Nightclub for toddlers?

[IDrinkaRum]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/04/AR2008050402079.html

(for those who might not be able to see the story, go to http://www.bugmenot.com and get a log in).

Rock & Roll Hotel (which is a nightclub for the clubbers who come out) in Washington, DC. holds once-a-month play dates for parents with children up to 7 years of age. The parents are excited about this.

What I find appalling is that the parents are drinking in front of their kids and (probably, more likely) driving home from the play date with their kids after drinking.

I do have a glass of wine sometimes with dinner when I'm at home and not going to go out and driving afterwards. However, I do not take my child out and drink in front of her with other people drinking in front of her in a nightclub-type place.

Am I too old fashioned? Am I not "hip"?

[DesignFox]

If the parents are being responsible and not getting loaded in front of their kids, I don't see the problem with it.

I attended BBQs with my parents. My parents or my relatives or their friends did drink. They didn't get shit-faced...no one was driving off drunk... and I barely even knew what they were doing, anyway.

I think it sounds like fun.

[AFPheonix]

I think it's a fun idea, too. Hell, Chuck E. Cheese sells beer to parents while their kids are assaulting the poor guy in the mouse suit. Having a drink does not automatically equal getting plastered, making a fool of one's self and driving home drunk.

[Sylvia727]

I don't know how I feel about this. On the one hand, it's during the day, the decor is completely changed, and they really strive to make it kid-friendly. As long as the parents aren't actually driving drunk, what's the difference between this and a kid-friendly BBQ? On the other hand, I can see why parents wouldn't want to expose their children to alcohol abuse and related problems.

As long as the club works double time to nip alcohol problems in the bud, I guess I'm fine with it.

[IDrinkaRum]

I might be coming at this from a different point of view.

I've known parents who get completely drunk off their butts in front of their kids. Also, there's not too much alcohol abuse in my family (definitely not immediate family, but in the various branches) there is enough to make me leery.

Maybe I'm completely seeing this through prejudiced eyes. I don't know.

[Boozy]

I don't see a difference between parents having a few drinks at a nightclub and having a few drinks at a family barbecue. If one or both parents abuse alcohol, they don't need to get into a club setting to do it.

I like the idea because dancing is fantastic exercise for kids. Better than sitting around eating fast food and playing video games.

[IDrinkaRum]

My daughter dances wherever she wants to. She's like me in that respect. We embarrass the heck out of hubs when we dance in the grocery store. :p

[the_std]

I think this is a fantastic idea. I know so many people who would bring their children to one of these things. Sharing stuff with your kids can be a lot of fun, and I know I would have adored going to an informal dance club with my parents so that I could shake it! And I agree with the sentiment that, if there's going to be alcohol abuse, people don't need excuses for it.

[tropicsgoddess]

At family parties, we always had a cooler with the drinks for the kids and another with all the alcoholic drinks for the adults. So, the club sounds like a good way for both parents and kids to have fun and bond . It's just all in moderation and responsibility that the parents must bear in mind at the club if/when they drink . Hell, when I have kids I would go there, sure beats Chuck E. Cheese.