bringing kids – Jonathan Stone, a 44-year-old event marketer from New Canaan, Connecticut, says watching England at World Cup matches with his daughter Parker and son Jameson at a family-friendly pub has become easier in the U.S.—and more socially acceptable.
When Jonathan Stone walked into a family-friendly pub in Norwalk, Connecticut, with two kids in matching England outfits, he wasn’t just chasing the next goal. He was testing a cultural line he’d heard plenty of adults draw.
Stone, 44, of New Canaan, Connecticut—who works in event marketing—said his 6-year-old daughter, Parker, and her 3.5-year-old brother, Jameson, inherited his love of soccer. Like him, they’re rooting for England this summer, and he says they’ve been looking forward to the 2026 World Cup for months.
Stone remembers how his U.K. ties formed long before the kids started asking for kits. He’s American. but he got hooked on European football at college. after two of his closest friends were from the UK. One supported Newcastle United, and that friendship shaped his own English Premier League team. Stone says the kids started wearing the kit as soon as they were born, because people sent them themed onesies.
So when game day arrived. he couldn’t wait to buy Parker and Jameson their England shirts and shorts for this year’s tournament. He says they wore them for the last two England matches. and at the Norwalk pub. they were surrounded by a setup designed to keep younger fans engaged—World Cup soccer players’ coloring sheets. Lego bricks. and a food and drink order built for families.
Stone ordered their favorite Shirley Temples and chicken tenders with fries. and he said the kids became absorbed in the match itself. As the game played out, Stone pointed out players and recognized faces for them. He says Parker and Jameson then joined in some of the chants and songs that soccer supporters use. while keeping it appropriate for their age.
He was also impressed by how much Parker knows about the sport’s rules. Stone said she’s been keen to learn about offside, fouls, tackles, and yellow and red cards.
Still, Stone didn’t pretend the idea of taking children into a bar is universally accepted. He said he had in the back of his mind that some people—especially Americans—disapprove of children being taken to a bar, arguing it doesn’t fit American culture the way it does elsewhere.
He also said he expected someone might judge him and tell him directly that he was doing the wrong thing. “Not that I cared,” he said.
What changed, he argues, is that the U.S. is moving toward the kind of match-day normalcy he associates with Europe. Stone said kids aren’t harmed by being in a pub environment where alcohol is served. pointing out that movie theaters now commonly have full bars. He says those comparisons help people see it differently: the presence of adult beverages doesn’t automatically create harm for children.
In his view. the shift is coming through everyday habits—more families showing up. more supporters making room. and the World Cup offering a shared focus. Stone said the experience has bonded him with his kids. and that they get excited when they see him and other supporters in the bar react after goals. For them, it isn’t just watching a game; it’s being part of the same noise.
Stone said he and the children are hoping England goes through to the next round so they can repeat the fun.
World Cup 2026 family-friendly pubs England national team Jonathan Stone New Canaan Norwalk Connecticut Parker Jameson soccer fans Shirley Temples youth sports culture