us, if we don't behave according to their rules they'll ring someone on their mobile phone!!...No wonder everywhere is in such a mess - no one says that word to them any more...no!!

Don't start me


I think I maybe singing from the same hymn sheet as Alan here

[Alan Knighting]

Tansy,

I think I maybe singing from the same hymn sheet as Alan here

Loud and clear - the same hymn sheet and the same chorus.

Responsibility, like the sword of justice, is double-edged and cuts both ways. I bear the responsibility of my actions, others bear the responsibility of theirs.

Rights don't exist in a one-way street, there is definitely two-way traffic. My rights may conflict with the rights of others but they are not seconded to them.

..........they know their rights better than us............

They don't know their rights from their wrongs any more than they know their rights from their lefts but they do know how to blackmail their parents into giving them their own way. They are brats but I still blame the system and the parents.

Regards

Alan

[Clexane]

Having a one year old ourselves I can tell you no two boards are going to stop a child putting gravel in their mouth.

And yes they will eat gravel and any other thing that they can touch lift and fit into their mouths. We have to watch our little girl 24/7 (we use movement monitors) - yes even when they sleep they can get themselves into trouble, they get up and could wander if they are not fully secured.

There is no substitute for parental supervision. Things that can secure areas and dangerous items (cleaning products, power points etc) help such as removable baby gates - they don’t cost much and you could supply them along with baby high chair if you attract families. Small tip - We put cleaning products in a cabinet in the garage, the garage (most are) is lockable and it saves on needing child locks on our nice cabinets.

While kids do add a dimension to our guests that may bring more issues, families are a very important market for holiday rentals and I am happy to cater to them, though I must say we do expect and require that the children are properly supervised at all times (I believe that goes without saying). Any guest that is not happy with this has got bigger issues than our villa.

I am also firmly of the belief that families are ill catered for in our society today (far less so than in the past!) and it is no surprise to me that in Western countries there is now declining population - so if we can do small things to help accommodate them then lets do our part. (Or is that another subject and is the referee going to give me a yellow card?)

P.S. I am the first to admit my opinions changed after having a child

[paolo]

I am also firmly of the belief that families are ill catered for in our society today

I wasn't bringing up kids in the 90s, 80 or 70s, etc. so my opinion isn't based on much, but I get the feeling the opposite is true. Mainly because service industries like hotels, restaurants, service stations, have realised there is much money to be made from being family-friendly.

For instance at a UK motorway service station these days it is fairly standard to get good baby changing rooms with free wipes and baby food, micro-waves to heat up your food and milk, fenced-in play areas inside and out. My hazy recollection is that up until a few years ago none of this existed.

Or perhaps you meant something deeper by 'our society'? (This is off-topic and I am giving myself a yellow card and a parking ticket.)

[Clexane]

Paolo,

Agree with your point about services. I was referring more to the situation that people today have less time with their kids than before. To survive people need generally two incomes and long hours today where as before 60s et al a single income family was more common and family units closer giving more support.

So the services are more required today, as holiday time is very precious and families are likely to be travelling alone (without Grannies) and are also desperately also looking for some time to themselves as well. They also probably are less experienced on the one on one as noted here.

It could also be said that people before didnt have many holidays thus making the services not as required. (that should just about deliver the red card )

[paolo]

Clexane,

I agree with you. Although on a personal note, another shift in the way the world is now means that I can work from home, and see almost too much of my kids!

[tansy]

Clexane..I have done 2 replies that I have deleted before posting re your take on it was all better before the 60's...I'm sorry but I so disagree with you...it may be better that we agree to disagree as I do not want to upset the forum...I would just like to say that in my opinion the modern take on parenthood is far from beneficial.

[Thomas BC]

This is astounding......

there was one criticism, there were no boards across the gravelled patio area at the back and his two year old granddaughter had eaten 2 stones. I'm not sure that the two things are really connected,

I would give them a bill for the two stones ..... or take it out of their security deposit!

Of course the two things are not connected!

