UKC

Cost of Supervising kids at walls

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 minimike 25 Aug 2020

Do people think it’s reasonable to be charged £5 to supervise a 6yo child on a bouldering wall, on top of the £6.50 for the child and the £3 shoe hire? I don’t get to climb, we are there less than an hour and don’t use space on the adult wall.. it’s £14.50! For me to climb for up to 2hrs in the whole centre is only £8..

16
 Neil Williams 25 Aug 2020
In reply to minimike:

At the moment during COVID it's probably reasonable, because they will have fixed capacity and your being there will prevent someone else being there and paying to climb.

Generally...much more debatable - do you genuinely not even have one climb?

1
 alx 25 Aug 2020
In reply to minimike:

You need to work on your child’s endurance. Have you tried split sets on the beastmaker?

 petegunn 25 Aug 2020
In reply to minimike:

At the moment with the limited numbers, probably Yes. I would normally say No though as most parents end up buying a coffee or snacks or both for yourself and child.

In reply to minimike:

Yes, it occupies a member of staffs time. 

Imagine your upset and horrified post if your child had hurt themselves whilst the wall left them unsupervised. 

19
In reply to Neil Williams:

Sounds like a bargain to me, little johnny might be the next Adam Ondra. 

 marsbar 25 Aug 2020
In reply to Presley Whippet:

They aren't paying a member of staff to supervise the child.  They are paying admission to supervise their own child.  

1
 Ally Smith 25 Aug 2020
In reply to minimike:

Waves

We'll have this dilemma in a few years time too :-D

3
 marsbar 25 Aug 2020
In reply to minimike:

I don't think it generally is.  However I imagine the blame lies with people who took the piss and climbed for free when supposed to be supervising a child. 

As above in these Covid times it's normal.  My swimming pool is charging spectators at full swimming rate.  

Another option is if you have a few climbing adults to take turns climbing and child supervising.  This usually keeps the child occupied for longer.  

OP minimike 25 Aug 2020
In reply to Ally Smith:

CONGRATS!

OP minimike 25 Aug 2020
In reply to Neil Williams:

Fair point about covid, but middle of a Tuesday.. nowhere near capacity..

genuinely, I don’t climb. The fee is Explicitly for a NON CLIMBING supervisor..

OP minimike 25 Aug 2020
In reply to alx:

Nice. Have a like ;D

 Max factor 25 Aug 2020
In reply to minimike:

> Do people think it’s reasonable to be charged £5 to supervise a 6yo child on a bouldering wall, on top of the £6.50 for the child and the £3 shoe hire? 

Not really. If you aren't climbing you shouldn't pay.

8
In reply to marsbar:

> They aren't paying a member of staff to supervise the child.  They are paying admission to supervise their own child.  

Ah right, my mistake. 

I still think payment is justified. Walls are limiting admission on users per sq m. 

You are also suffering for the deeds of those parents who "supervised" for free whilst wearing their rock shoes, chalk bag and harness. I doubt walls can afford to turn a blind eye to this anymore. 

 Si dH 25 Aug 2020
In reply to minimike:

I think it sounds a rip off to be honest. The local wall here doesn't charge parents who come in just to supervise. At the moment they are asking that no more than one supervisor attends due to the limits on numbers, I think. 

I don't think the wall I used to go to in Derby charged (in normal times) either.

Edit: £6.50 does seem a cheap base rate though. 

Post edited at 21:30
1
 gravy 25 Aug 2020
In reply to minimike:

Yep it's a rip off

Which wall?

2
 WaterMonkey 25 Aug 2020
In reply to minimike:

Just pay to climb then take it in turns with your child. Better value for money and your kid gets a rest between climbs. 

