When you go on a family-friendly holiday, you imagine that your kids can make a reasonable amount of noise.
When one mum, holidaying with her family, was told that her one-year-old was being too noisy, she was shocked and reached out on Mumsnet to share her experience.
Unexpected noise
“I recently stayed in a holiday cottage attached to some other holiday cottages,” wrote the mum. “Unfortunately, the first morning we were there, my toddler started to cut a tooth. He was crying on and off for about 30 minutes from about 7. We then left to go out for the day at 8am.”
Though the amount of noise didn’t last all that long, the owner of the holiday complex was not happy. “While on the way to our car, I was approached by the owner and asked to keep the noise down,” said the mum.
Babies make noise
When the mother explained the situation, the owner replied that she shouldn’t have booked it if she knew the baby “would make noise”.
Unfortunately, teething is not something parents can predict. Life would certainly be easier if it were. Besides, the baby wasn’t crying all night. Simply on and off for 30 minutes, while his mother comforted him. Plus, the mother had included the baby in the booking and chose the site because the owner claimed that children were welcome.
Only the quiet children it seems.
“I left a bad review saying not to book if you have babies or toddlers as they will be expected not to cry,” wrote the mum. “I apologised in my review for disturbance to other guests and suggested that instead of telling us to keep him quiet, they could have asked if we needed any help.”
Two points of view
That said, another guest who reviewed the cottage the day after said that children are welcome, but you need to be respectful of other guests, which the mother felt was unfair.
“I was being respectful hence leaving at 8am and not 11am like planned,” she wrote. “Aibu for leaving that review or feeling like I should be expected to magically stop a 1-year-old from crying? I would understand if it was adults making noise but I was doing everything I could to comfort him!”
Can’t families have holidays too?
The post stirred up mixed responses. Most readers found the resort owner’s response unreasonable, while others feel that it was justified. However, it’s difficult to stop your child from crying. If we knew how to do that successfully, then parenting would be a very different story.
“In my mind, if you book attached properties, you can’t expect quiet and 30 minutes noise at 7am … isn’t hideous actually,” wrote one reader. “There could have easily been a baby screaming through the night in that sort of holiday property.”
“I think you were right to leave that review,” commented another. “The owner was really rude to say that to you! It would be fine if it were older children who were just screaming for fun or who are badly behaved. But complaining about a baby crying, especially if it’s only for a short period of time, and then such snotty responses (in person and the one on the review) is unacceptable.”
Others feel that this is a disturbance they would not appreciate while on holiday.
“How could they have helped you?” wrote one reader “If I was on holiday I wouldn’t want a screaming kid next door, tooth or not.”
To which another reader responded, “So should families with babies or toddlers just never go on holiday then?”
What can you do?
Parents are human beings trying to care for little human beings who cry. Sometimes for a good reason like cutting teeth, fever, tiredness, and sometimes for no reason whatsoever.
A certain amount of noise comes with family life and certainly family holidays. If you want absolute silence, then don’t go to a family-friendly complex of holiday cottages. Simple as that!
