Non-parents in the parents room
Monday August 27th 2007, 11:42 am
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Mandy StuffDoes anyone else get cross with people using the parents room when they don’t have children?
I was at the MCG yesterday and had to tell a few people to buggar off. My 17 month old seems keen not to wear nappies (he throws an absolute nana when you put one on him) so even though he wore a nappy, I am keen to encourage him, so I was taking him to the parents room to use the toilet at regular intervals.
I had to tell a couple of young lads, early twenties that it was a baby’s room. Then another man I asked if he was hoping to perve on breastfeeding mothers or naked children - got him out of there quickly. But then a member of staff came in. Not only did he use the toilet but he used the microwave to heat his dinner!!! So here’s the email I wrote this morning!
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Hello
I came to the MCG yesterday for the Richmond v Essendon game and would like to give you some feedback.
I was in the baby change room closest to M45 in the members (the one right near the exit gate). A member of staff came in, heated up his fried rice in the microwave, used the toilets and then left. This made me very uncomfortable even though I wasn’t breastfeeding but I had my half naked children running around. However I would strongly suggest that you provide alternate rooms for you staff. I’m not uncomfortable with middle aged men coming into parent rooms with their own children because it is obvious why they are there. However when they come in to the parents rooms with no children of their own, to use the toilets, it makes me vary wary as to what their real motive is. My children are toilet training and I like to give them a couple of minutes of nappy free time however I would not have done this if I’d known men would be walking in and using them.
On another note. Whilst my husband was in the queue he had a lovely elderly gentleman approach him and introduce himself as an event staff member who was not on duty that day. He pointed out where the baby change rooms are and what facilities they had. It was fantastic customer service from somebody who wasn’t even working that day! He obviously gets so much pleasure out of helping visitors to the MCG.
Also the gate staff were fantastic at helping me get the pram through (or rather around) the gates as we were amongst the first throngs of people to enter the members so it was a particularly crowded time of the day.
Regards
Amanda McCracken
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Yes this gives me the poops. I told a lady off one day in the parents room. Jayden 3yrs was busting to do a wee, and here she is childless and waiting to use the parents room toilets!!! They are much nicer than the usual ladies, but at least let the little guy go first - it was very obvious he was busting.
Great email - be interesting to see if you get a response.
Take care, Zoe
You go girl! I would be ropeable if I saw non-parents in there.
Another one that I hate is non-parents using the parents parking - I’ve done my narna about that once or twice!
Here’s the reply which arrived about 3pm. I expected a quick response to be honest. The MCG is HUGE on customer service and make their staff do a refresher course every year.
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Dear Mandy
Thank you for your feedback.
MCG staff are not permitted to use the baby change room facilities on match days so we apologise for the disruption and the discomfort you felt.
We are in the process of upgrading the space and would appreciate any suggestions that you might have.
Thanks again for your feedback and we hope your next visit to the MCG is more enjoyable.
Kind Regards
Josie Kaddour
Communications Coordinator
Melbourne Cricket Club
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So there you go! If it happens again I’ll grab the staff member’s number and report him.
Here! Here! I was in a very nice, well-designed parent room today and was thrilled to find gorgeous pictures placed on the ceiling above the change mats to entertain/distract our lovely bubs as they are changed. This gave us lots of things to talk about during the process which can be a bit harrowing at the moment. Contrast this with the sight of a middle-aged woman, sitting on the seat, watching the tv (which is set to “parent-friendly educational promos” tucking into a coffee walnut cake from the supermarket!! The whole cake. I didn’t say anything but, excuse the pun, that really did take the cake!!!
Hahahaha - Yes, sounds like she was having her cake and eating it too! Oh dear, I’ll stop with the funny stuff now.
Oh, I should confess while I’m at it. I have walked into the parents room at my local shopping centre a coule of times when I don’t have the children!
I’m so used to going in there that I walk in, look around, wonder what I’m doing, then walk out.
So if you ever see someone who looks a bit like the photo above only tireder and more frazzled in your local changerooms with no children - have a bit of sympathy for her - she doesn’t know why she’s in there either.
I know the feeling! Good on you for letting them know. At least now they can do something about it.