I got a lot of chuckles at all the Americans in this thread apologizing to (American) DragonAsh on behalf of Americans.
I used to do exactly the same thing with my dad at an American-themed pub called Joe’s in Twickenham. Strangely, we were never accosted by any overwrought Americans.
You are doing the right thing.
I love the “tax deduction” line, and have used it myself when talking to to friends.
The lady is a nut. In the US we have our bar & grills, sports bars, etc. where kids are welcome. My now adult son mentioned to me that he remembers going with me to the local brewpub where he got to hang with dad, cheer on a team, drink a Coke, eat bad food, etc. We don’t treat alcohol as this horrible thing in our family, which helps.
When we were in Scotland years ago, my son would ask at the pubs if they had a “child’s license” - we were told that determined if your kid could come in and join you for a pub lunch.
I’m pretty sure the indignant “I SAID GOOD DAY!” predates That 70s Show. I associate it with Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (although the inflection is a little different).
Generally it’s a mistake to conflate “European drinking habits” with specifically British habits.
France, for example, has a very different drinking culture to the UK. They see less binge drinking, and there is no legal minimum drinking age (although it is now illegal to sell alcohol to someone under 18 - it used to be 16). However, liver disease rates are probably higher.
Conversation a long, long time ago during tax time:
Friend to Dad: You have three deductions, right?
Dad: yes.
5yo to Dad: what is a deduction?
Dad: [explanation of taxes and that each minor child was a “deduction”, each of us meant he paid less taxes than someone without children]
5yo: COOL!
He’s now an accountant like daddy, I guess we could count that as being traumatized; a variant of Stockholm Syndrome.