I am quite interested to see the way in which this thread is going - during my changeover this morning I was thinking ... I dont think I am going to have people with children under 10 anymore. I reflected on Tansy's comment somewhere on the forum that the Brits were not that clean where as her US guests were great. I commeneted that I did not see that same pattern. This morning I thought if there was a pattern for me it was parents with young children. I have had two mothers ask how clean the cot and the high chair were - weeks before they came. I can understand why - have not problems with that question. But I was appalled at the state she and her familly left it. It was disgusting - I really can not exaggerate on the state. I am not talking a bit of goo that was hard to spot - I am convinced the tray bit had some remnant from each meal the child had had in our barn.

That surely can not be excused as a predicament of the parents of today? I am with Tansy on this one - I do not believe it was all better before the 60s. But yes, this is probably a discussion for another forum? Whatever, I am seriously thinking of not having children under 10 in future. And I am afraid the discussion so far has strengthened my resolve.

[paolo]

Can I suggest that if we want to continue this discussion, which I personally find an interesting one, we do it at a neutral venue like The Cafe?

[Christine Kenyon]

Interesting discussion about what to provide for children/kids/brats (depending what your take on the subject is!!!). Another thought: we've been advised by various agencies and local authorities not to provide high chairs, travel cots, etc as you may be sued by over-possessive parents if anything happens to their young beloved. Not quite the words used, but you probably get my drift.

I am now caught in the middle. We have a good percentage of young families who book our cottage, but we don't provide any "services". I've read previous threads which have listed what families find useful and can fully understand why (space in the car, convenience, etc), so I'm tempted to provide a travel cot, etc as others do because I think parents would appreciate these and be more likely to re-book, but our tourism authority, Health and Safety guys, etc are saying "no!".

Who is right?

[la vache!]

Christine,
I've heard a similar thing about cots, but slightly different, if France you are only allowed to provide travel cots, if you provide the traditional cot you are supposed to change the mattress every time (!!). I was told this by the Gites de France inspectors. However I haven't heard about high chair safety, surely if you have one that has passed safety tests its OK? As for child gates, I'm sure you are more likely to get sued if they weren't provided and a child fell down stairs than if they were?
Its a dilemma in this increasingly blame culture society.

[tansy]

I lost a 2 week booking in September because I said - to the Granny who was doing the enquiries - yes we have cots etc. but we charge extra 150 Euros per cot if the mothers want them steralized and new mattresses...

Since then I haven't bothered to say anything - if I'm asked if we have a cot I say yes - but it is NOT sterilized....some bring their own - some say oh that is fine...what is intriguing me is that I have a lady GP coming next week & is taking both cot's highchairs etc...not sterilized, no new matteresses and is making no fuss whatsoever! One for her baby & 1 for her nephew...so that is speaking volumes to me.

Yes - normally after all the enquiries - is the highchair clean...I too can work out what "it" had to eat for the week...I say "it" as these things seem to be little gods in their thrones!! Oh isn't it sweet he/she can throw food...ARRRRGHHHHH

OK - promise - we'll move to the cafe if anymore is said

Alexia - what was the house like when your 'mum' left?

[alexia s.]

Tansy, They're leaving on Saturday. There hasn't been a squeak from them since the early days. I'll let you know!

[Itsonlyme]

I've supplied a few old-fashioned board games, a pack of cards, some videos (mainly for the adults), a Playstation 2 (no games as I reckon they'll get nicked), satellite TV and that's plenty, I reckon. I took the plunge and stated 'unsuitable for children under 6' - particularly as we have fabric walls in three rooms and any graffiti would be impossible to remove. Also you don't have to worry about baby gates and cots etc - or wipes/nappies blocking up the fosse! Might lose bookings, but gives me peace of mind.

If the adults are too uninventive/lazy to entertain their children, plonking them in front of CBeebies should be the answer! Stop them writing on the walls or eating the gravel, as well.

[alexia s.]

Tansy,
They left last Sat - the house was fine & they were v. happy.