Some people are wondering why they decided to bring the child
IT’S the summer holidays – theme parks are heaving, queues are long, and parents across the country are doing their best to keep the kids entertained.
However, a contentious discussion about how far some parents will go to have fun has been triggered by one startling video.
After showing what looks to be a sleeping toddler left alone in a pram while their parents allegedly boarded a ride, a TikTok video shot at Chessington World of Adventures went viral.
Four days ago, user @coachrobcradds posted the video, which shows a little child sleeping in a pram next to a ride entrance without an adult in sight.
Since it was posted, it’s racked up a staggering 769,600 views and 521 comments, with many users slamming the behaviour that is being blasted as just “wrong.”
Sharing their shock, the video was captioned with: “cannot believe someone done this!”
According to the video’s creator, the parents had gone on the ride themselves, leaving the buggy – and the baby – behind.
Although some users tried to defend the decision, saying that they’re sure it was “fine”, the majority were appalled.
One wrote: “Will never understand why they take the child who’s too young for the rides (or kids under a certain age) if they don’t have enough adults to stay with the younger ones and leave their kids in crowded environments just so they can selfishly go on the rides.”
A second added: “Not only would the baby be incredibly scared waking up to not see its parents, not being funny but someone could literally push that stroller away with the baby in it and I don’t even wanna think of what could happen after that.
“These parents shouldn’t have a baby if they can’t look after one end of the [day].”
While a third said: “I bring my baby to the bathroom in my house cause I panic she’s gonna wake up and panic. Seeing this just made me so sad.”
However, some also pointed the finger at onlookers and wrote: “To be fair everyone walking past the child is also at fault here.
“If everyone could see the child had been left alone…why did no one actually step in and help by alerting a staff member.”
The park’s official guidelines clearly state that children must be supervised at all times.
Brit parents bugbear
A recent survey identifies the main annoyances that may make a day trip dream into a nightmare as families throughout the UK start their summer vacations.
The most common complaints, according to a survey of 1,000 parents of school-age children, are gritty, sandy sandwiches, dive-bombing seagulls, and relentless, buzzing wasps who are determined to attend every picnic.
Other common annoyances cited by parents range from being stuck in sweltering traffic to lugging around heavy cool-boxes and enduring seemingly endless queues.
These perennial problems are making a significant number of parents rethink their holiday plans, with 32 per cent admitting they’d prefer to spend more time relaxing at home during the school break.
Despite nearly half of parents (47 per cent) feeling the pressure from social media to orchestrate jam-packed, adventurous excursions, a substantial 79 per cent recognise the immense value of staying home.
They see it as a prime opportunity to truly reconnect with their children after the whirlwind of the school year.
The study further reveals a significant shift in parental preference, with 45 per cent of those surveyed claiming some of their most cherished days are spent with their children right in the comfort of their own home.
This home-centric approach offers a noticeable reduction in stress for 33 per cent of parents, contributing to more relaxed days.
Additionally, 14 per cent appreciate the opportunity to host playdates for their children’s friends, fostering social connections in a familiar environment.
And, perhaps most appealing for many, 24 per cent value the simple pleasure of being able to put their feet up on the sofa and unwind for a while.
