Your Child Is Not Welcome

  Posted on June 14, 2016 By

 50 Comments

I recently stopped at a salon located in a mall to see if they could clean up my eyebrows.  Something I’ve done many times before as I’m not great at booking appointments for such small things.  I will add that it was a rather large corporate salon that I’ve been to before without thought for my eyebrows (I’d never let them cut me hair though).

As I went in to book an appointment I stood there with my son happily and quietly playing in his stroller.

The lady nicely took my information for an available appointment 10 minutes later.  Which was perfect in my mind.  Once the appointment was confirmed, she proceeded to say with quite the attitude:

“Do you have somewhere to put your child?  Your child is not welcome…We have a child policy.”

Honestly, how does one respond to this?  I’m used to people stopping and gushing at how cute Baby MPB is (which I happen to agree with). This was the first time someone told me I wasn’t allowed with my child. So, needless to say this was a mom first that I didn’t expect.

My response, maybe not the best, but I laughed out loud and polity yet ever so sarcastically said:

“Never-mind then I’ll take my business elsewhere.  I cannot exactly park his stroller in the mall and leave him there by himself for 15 minutes.”

I was irritated, in part because I just didn’t expect it and in part because of the lady’s attitude.  But, what irritated me about this is:

  1. Clearly I was on my own with my child.  Maybe tell a mom first before you start booking the appointment.  And maybe tell her politely.
  2. If you ever want my business again, please do not refer to my child with massive attitude as some sort of inconvenience.
  3. Aren’t eye brow waxing’s done in a private room?  How would my child sitting in his stroller impacted anything for any other customer?
  4. It was a salon in a rather crappy mall, not a high end salon.  Seriously, lose the pretentious attitude.

So, is it common place for businesses to be anti-child?  Clearly certain businesses like bars and casinos don’t let children in, but it is common for other places to be?  Are there other places I should be aware of?

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 Category: Adoption, Baby, Parenting      Tags: , , , , , ,

50 Comments on “Your Child Is Not Welcome”

  2. That’s crazy. Perhaps the owners/ employees have some history of screaming toddlers or something??

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    • I completely get what you mean. I also understand that some people wouldn’t want children around (or other potentially annoying distractions) while getting their hair done. BUT, given the location I really don’t think this was that kind of a salon, at least not in my opinion.

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  3. That’s ridiculous! Did she say anything after you said you were taking your business elsewhere? It would be one thing if you were getting a pedicure, but for 10 minutes? Absurd

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    • Nope, she just gave me the evil eye and I left. It was just weird since she was all polite to begin with while I booked the appointment and then turned on me/Baby MPB. Oh well, I’ll just to my normal place next time. 🙂

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  4. Sooooo…I kiiiinda understand that they might not want your baby there. Babies are unpredictable…you could be halfway through the appointment and baby could start crying and then you might have to tend to them…maybe even have to leave…then there’s the issue of payment, but how much was done… They are a business, they have their considerations…

    HOWEVER, given all that—I think she should have done two things: one, explained her reasoning in anything BUT a bitchy way, and two, done so BEFORE she booked the appointment. It definitely, 1,000% could’ve been handled better and I’m sorry she was so rude about it. 🙁 Mark them done as a place not to go in the future! 💚

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    • I also get what you mean and I do understand that some people wouldn’t want distractions (kids or other noisy things) while they are at a salon. BUT, I don’t understand why she was all polite when she booked it and then turned on me. It was just odd since Baby MPB was clearly visible when I was booking it and I booked for 10 minutes later so it’s not like I was going anywhere to be able to ditch the kid.
      And really, it’s not a normal place for me to go so they are pretty easy to avoid. 🙂

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      • Oh I couldn’t agree more. I don’t think I would’ve been as kind as you in my response, if I’m honest. 😬 So kudos to you for keeping your cool!

        (And kudos for at least attempting some nice self-care. I can’t even get myself to the hair salon…haven’t had a cut since before Joey was born! 😅)

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  5. One other thing that occurred to me: it could also be a sanitation thing? I don’t know. I don’t, um, get my eyebrows done, so… But, you know what I mean? Maybe they are worried about…something? I don’t know. It just popped into my head.

    I still stand by my first comment: she should have explained whatever the reason was. 👍🏼

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  6. This was handled terribly by the salon clerk. I do know that the salon I use does not allow children, and honestly I can understand why. There are lots of chemicals/dyes, scissors, hot tools, etc that are harmful and unsafe for kids, and you can’t exactly supervise your child when you’re receiving their services. It’s also a spa-like setting, so I go there to relax and I appreciate the excuse to escape. But in this case, with an infant who is calmly contained in a stroller, and a service that takes like 5-10 minutes in a private room? I don’t know, maybe this is normal. Regardless, she still should have addressed it politely and professionally and upfront prior to booking the service.

