Aludlam Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 We're planning on attending our very first convention next month in Memphis. I'm curious as to what everyone does with their kids during the convention. We are local, so the kids will be with us most of the time, or else one of will stay home with them. Dh has taken half a week off work to be able to attend/baby sit. I've read before that people do take their kids, so what do you do with them during lectures? Do they sit quietly (:lol:) and listen? My littles could sit for an hour, but all day??? What about seating room? Any help in figuring this out would be most welcome. I am so VERY excited about this. I can't wait until they finally post the schedule! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 My mom or husband usually attends with me and watches the kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoyfulMama Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 My dh is quite happy to stay home with the children while I go. He can't hear well in crowds, and so it's not an easy atmosphere for him. I don't mind, as then I don't have to worry about anyone but myself, and the 50 million homeschooling-related thoughts in my head. :D I have a few friends who take them, and most trade off, so one can hear lectures while the other takes the kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kipling Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 The conference we attend is near my parents' house. We always stay at their house and they watch the kids during the day while Dh and I go to the conference. Dh likes to attend just as much as I do, and we really enjoy our "date." I don't know about other conferences, but ours offers kids' programs. You can sign your kids up and they are taken care of all day and have a variety of activities to do. It's really expensive, especially if you have more than one child, but it may be something worth looking into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeaganS Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I'm going to the Memphis one too, and as my husband will be in class, I was planning on taking my two daughters. However, my wonderful mother-in-law has volunteered to come stay at our house and watch them so I can go and enjoy myself (we live 3 hours away from both Memphis and my MIL). So now I'm going baby-free. I'm a little nervous about leaving them for a few days. I've never been without my girls overnight and feel weird about it, but I'm looking forward to the time by myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weaver_67579 Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 and stays home with the kids (it is Friday and Saturday -CHAP in Harrisburg PA). I think he would rather have his eyes poked out than go-that is fine with me. Some friends and I meet up there and shop/talk/shop/go to seminars rinse and repeat for 2 days. Usually I take dd 12 the first day to give input on curriculum and when I am at seminars/lunch she hangs with the older dd's of the friends I meet there from our area. The second day is mine all mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Leave them home with dad! Some people do take their kids, and the ones I saw were fairly well behaved, but it's a long and boring day for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I'm wondering about that as well. I live in the Memphis area, so it seems a shame not to go, but I don't think DD6 would agree-and DH can't easily take time off work during the week. I'm also torn on DD's activities-she loves her dance classes enough that I hate to tell her she has to miss them so mommy can sit in a lecture by the person who wrote her Latin book! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Until my youngest was about 6 yo, dh would stay home and I would go to conventions with friends. Once ds was old enough, we started going to some as a family. Ds would go with dh and sit quietly next to him, sometimes listening (he loved a few of the talks!) and sometimes reading or drawing on a clipboard. My girls used to walk around with me, but for the Cinci convention, they go to the teen track. Sometimes there was room for them, somtimes they sat on the floor in the outside aisle, because adults needed to sit down. I can't imagine taking a 3 yo! It's just too long and boring for them, and you need to be able to concentrate. There were people with young children at Cinci in the last few years, and it is no favor to the kiddos, the parents, or the other attendees. (Of course, there were teens blocking the aisles and sprawled across all the seats in the halls so that adults couldn't sit down, so maybe it's not age, but training. :glare:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I would plan on trading off. If there's one day you both want to be there, try to get a sitter or switch off by having one parent attend a lecture or two while the other looks at vendors or just takes a break, then switch. Honestly, though, it's probably going to be fairly difficult with the two younger ones in particular. If you can avoid having them there for the most part, I would. The vendor hall is crowded and noisy and full of things they shouldn't touch. The lecture halls are boring and confining and they have to sit still and keep quiet. I've been to many lectures where kids are present, and most of them are good under the circumstances, and quiet for young children, but none of them have been so good and so quiet that they didn't somewhat detract from the experience, y'know? If there's Q&A or discussion, it's even harder, b/c the kids don't quite understand the difference between 'pertinent discussion' and 'random comments about their toys,' :D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsbaby Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I took my kids the first time I went to one. Big mistake. They enjoyed the children's classes, but were bored the rest of the time. I can't blame them. I would have cried if my mom made me stand around for hours while she looked through books! I didn't make it to any of the seminars that year. I knew I wouldn't be able to concentrate while dealing with three bored kids! So, now they stay with dad or another relative. They're happier and i'm happier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutor Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I have gone to a few conventions in the past with a girlfriend, but this year will be my first taking my dh and kids with me. Our plan is to bring a bag with toys, games, coloring materials, etc (like we'd take on a car trip) for them to do while we attend lectures. There are also usually play places for kids to go and we'll make sure to hit these so they can get their energy out! We're also planning on bringing a picnic lunch, so they can play while we eat. My kids are a little older than yours, so we will probably let the older ones wander around by themselves for a bit while dh and I watch the younger ones then ask the older ones to watch the youngers while we do some things alone. We will be at the Memphis convention also. Maybe we can let the kids get their energies out together somewhere! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LidiyaDawn Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Our convention (CHEC) doesn't allow for any children except for nursing infants or teens WITH mom or dad. It's strange to think of a *homeschool* conference thing having a policy against children...you'd think that of ALL PLACES, that would be somewhere that would be welcoming of families. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I went to my first one solo. This year, I obviously have to take my nursling, and I'm bringing my 12yo (asked him first!). My 7 and 8yos are MAD because they're not invited, but I know they'd get bored and tired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 It's strange to think of a *homeschool* conference thing having a policy against children...you'd think that of ALL PLACES, that would be somewhere that would be welcoming of families. Historically, most conferences didn't permit children. Now some are allowing them in and some are providing children's conferences. Unless there is some special programming provided, it really isn't a place for young children (nursing babies excluded, of course.) Everyone thinks their child is well behaved and not a distraction, of course. :D But many are. And I feel sorry for the young dc being dragged (sometimes literally) about the halls. Also, I think dealing with misbehaving children (and expecially their parents) is above the pay-grade of most homeschool organization volunteers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 It's strange to think of a *homeschool* conference thing having a policy against children...you'd think that of ALL PLACES, that would be somewhere that would be welcoming of families. Not really, though. The convention is for their benefit, but it's not designed for them to ATTEND. The fact is that it is just a very difficult place for young children to be, and noisy/wiggly children in the seminars puts the speakers and other attendees in a very uncomfortable position. Should someone with noisy or distracting chidren be asked to leave? By whom? Lots of the speakers don't have anyone in the room to help them, and it's hardly fair to ask them to be the bad guys. How noisy is TOO noisy? I am driven to distraction by kids who hum, sing, or whisper under their breath, but some moms seem to have a pretty high tolerance for it. It's not always possible to move to a different seat. Bottom line, I really think that sitting quietly lectures that last an hour or more is beyond many young children, particularly pre-schoolers. It's even harder than church, where you usually at least get to vary things by sometimes standing, kneeling, or singing! And it's not one lecture in isolation, but a mix of lectures and crowded shopping that goes on all day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Usually, the dc stayed home with Mr. Ellie. They never went with my until they were much older, and then they hung out with the other speakers' dc. I would not have taken them with me, such that they'd have had to sit quietly with me in workshops or be dragged around the exhibit hall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy in Indy Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 I have always escaped to convention with my bf. This year my oldest is going with us...she's 23 so we're really just taking another adult. I know some people must bring their younger dc but I would find it really distracting. I'm there to listen and learn and to browse the exhibit hall at my leisure. I just couldn't do that with young kids along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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