Post edited at 23:08
 SteveSBlake 26 Aug 2020
In reply to minimike:

In my experience many parents seem to be able to supervise their child via their phone. Given that’s what has their attention most of the time.... There must be an app. 

 mutt 26 Aug 2020
In reply to minimike:

I don't get it. Why aren't you climbing? I find my son learns as much from watching me and others climb as he does from climbing routes himself.  if you think you don't have time to walk between the adult and child wall you are wrong. Bouldering needs to be taken slowly. The time spent on the ground can be spent giving valuable coaching, for instance, asking you 6yo what his plans are for climbing the next route.

The simple answer to the shoe hire problem is to acquire a pair for your 6yo. Children are growing all the time so the supply of good quality used shoes is great or otherwise drop into decathlon for a pair of these https://www.decathlon.co.uk/rock-junior-childrens-climbing-shoes-id_8240895...

That said, I have also noticed that many parents confuse climbing gyms as soft play. Releasing their children onto the wall and retreating to the café for a gossip. If charging entry to non climbers stops that sort of behaviour then I am all for it. Bouldering walls are dangerous places for unsupervised children and all those who have to endure them.

If you can't climb due to some infirmity or other physical limitation then I'm sure you can negotiate reduced or free entry at the wall.

4
OP minimike 26 Aug 2020
In reply to mutt:

I’m not climbing because my child needs close supervision. The reasons for that are not important but they exist. I would expect many young children need someone watching them most of the time. If you are bouldering you can’t be watching a small child and I think that’s dangerously irresponsible in a climbing wall. 
 

anyway, I both choose not to climb for my own reasons and am REQUIRED not to as the wall states I have only paid to come in as a non climbing supervisor. (If I want to climb it’s the full £8). I am penalised for doing the right/responsible think and I think it’s unfair.

3
 mutt 26 Aug 2020
In reply to minimike:

> anyway, I both choose not to climb for my own reasons <

well I guess that explains it then. you are choosing to accompany your child without climbing and it costs £14.50. You make not like it but that's what it costs and apparently you are not put off. ...

7
OP minimike 26 Aug 2020
In reply to mutt:

Actually I am put off. Once bitten..

anyway, you seem like the kind of person who already knows what I think so I’ll let you get on.

4
Nempnett Thrubwell 26 Aug 2020
In reply to minimike:

Are you obliged to supervise the 6yo?

Or would the wall be quite happy for them (or children of other ages) to be unsupervised?

I'm not advocating the latter - just wondering as the former would suggest that yes they are charging 11.50 for a child to climb.

However if this is a covid spacing related thing - then it's hard to argue.

​​​​

 marsbar 26 Aug 2020
In reply to Nempnett Thrubwell:

As an adult I don't want to climb or boulder anywhere with unsupervised 6 year olds.  

 Max factor 26 Aug 2020
In reply to marsbar:

> As an adult I don't want to climb or boulder anywhere with unsupervised 6 year olds.  

I know.  It's embarrassing getting burned off.

 alx 26 Aug 2020
In reply to Max factor:

> I know.  It's embarrassing getting burned off.

It’s more the case that people should pay to parade their sex trophies at the gym.

1
 marsbar 26 Aug 2020
In reply to Max factor:

Little kids have amazing strength to weight ratio.  That's my excuse.  

 Donotello 26 Aug 2020
In reply to minimike:

Another example of how climbing is for the white middle class and not accessible to anyone who doesn’t live further than 100m from either a Thatched cottage, a micro brewery, or a man named Tarquin. 

It’s never going to change, no kids from the ends are going to be able to get good at climbing at £10-15 a pop.
 

7
Andy Gamisou 27 Aug 2020
In reply to Donotello:

> It’s never going to change, no kids from the ends are going to be able to get good at climbing at £10-15 a pop.

I seem to recall Joe Brown and Don Whillans making a similar point.  Or something 

3
 nufkin 27 Aug 2020
In reply to alx:

>  sex trophies

Gracious, that's henceforth going to make me mentally re-word 'Kid's Eat Free!' (or similar) to 'Swarm Us With Your Germ-Infested Sex Trophies'


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