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    • I too honestly understand the no children policy at spa’s where people would be going to relax.. BUT, I really don’t think this mall location was very “spa” like and I also understand telling people that first and not being so rude! 🙂

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    • Yes! That’s exactly my thought. It’s not like I was trying to hide the baby in the giant stroller when I walked in. So, why wouldn’t they mention the children policy in a polite manner right away? It was just so weird….

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  9. Wow, that’s obnoxious! I think that’s a stupid policy!! And, you’re right, she could have told you first! Or perhaps if this is their silly policy they should have a sign up so you wouldn’t have wasted your time and hers!

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    • Yes, exactly! There was a better way to handle the situation from the beginning – it’s not like I was trying to sneak the baby in the giant stroller in with me. It was just such an odd interaction.

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  10. That is insane and so very rude. I have not come across that before. My friend have 3 and has always taken them along when getting her hair done. Granted she doesn’t do it often and often she gets the kids hair done too, but she has never been refused.
    If they have an issue with children or wish to have a certain atmosphere about their salon why not have certain hours of the day be child friendly when mothers can make appointments and bring their kids?

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    • You know, I was wondering, where do parents take their kids to have their hair cut? Clearly their must be places that are child friendly, otherwise we’d have a lot of mangy looking kids running around the world. 🙂
      I agree, a sign or certain hours would make sense. Or even just telling the mom when she first walks in rather then booking an appointment for 10 minutes later. Really, there was a whole lot of ways that the situation could have been better handled by the staff.

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  11. 90% salons have a no child policy because they are not insured for accidents caused by children. Morever because of the chemicals they use, esp hair treatment, its best kids dont inhale it. But yeah, drop the attitude please …

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    • Ya, I totally get that. I also get that some salon’s would just not want the possible noise of children because most people do intend to relax while getting their hair done.
      BUT it was the attitude and the whole interaction that had me troubled. Since I was there with Baby MPB, and the appointment was in 10 minutes, it would have made so much more sense to tell me before booking the appointment AND to be polite about it. Instead, because she was so rude, I’ll be sure not to return.

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  12. That’s bizarre! I can’t even imagine! Charlie was coming with me to my sort of high end salon at the age of six weeks! Now she stays with her dad because she’s too old to sit that long without interaction, but they would NEVER tell me not to bring her. In fact I only get my eyebrows done when I do my hair because I usually don’t have someone who can come with me and entertain her while they’re being done if I go during the day, and my hairdresser specifically told me that I could bring her and it would be no problem-she would work fast and we’d figure something out to keep her occupied.

    That’s just NUTS.

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  13. This is ridiculous. People just don’t think things through before making such policies and certainly not before opening their mouths to inform us of such policies. I have had this happen a few times. I hate to say it, but the people who usually enforce these stupid rules are young twenty-somethings who have never been around children or older women who have forgotten what it’s like to have a small child or who’ve never been around children and seem annoyed at the notion of the child in general! I would have done the exact same thing you did! I was at a store the other day trying on clothes with my babe in his stroller. The fitting room attendant said carts weren’t allowed in the dressing rooms and the stroller qualified as a cart. Um, my baby is strapped in and there is no way in hell I am uprooting him and his calm demeanor to have him roll all over a fitting room floor. I laughed out loud and asked to speak to someone else. The other attendant also laughed and said to take my stroller AND BABY wherever I needed to go. I get so fired up about this. Where do they think we should put our babies? Seriously!!!

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  14. And, yes. I get the dangers of a salon, but it isn’t like you were carting around an unruly, mobile toddler or something. And, an eyebrow wax takes like 5 min. Gimme a break!

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  15. That is awful! I am so sorry that happened. One day we went to a local chain restaurant in our mall. It was a week day so there were not many people. We had our double stroller and the twins had fallen asleep. The hostess told us where we would be sitting and said but the stroller has to stay here because we have a no stroller policy. OK I get that when the restaurant is packed but on a Thursday afternoon with 2 sleeping children…Uhhh?!? To say I went momma bear on this poor hostess just trying to do her job would be an understatement. I asked to speak to the manager and pointed out that there was plenty of room and we would move it out of the way so it was not in any servers way. They finally allowed it but man was I heated.

