Mom Turns Friend Group Into Her Daughter’s Personal Fan Club, Shocked When They Walk Away

One, often overlooked difficulty of being an adult is scheduling things with your other adult friends. People have families, jobs, responsibilities, doctor’s appointments and vacations, if they are lucky. So when someone ends up ruining the planned get together, there is a lot of potential for drama.

A woman wondered if she was wrong to call out a friend who kept bringing her seven year old daughter to their spa days. As it turns out, it can be hard to have normal, adult conversations around a child and the spa staff weren’t exactly willing to suddenly do a double shift as babysitters.

Some parents insist on bringing their kids everywhere, regardless of whether the setting is appropriate, because they believe that parenting should not come with limitations. While there is nothing wrong with including children in daily life, this mindset can sometimes overlook the fact that not every environment is designed for young kids and not every social gathering needs to accommodate them, even if the friends are ostensibly ok with a child being around in other settings.

Sometimes this is just the result of a certain kind of entitlement, or just the feeling that their kids are special and unlike everyone else's loud and, possibly, obnoxious offspring. One reason parents take their kids everywhere is a belief that children should be fully integrated into all aspects of life, rather than left at home with a babysitter. Some genuinely feel that excluding their kids from certain events would be unfair or that parenting means never being apart from them.

Others may simply not trust anyone else to watch their children, whether due to personal anxiety or a lack of reliable childcare. While these are understandable concerns, they can sometimes result in situations where children are brought into spaces that are neither kid-friendly nor enjoyable for anyone involved.

There is also an element of entitlement that plays into this behavior. Some parents expect the world to adjust to their children rather than acknowledging that some places, fine dining restaurants, weddings, adult social gatherings or, obviously, spa sessions are not ideal for kids. When a child disrupts the atmosphere with crying, running around, or needing constant attention, it can take away from the experience for others. The assumption that everyone should be willing to tolerate this, regardless of the occasion, can come across as inconsiderate.

What makes this especially frustrating is that it often puts both the child and everyone else in an uncomfortable situation. Kids get bored, restless, or overwhelmed in settings that are not designed for them, leading to behavior that parents then struggle to control. At the same time, other guests are forced to either endure the disruption or risk being seen as rude if they express frustration. It creates a situation where no one is truly happy, all because Emily refuses to acknowledge that not every space needs to be a family-friendly one.

While parenting is a full-time job, part of that responsibility includes recognizing when a child’s presence is appropriate and when it is better to leave them at home. Respecting the environment and the people around them goes a long way in ensuring that social settings remain enjoyable for everyone, rather than turning into a battle between parental priorities and common courtesy. Unfortunately, no one has seemed to tell this to Emily.

Of course, this story demonstrates exactly what can happen. The entitled parent drags their kid to a place where, surprise surprise, there is nothing for them to do and now it needs to be looked after. Babysitting is a paid profession, you can not expect random employees at a spa to suddenly do it for free.

Even worse, Emily is also ruining the experience for her friends. A spa, lest we forget, is supposed to be an enjoyable experience, a place to relax. Having to help one’s friend with the mess she caused is anything but relaxing. Importantly, as stated previously, just finding the time and energy for these sorts of get togethers can be tiring. Emily ruining it because she insists on having her daughter along is selfish at best. It’s a lot to expect your friends to be ok with your kid being around, particularly in a setting like this.