Stroud Green Baby

krazykappa · April 2008

Congratulations on the new arrivals!

Ian · April 2008

I will add my congratulations folks. Good news all round.

Need children to work for the economy to fund my old age. Just don't bring them into the Noble until they stop screaming.

dion · April 2008

Now that pubs are smoke free it is a more socially acceptable to take babies in. I will bring mine along soon and we will play spot the cowering, cringing, uncomfortable Ian in the corner.

katiejane · April 2008

We came to the conclusion that its just fine with babies in the evening, but not particularly fun for parents and other punters alike when they start running around. Same with restaurants.

The Dairy seems to have it sussed, yes to kids, but only up to 6.30pm.

David · April 2008

Couldn't agree less. The smoking ban doesn't even come into it. Adults should get to go to decent pubs and restaurants undisturbed at any time of day or night. Parents should relocate to the local Harvester and accept their lifestyle choice with dignity.

dominic · April 2008

Where is the local harvester?

David · April 2008

[Southgate](http://www.harvester.co.uk/find-a-harvester/Thearnosarmssouthgate.html) for the Harvester, [Redbridge](http://www.beefeater.co.uk/ourRestaurants/details/?id=45&q=N4+4DP) for a Beefeater. Unfortunately further away than I had hoped reasonable. They'll just have to move out, it happens after a year or two anyway. Or here's a thought, get a babysitter and enjoy the local with the Adults.

katiejane · April 2008

@ David - let us know next time you're up the Noble or Dairy - I'll stuff the kids with sugar and bring them over.

dion · April 2008

Hear hear. I will bring mine and will stuff myself with sugar too - I am not much better than them nowadays.

andy · April 2008

This is actually an ace idea. Flashmobbing David with under tens. I love it. Next time we're in the Noble I'll post a thread here - it'll have to be short as I'll be on my phone, so it'll say "KIDS 2NBL NOW!!" then I'll make my excuses and leave him to it.

David · April 2008

You know, cycling home the other day I was lined up at a set of lights with three or four other cyclists and this mother started crossing the road in front of us, calling her kid who was in tow just behind. _"Come on Rupert"_ she called then flashed all the cyclists this gushing _God isn't he just so gorgeous_ type look. She seriously thought we were all looking at her child and not the traffic lights further afield. Lights turn green, little Rupert still making little baby steps across the road. Mother still looking at us gushing and proud. _Get your brat out the f*cking road, the lights are green you stupid mare._ Such an unfortunate trend in modern Britain, whatever happened to seen and not heard? If parents had a single ounce of awareness that not everyone loves their sugar fuelled mini-me's like they do I probably wouldn't mind them in pubs as they'd be controlled.

andy · April 2008

I know. Women can vote as well. It's been a disgraceful experiment.

katiejane · April 2008

@ David - you free for babysitting tomorrow night?

David · April 2008

I'm not sure what's worse, having a Manchester United fan as a member or the site turning into a creche.

katiejane · April 2008

@ andy - can we turn the site into a creche?

David · April 2008

@ Andy - Can we start again? [www.childfreestroudgreen.org]() is free to register, then again so is [www.childfreelondon.org](). Ah, I've gone all misty-eyed at the thought. [www.blametheparents.org]() is also free.

Colette · April 2008

I'm starting to think David and I are related. Have you got any French blood in you? or family in Stoke on Trent? (it's a glamorous combo)

andy · April 2008

don't know why you're looking at me. do what you want. it's been a very long week and i intend to end it with some low dosage alcohol poisoning over the course of the next few hours.

and i've been thinking about toast (see my new toast thread for more on this)

Ian · April 2008

I'm from Stoke on Trent. And I started the no kids in the noble screaming bit of this conversation. We could well be related.

dominic · April 2008

@David - who is the manyoo fan?

Colette · April 2008

@Ian - do you like dogs? and arsenal (or port vale - if you say stoke city then we're fundamentally incompatible and I'm also scared of you)? and bicycles?

Ian · April 2008

I hate Stoke City, and their fans. Vale and Crewe were the teams from home. No particular views on dogs or bicycles although I draw the line at the former riding the latter.

David · April 2008

@ Dominic - apologies, obviously I meant Ronaldo fan, we know whats on your bedroom walls, although that spelling of Mancester United is a little worrying. @ Colette - no, the family tree all comes from Docklands/Eastend/East of that, with a minor blip from Grimbsy. Dogs, Arsenal and bicycles are all up there with JK's stuffed parathas.

tosscat · April 2008

Am I the only one that double takes whenever I read JK, thinking it means JK Rowling?

David · April 2008

Anyone else bothered that JK Rowling is infinately more successful than Salinger? I blame the parents. They give it to their kids and read it at the same time. Sick.

dominic · April 2008

@Tosscat, do they have interweb where you are?
@David, I would, but the wife prefers David Seaman.

katiejane · April 2008

@ David - spoken without any hint of irony whatsoever. I can only summise that you really are as cumudgeonly as they say.

Personally I don't care for either Salinger or Rowling. However as a parent I would very much like my children to 1) be able to read and 2) grow up with a passion for books and literature, and I don't give a stuff how they get there.

As far as getting children and adults to pick up a book, I think you've got to hand it to JK Rowling.

There - spleen duly vented - ready now for the next round of defending myself for (goddamit) choosing to have kids.

btw - you thought about contributing to the phone-ins on Five Live of a morning??

David · April 2008

I'll try to suppress my distaste of kids with overindulgent parents. And JK Rowling. But you have to understand they really are red rags to a bull. I tried to read a Potter book once - orphaned by someone at work - to try and understand the appeal. Order of the Pheonix, I got about five pages in and gave up. I know you're meant to give these things a better go than that but I felt quite nauseous, like I'd just cheered on Robby Keane or something.

andy · April 2008

![](http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/duty_calls.png)

David · April 2008

_"Yet in the Potter books, the costs and limits are too often arbitrary. A patronus charm, for example, is awfully difficult - until Rowling wants a stirring scene in which Harry pulls together an intrepid band of students to Fight the Power, whereupon it becomes simple enough to be taught by an inexperienced fifteen year old."_ [This is in the Guardian](http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/megan_mcardle/2007/07/harry_potter_the_economics.html). I agree with the sentiment that Potter is just shit, but what is it doing in the Guardian? When I was a kid [Mr Benn](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr_Benn) was all the rage but wasn't dissected in the broadsheets. I think this overlap into the adult muggles realm is what upsets me most. The literary equivalent of taking those kids into the pub. It's not the kids nor Rowlings fault. It's what the parents are doing with it that sends me into a frenzy. I'll stop now. Spleen duly vented, as the non-curmudgeonly say.

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