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  16. NYC is big on the “child friendly” and “not child friendly” delineation….it’s usually the parents who drive this, though. Back in the day when I waited tables mothers would often say something like “if I wanted to hear a baby scream/cry/fuss/whine, I’d have stayed home.” I don’t think I’ve ever seen a small baby in a nail or hair salon in the city. I guess the general assumption is if the child does start to act up you can’t really attend to him/her with wet nails or wax on your face. Either way – 0 excuse to be rude about it. I agree – spend your money with people who have manners.

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  17. Ok, I can see the kid policy. But not a little baby for a 5-10 minute treatment. No! I took Matthew to my hair appointments his first 6 months and everyone LOVED it. Once he was not happy sitting in his seat, I stopped. And for a brow wax, it would NEVER be an issue.

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  18. Do you have Yelp or some other review app? Maybe you can Yelp this out for other moms. I’ve had some business owners respond directly to me to try to make up for a rude employee or even review a policy or provide training to their employees for future interactions.

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  19. Oh man. They are lucky you aren’t naming and shaming them! As others have said perhaps there has been a thing with screaming babies before or something but still, handled poorly if that is the issue!

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  20. 5. Put up a sign in front. Phrase it tactfully – “For our clients’ comfort, we regret that we have a no children under x policy.”

    Because, after all, other people’s kids can be a pain, and many parents are oblivious. But I agree, the way this was handled was unnecessarily rude.

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  21. I go to a little kiosk at a mall run by a South Asian woman who threads my brows, and I’ve had Ansel in his stroller and in the ergo strapped to me while she did it! This is absurd.

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  22. Maybe she thought your husband or a friend were somewhere close by inside the mall? You’d think she would ask beforehand, and maybe be nice about it. No need to be so rude to someone. I have no idea if the is the norm anywhere or what most salon policies are, but man I’d never go back to that one again!!

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  23. Very frustrating. When we were on vacation I was super excited to go to an all you can eat crab place, and when we got there they made a huge deal about Amora’s stroller (we walked there, as it was beachside) and demanded I leave it outside. Then they made a huge fuss over where they were going to seat us because a high chair/sling would “block the waitress’s pathways.” I finally squeezed her car seat in a booth with me but I was so frustrated and flustered, if my in laws hadn’t beaten us there and ordered appetizers I would have just left. I mean what am I supposed to do leave her out in the rain? Put her under the table? So annoying.

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  24. Ridiculous!!! Did she just not notice baby mbp beforehand?? Or maybe she got some sick enjoyment out of being difficult? How stupid to go about booking you in and then ask about where you’re going to put the baby. Dumb!!!!!!

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  25. i have never seen a salon where moms dont/cant bring their babies, i think it is a very personal choice of the mother. and generally speaking, all of us who have faced years of losses and infertility – we are more sensitive in general when it comes to anything related to the “baby” topic

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  26. It’s too bad she made you feel like you were putting her out for something she could have made clear at the beginning of booking. Things like that are embarrassing and don’t show compassion for the customer (you). She didn’t handle it properly. Sorry you had to have that run in!

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  27. That’s so weird! Like you and everyone else has said, you’d think they’d have a sign or tell people when booking. It’s not like you were trying to sneak him in! Tbh as a childless person I would prefer it if kids weren’t in spa-like settings, but you definitely can’t leave a child alone and she should have told you in a polite way when you tried to book it. She sounds nasty and I’d complain to the manager.

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  28. That is insane. Who do they think they are? I am sorry you had to deal with that. I am glad they no longer have your business and I hope they lose other customers.

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  29. What the…..!!!!! I get that There may be ‘no child policies’ in places Ike this, but she could have at least explained it in an understanding way!!! How rude. I’d probably have cried if that happened to me! 😡

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  30. That is ridiculous. Molly has come to a Brazilian waxing appointment with me! And she sits on the end of the bed when I get my eyebrows done. Absurd.

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  31. They should have told you first, that’s poor and snotty. But I can understand some places being child free, the few that are round here sadly have reason to be and that reason is poor parenting of toddlers and older. None of them have a ‘babe in arms’ free policy as far as I’m aware though, just when they get old enough to run around and there’s risks parents may not manage.

    I get my waxing done with my beautician’s baby in the room and intend to bring mine in the future :).

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  32. I had to laugh: “Is there anywhere you can PUT your baby?” Oh, sure! I’ll just rent a mall locker and stick him in there! I can understand the reasons a salon may have a no baby/child policy, and I fully support it. However, 1) It should be posted clearly at the door and at the reception desk, and 2) All employees should be trained on how to properly address it with someone who may have missed the signs. A simple explanation like, “I’m sorry, it’s a safety thing,” or “I’m sorry, people have complained in the past.”

    I don’t know many places, including salons, that are kid-free where I live.

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