Leave the Kids at Home!

If you've got kids, congratulations. That's wonderful. But do us all a favor, especially your kids and leave them at home on dart night.

Nothing makes me sadder then to go to darts at my favorite little dart pub on league night then to find someone has brought their kids. A bar is no place for a young unattended child. Most of the time the child is bored to death with nothing to do for hours on end. Even if your dart pals are models of good character, not everyone in a bar acts with such decorum. There is loud music with questionable lyrics, smoking, drinking (of course), swearing, the occasional fight and the occasional drunk who is out of hand. Don't forget either the amorous few who find alcohol to be an aphrodisiac and are physically all over each other. Albert Schweitzer said "Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing". So what are you teaching your kids when you bring them to a bar? To drink? To smoke? To sit at the bar and play video poker?

Parenting is one of the toughest jobs there is. And everyone deserves a night out, especially parents. The point is your child doesn't deserve a night out at a bar. So do all of us a favor, especially your child. If your babysitter can't make it on dart night, stay home and bond with your kids.

As always, good luck and I'll see you at the line.