I'm going to break my silence here.

I think it is inappropriate to bring 3 children up to a destination crag on a weekend. Children are more suited to being at smaller crags with fewer people. And I think it takes a lot of gull to criticize someone for swearing just because they have kids with them. Its an adult location and Rumney is a place people take big trips to. I see no reason why anyone should have to change their behavior because you decided to bring your children to an adult location.


Invalid: I know the difficulties in finding overnight childcare because I have been the one watching peoples kids many times, but what the hell. You CHOSE to have kids so you chose to take on this challenge. (We won't go into my thoughts for people who didn't chose to have their kids) Sometimes you have to put off a climbing trip and wait until the kids are old enough to behave safely and appropriately for that trip

The other problem I see in this picture is 3 toddlers and 3 adults. Its one thing to bring one toddler out to the crag, but 3? That's asking for trouble. At a place where there is very little room at the bottom of the crag and with 3 little ones running around someone is gonna take a digger over the edge and go tumbling down the very steep hill behind them.

I don't think its a question of leaving all kids at home, its about knowing when it is appropriate to bring them with you. To me this is a case where it was clearly inappropriate as well as unsafe. And to be honest I see more parents who don't know how to deal with their kids when they take them climbing then those who do. (Which is exactly how I feel about crag dogs since people feel the need to draw similarities)

And for the love of god if you don't want your children to hear anyone swear then you shouldn't take them to places you know there will be swearing.

I'll add a fuck you to the chorus of those too emasculated to say so. i.e. you. Fuck off and rot.

The shitheads I referenced were not regulated, were not supervised, and were not safe.
Why did I not call the Department of Children and Families/ It ain't my business. Climbing is.

Five stars. You should break your silence more often.

Jay

Did the toddlers throwing rocks all of three feet really scare you that much?

It's "Tourette's"...you butt-plugging douche nozzle.

Curt

Future children there will be none. Fuck off..

The planet is over-populated as it is, and furthering the status quo will accomplish nothing.

Bitch all you want - it changes nothing. Our kids bother you more than they bother us. We are way worse than dog people.

DMT

1. What makes you think that you as a person are more entitled to being at any particular public place than another person who happens to be 5 years old?

2. You are entitled to be annoyed by certain things-- I have my own list, too. I suggest you anticipate these things and take steps to avoid them, instead of expecting other people to stay away in order for you to have a good day. How about going for a longer approach?

3. You obviously don't have kids, so you casn't possibly appreciate the difficulties that adults with kids face, in terms of finding appropriate overnight childcare for young children.

4. You do not have kids, so you can't possibly understand the educational value to kids who are exposed to a variety of situations and see their parents enjoy various activities.

5. There are obnoxious children everywhere, and even the best kids can and do have bad days. The same is true for all adults. When dealing with abnoxious individuals of any age, your best bet is a polite mention to adults in charge. You would be surprized how effective this can be. However, if it doesn't work, go back to point 2.


6. Unless you are under 20yo, and still have some hope of growing up, I suggest that you take steps to make sure that not having kids is a permanent fact for you.

7. I am pretty sure my daughter will outclimb you by the time she is 8yo. She is 6yo now.

So, a few weekends ago, I was up at rumney for some sport goodness.

Bitch all you want - it changes nothing. Our kids bother you more than they bother us. We are way worse than dog people.

So, a few weekends ago, I was up at rumney for some sport goodness. While it was pretty hot and humid, it was a pretty good weekend for sending, and I ticked some good routes for me. It was a good weekend overall, except for one major issue.

Leave your children at home. They do not belong at the crag, and by bringing them, you are not only ruining someone else's good time, you are putting them in a hazardous environment where the supervision is distracted by ideations of sending some sick 5.9 routes.

There is a back story to my anger. We were climbing at new wave, and as soon as we got to the area, another party with three children and a maximum age of 5 showed up. There were three adults in the group, and all the requisite equipment, including but not limited to: A tent, several toy trucks, three kid carriers, and all of the other crap that comes with hauling children into an environment which they clearly do not belong. They soon proved this by throwing rocks down the trail, running around and screaming, crying, and being a general nuisance.


The adult supervision treated their misbehavior with gentle scolding and no attempt to remedy the rock throwing or running around, as they were busy climbing. They did take the opportunity to scold me for swearing in frustration after falling on a route

Not only were they annoying, they potentially endangered their kids by bringing them to a hazardous place, and this was evident when one of the younger children lost his footing and tumbled, much like a pinball, about 5 feet down the trail, to the utter shock of the parents. He fortunately was uninjured.

Keep your fucking kids at home. The crag is not a safe place for children to run around, and not only do you put them in danger, you annoy the shit out of any other parties trying to have a good weekend. And then you bitch about my language when you brought them to an adult location.

