Kids at the B&B

[Generic]

Put a sign up "If your children don't behave! I will feed them caffeine and chocolate and give them back to You!.

Unattended children will be given a double espresso and a chocolate bar.

 

[Morticia]

Put a sign up "If your children don't behave! I will feed them caffeine and chocolate and give them back to You!.

Unattended children will be given a double espresso and a chocolate bar.
.

Unattended children will be given a double espresso and a chocolate bar.

And there's a puppy waiting in your car.

 

[Morticia]

And there's the 13 year old (almost 14) whose parents are cutting up his food at breakfast. You can't make this stuff up.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

And there's the 13 year old (almost 14) whose parents are cutting up his food at breakfast. You can't make this stuff up..

Whaaaaaat?

 

[Roxanne Trees]

Well, they all just checked out and the two covered porches (185') that I just used the floor machine on just before they came is destroyed. Mud from one end to the other. Another half day to remedy that.
The glass in the front door is a mess (I cleaned it three times over the weekend). Folks don't know what a handle on a door is for?
The breakfast of eggs baked in a creamy wine sauce, untouched. Dog chow.
Thank you everyone for your thoughtful input. I am changing my website to say, "The inn is not suitable for children under 16."

 

[Generic]

Put a sign up "If your children don't behave! I will feed them caffeine and chocolate and give them back to You!.

Unattended children will be given a double espresso and a chocolate bar.
.

Unattended children will be given a double espresso and a chocolate bar.

And there's a puppy waiting in your car.
.

 

[Jcam]

Put a sign up "If your children don't behave! I will feed them caffeine and chocolate and give them back to You!.

Unattended children will be given a double espresso and a chocolate bar.
.

Unattended children will be given a double espresso and a chocolate bar.

And there's a puppy waiting in your car.
.

.

We have a tattoo parlour round the corner HUGE sign "unattended children will be sold to the circus"

 

[JBloggs]

Put a sign up "If your children don't behave! I will feed them caffeine and chocolate and give them back to You!.

Unattended children will be given a double espresso and a chocolate bar.
.

Unattended children will be given a double espresso and a chocolate bar.

And there's a puppy waiting in your car.
.

.

Hide your kazoos the kids are comin'!
(I had to say that, what is it with Canadians and kazoos? No really, I want to know)

 

[Morticia]

Well, they all just checked out and the two covered porches (185') that I just used the floor machine on just before they came is destroyed. Mud from one end to the other. Another half day to remedy that.
The glass in the front door is a mess (I cleaned it three times over the weekend). Folks don't know what a handle on a door is for?
The breakfast of eggs baked in a creamy wine sauce, untouched. Dog chow.
Thank you everyone for your thoughtful input. I am changing my website to say, "The inn is not suitable for children under 16.".

I will say that the hand prints on the doors and windows get a little old. But picture me coming out to answer the door to find the adults with noses pressed against the glass!
Hope you find the raised age limit works to get the slobs out of your hair.

 

[Morticia]

Put a sign up "If your children don't behave! I will feed them caffeine and chocolate and give them back to You!.

Unattended children will be given a double espresso and a chocolate bar.
.

Unattended children will be given a double espresso and a chocolate bar.

And there's a puppy waiting in your car.
.

.

We have a tattoo parlour round the corner HUGE sign "unattended children will be sold to the circus"
.

We have a tattoo parlour round the corner HUGE sign "unattended children will be sold to the circus"

Some parents would deliberately leave the kids!

 

[Generic]

Put a sign up "If your children don't behave! I will feed them caffeine and chocolate and give them back to You!.

Unattended children will be given a double espresso and a chocolate bar.
.

Unattended children will be given a double espresso and a chocolate bar.

And there's a puppy waiting in your car.
.

.

Hide your kazoos the kids are comin'!
(I had to say that, what is it with Canadians and kazoos? No really, I want to know)
.

Drum sets are expensive.
I threatened to send my cousin's kid a tambourine. No electricity! Can't turn it off.

 

[Generic]

Put a sign up "If your children don't behave! I will feed them caffeine and chocolate and give them back to You!.

Unattended children will be given a double espresso and a chocolate bar.
.

Unattended children will be given a double espresso and a chocolate bar.

And there's a puppy waiting in your car.
.

.

We have a tattoo parlour round the corner HUGE sign "unattended children will be sold to the circus"
.

We have a tattoo parlour round the corner HUGE sign "unattended children will be sold to the circus"

Some parents would deliberately leave the kids!
.

Just kids? Some women would leave their husbands.

 

[user 26]

Let's share horrible B&B kid stories, Part 2:
The child was here before birth so we allowed it, local connection, so allowed it. As Dad continued to talk at the table to the other adults she got off standing on her dirty shoes in her chair to literally walking around the TABLE TOP. I had to pick my jaw off the ground. He continued his conversation ignoring his 4 year old walking around people's plates, coffee cups and arms.
I said "No."
They all stopped and looked at me, what is the problem? "You have to get your daughter off the table, right now, before she falls" like any good innkeeper I made it about her care, not about the flippin' behavior.
He took her down and walked into the parlor and put her on the sofa and walked back to his conversation. I stood there shaking my head. She leaped up and began to jump on the antique sofa.
That's all I can share for now, I have a handful of others, but why? Because we don't allow kids. We had a mother and daughter getaway for her 13th birthday, she was delightful, they dressed for breakfast, wanted to drink tea from cups and saucers and enjoy her 'coming of age' elegantly. Sweet, wonderful, amazing guests..

