'The perks of being a grandparent – watching Paddington in Peru without weird looks'

Tough governmental hack Kevin Maguire steps distant from the time occupation astatine Parliament and reveals different broadside to him arsenic Granda Kev. This week, Kev shares the added joyousness of being a Granda... going to the cinema to spot a PG without getting hostile looks from parents

Smiling single-male-adult-stranger-of-a-certain-age sits unsocial among different people’s children successful a darkened cinema to ticker a heartwarming movie starring a talking bear. Disaster.

Beaming Granda takes grandkids to the pictures to bask the aforesaid movie connected the large surface with each the different excited small ’uns. Triumph.

An upside of my girl having 2 (for now, it’ll beryllium 3 successful February) children is obtaining a passport to Paddington successful Peru.

I emotion this movie series, based connected Michael Bond’s uplifting tales of an amerciable entrant into the UK, uncovering asylum, and overcoming a hostile environment. But I waited until the archetypal 2 films came connected TV. You don’t request overmuch consciousness to admit wherefore a bloke going kidless to the Odeon, adjacent with the softening interaction of a pistillate successful tow, triggers hostile looks arsenic suspicious mams and dads swap seats to container them successful earlier the lights spell down.

The PG standing would beryllium Parental Glaring, and just enough. I’d astir apt beryllium the aforesaid successful their shoes. Back successful the day, with my ain brood, we moved aft a lone antheral picked to beryllium down america successful a near-empty auditorium. Mind, the sticks were upped due to the fact that the fella stank of overpowering stale sweat.

In the parkland with Little L and Canny C, I find myself scanning who other is determination with kids and the radar would instantly observe a geezer pushing an unoccupied plaything oregon going down the descent holding an invisible child.

With Wes Streeting rather rightly banning smoking and vaping successful and astir play areas, possibly the Health Secretary could besides present a clause barring adults entering unless accompanied by a minor.

Lots of places fto successful kids lone with a grown-up truthful wherefore not the reverse? And cinemas are missing a trick. Over-18 showings of Paddington would beryllium Peruvian gold. Just deliberation of the intoxicant sales.

But smug maine can, with the grandkids, present safely articulation Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas, Ben Whishaw and Hugh Bonneville, without causing distress.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan supplies "Baby connected board!’" badges for large women to pin connected coats successful the anticipation seats volition beryllium fixed up connected crowded buses, tubes and trains.

I’m warming to the thought of a “Granda connected duty!” mentation to execute nationalist recognition.