Leave the little bastards at home until they can be responsible for their own actions. I don't fucking care how cute they look in their little full body harness, or if they are the next chris fucking sharma. Keep them at home until they are of a responsible age, and don't annoy the fuck out of your fellow climbers.

I never see cats at the crags.

OK, first off I will agree with you, those kids sounded like a pain in the ass and probably should not have been there as they sounded like they were hazards to both themselves and others. But I will have to partially disagree with you, I think that kids are fine, if they meet ALL of the following criteria:
1. They climb, or are learning to climb, this does not mean running around in a harness! I mean really learning and focused.
2. Their parents understand what real discipline is. None of this new agey “I am disappointed in you…” or even worse “Jesus is disappointed with you.” Because honestly a 5 year old could not care less who is disappointed! They are 5! BUT they do understand a swat on the butt hurts and they don’t want another. (sorry, worked in a daycare in college in an upscale neighborhood, I have been jaded…)
3. They don’t scream, cry, or whine without there being some blood or perturbing bone to accompany it. There is nothing worse than when you are focused to have some whinny ass brat screaming about a splinter or stubbed toe. I know when kids get hurt they freak but GOOD parents teach their kid, or rather train their kid to not freak out over little things. ESPECIALLY Little girls, they are NOT princesses and they are no better than anyone else’s little girl. (Damn Disney has warped their brains!)
4. There are enough adults to have at least one adult per 2 kids at all times. None of this mommy is climbing, daddy is belaying, and little Johnny is running amuck. Bring a sitter, a friend, hell drag out a family member who doesn’t even climb! Just make sure there are adult eyes on your kid all the time! Rocks hurt!
5. They don’t need TOYS to entertain themselves outdoors. Parents need to teach their kids to appreciate the outdoors and teach them to entertain themselves when in the forest/desert/ ect. This does not mean throwing rocks, but maybe a little exploring or god forbid maybe a little firsthand education. They need to teach their kids to appreciate every moment because the way we are heading, there might not be any “outdoors” to take their kids to when they grow up.
OK before I hear all the flaming, especially about little girls and how I should not have kids. I don’t want any! So don’t worry. I helped my wife raise her little 10 year old sister practically as both parents worked crazy schedules and we were the baby sitters. And you know what, when she falls and begins to cry, and I am around… she knows no blood, no broken bones, NO Tears! And if she wants something done, she does it herself if she can. None of this Meggy, Meggy, tie my shoe or help me over this rock BS. And if she is misbehaving, it only takes one look…. Just one, and she stops. And NO I have never spanked her, she’s not my kid (even though it feels like it) but I sure as hell don’t tell her “I am disappointed” I tell her he gameboy is going to disappear or her TV is going to spend some time in my closet, and I mean it! And if that doesn’t work, yeah my wife will put her over the knee, just like I was!

All and all, I think well behaved kids are fine. Every kid should be exposed to the outdoors! Get their fat asses off the couch and away from the TV and Gameboys! But I will agree with ClimberGuy, those kids should not have been there, and those parents were bad parents for bringing them someplace dangerous. You should know what your kids can handle, and they sounded like typical little kids not interested in climbing. OK feel free to rip me a new one now…

I'm going to break my silence here.

I think it is inappropriate to bring 3 children up to a destination crag on a weekend. Children are more suited to being at smaller crags with fewer people. And I think it takes a lot of gull to criticize someone for swearing just because they have kids with them. Its an adult location and Rumney is a place people take big trips to. I see no reason why anyone should have to change their behavior because you decided to bring your children to an adult location. .

Invalid: I know the difficulties in finding overnight childcare because I have been the one watching peoples kids many times, but what the hell. You CHOSE to have kids so you chose to take on this challenge. (We won't go into my thoughts for people who didn't chose to have their kids) Sometimes you have to put off a climbing trip and wait until the kids are old enough to behave safely and appropriately for that trip.

The other problem I see in this picture is 3 toddlers and 3 adults. Its one thing to bring one toddler out to the crag, but 3? That's asking for trouble. At a place where there is very little room at the bottom of the crag and with 3 little ones running around someone is gonna take a digger over the edge and go tumbling down the very steep hill behind them.

I don't think its a question of leaving all kids at home, its about knowing when it is appropriate to bring them with you. To me this is a case where it was clearly inappropriate as well as unsafe. And to be honest I see more parents who don't know how to deal with their kids when they take them climbing then those who do. (Which is exactly how I feel about crag dogs since people feel the need to draw similarities)

And for the love of god if you don't want your children to hear anyone swear then you shouldn't take them to places you know there will be swearing.

Rumney is a zoo. If you want solitude, try some multi-pitch or areas that have longer approaches. Then I can write a rant complaining about you being there and ruining my day of climbing.