ON the table?? Disrespectful parents and they are not doing their daughter any favors. She needs to be taught how to behave.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

The last time I had kids in the house, I worked it into the welcome speech, "....the koi pond is also common area, so please make yourselves at home, but please don't throw rocks into the pond."
Mom began to protest that her child would never think of such a thing, I said, "I know, he probably wouldn't, but he's a boy, and boys must throw rocks into water, it's hardwired." With a big smile, of course.

 

[Generic]

Had a reservation from Ex ped last week, for 2 adults, 1 night. They show up, I open the door and they are here with a 7 or 8 years old, I said "Oh, we had your reservation marked for 2 only"... And then I notice a baby carriage. So I ask if there is 1 or 2 kids, and he says "oh, we have a 1 month old newborn". I say we usually don't take kids under 7, and he says, "the baby's going to stay with his mom". Ah, ok, so the reservation is for the dad and the older daughter, so fine.
They get their luggage from the car, while we are having dinner, and when they come in they bring in the baby carrier (and the baby of course), and all 4 are going to their room (newborn will stay with her mom = mom will take care of the baby in your room!!!)... So I get Generic to talk to the guy, and he explains that there is normally an extra charge for a 3rd person and that they are responsible for keeping the baby quiet, but guest says 'Oh, that is how it always works with Ex ped, you only mention the adults".... Yeah right !!!
Anyway, it was only for 1 night, so we allowed them to stay, and the next morning only the mother and older daughter had breakfast, so we decide not to charge the extra fee (which is essentially for the extra breakfast), and they leave. None of our other guests were inconvenienced (they didn't even know there was a newborn in the room), so all's well that ends well ... But it is still frustrating when guests do not read the policies online !

 

[nataliebee]

Funny how two adults magically transform into five people (including two kids) at the door! It essentially puts you on the spot, especially when a reservation (especially an online one) has been made.
We had a family of five (including Grandma!) show up a few months ago... "Oh, there was no option to add more people even though we wanted to use the drop-down to include more..."
Dumbstruck, I backed up slowly as a big family and their luggage tumbled into the Inn. We had them set up in a smaller room on the third floor. With one queen bed. No way that was going to happen! Of course the VERY time a room with the single/double beds (plus room for a cot) wasn't impeccable. Sent hubby upstairs to do a quality-check.
Thankfully these folks were super nice.
Thankfully any children we have gotten (we allow children over 10 years but guests NEVER listen) over the past few years have been angels. Hubby even has an old Playstation to hook up but the kids "would rather read!"

 

[nataliebee]

INNmates, want to nip that in the bud before word gets out, yes we are ball and chained to our inns.
How many room nights do you have that are families?
How many room nights do you NOT know you lose because you allow children?
You can't be all things to all people, we think we can do this and it only comes back to bite us. Pick your target demographic and go for it. You will be much happier in the long run. You can't sell romantic getaway if kids are involved, sorry to everyone who says you can, you can't. They don't mix.
People (other guests) are not complaining to you but they want to, I would not stay there if some kid was eating sausage with his fingers, I go away to escape and not to be involved in another family. Just my 2 cents. Kid behavior is not always offensive per se, it is just annoying - sitting on feet in shoes at the table, or standing on seat, swinging legs, high pitches voices, running - everywhere, parents trying to control them and saying their name 50 times an hour (this one kills me and makes me want to hang myself)..

You are right. I just needed to have someone else make the point. People think they should get a discount for children but I say they should pay double...now that is a thought. Ha!
.

Funny you mention that, we always say that (under our breaths and afterwards) when people ask for a government rate! We discount the two universities up the road and non-profits.

 

[Lee2014]

We allow children, but we have The House to keep them in line and are in an high end tourist destination. With a big brick house glaring down at the children and if they scream, The House scream right back at them (echo). I'd say that The House leans over the child and poke them with a brick as it whisper, "You better behave or else!" They sit quietly in the Dining Room from the baby to the pre-teen. They become the reigning kings and queens of the Dining Room as all the rest of the guests praise the parents on how well behaved their children are. Many a child has been given gifts from the other guests after a weekend of visiting with them as they tell the guests all about their day at the beach, in the pool, and the kids tour they experienced.
That's being said, we will have a holy terror next week...

.

We allow children, but we have The House to keep them in line and are in an high end tourist destination. With a big brick house glaring down at the children and if they scream, The House scream right back at them (echo). I'd say that The House leans over the child and poke them with a brick as it whisper, "You better behave or else!" They sit quietly in the Dining Room from the baby to the pre-teen. They become the reigning kings and queens of the Dining Room as all the rest of the guests praise the parents on how well behaved their children are. Many a child has been given gifts from the other guests after a weekend of visiting with them as they tell the guests all about their day at the beach, in the pool, and the kids tour they experienced.
That's being said, we will have a holy terror next week...

We did. It was the dad…