Babies at conventions? Help!!!

[OnTheBrink]

I'm late to this conversation, but I'm all for a bouncer of some type. I'm sick to death of paying good money to attend a lecture, or production, or whatever, and have to sit through discourteous people who think their loud child is just too cute to be a disruption.

 

I get that people have tiny babies they need to keep with them. I understand that it's often not feasible to leave a nursing infant with someone for a day or weekend. I even get that many wouldn't want to if they had someone to leave the child with. However, they need to get that their baby's noises are a distraction. Sitting in a lecture and allowing a child to cry, whine, or talk loudly is just rude. It's selfish. It's saying, "I know my baby's noisy and I don't really care that you're being distracted by it." I don't buy for one second that people don't know their child is noisy. I'd think the glances and glares from those who are disturbed by it would clue them in. And no, standing in the back and bouncing the noisy baby so that his wails are now in syncopation to the bouncing doesn't help. They need to take the child out. If being at a conference is going to stress the baby due to an upset in his schedule, bring another adult (dad? Grandma? teenager) along. If that's not possible, just take the child out for a minute. Yeah, it's a drag to really want to hear someone speak and have to miss it because junior is fussy. But it's a drag to everyone one else who wants to hear the speaker and has to also hear your baby cry.

 

I like the idea of giving a download of the lecture to a mom who has to leave. The bouncer could have vouchers to give those moms, so they can get a recording of that particular lecture free later. That could be an idea for the most popular workshops, with a limit of, say 2 lectures, so there's no taking advantage of free recordings and thereby not buying the cd.

 

I guess I'm getting old and cantankerous, but I resent having to spend money on an event and having to deal with other participants who are rude in this way. I think it should be a given that if a baby is distracting, he's taken out of the room. I always took my kids out if they were noisy. I'd be mortified if my child's noise kept someone else from participating or enjoying an event they paid for.

[TravelingChris]

Vonfirmath posted It's not a problem at the church we are at now, but at our previous church, folks got REALLY offended when asked to take their kids out. "We come to church as a family and kids make noise, are you serious?" kind of attitude. So maybe they ARE using their church-going manners.

 

The pastor of course worked into this by encouraging folks NOT to take noisy babies out "I can talk louder than he can cry" etc

 

I have to comment that such a church would not be our church for long. Yes, occasionally we have had rude parents. BUt to have a pastor that encourages rudeness would just be over the top. Yes, maybe he can talk loud but since hearing loss often doesn't simply mean that one can make things louder, talking louder over noises would still be very hard for those with small to larger hearing deficiencies.

[mymonkeybug]

IMO...why in the 'h e double toothpicks' come to a convention with a baby in the first place? I know the homeschool movement is all about family and family is welcome and all but come one.

 

How is mom/dad supposed to truly shop and make wise purchases with babies in tow? I know if I had a baby(that didn't need me for nursing)I would leave him/her home with daddy or a grandparent so I could fully embrace all the wonderful workshops and vendors at the event. Heck, I leave my older kids home so I don't have to watch them constantly or worry they are touching things.

 

I for one happen to say things to those with whaling banshee babies. But what gets me even worse than the crying babies are the ripe horrid smelling ones that everyone in the building notices but mom/dad. Change your kid for crying out loud.

 

OK, off the soapbox!!!!

:rant:

Edited March 8, 2011 by mymonkeybug

[vonfirmath]

I for one happen to say things to those with whaling banshee babies. But what gets me even worse than the crying babies are the ripe horrid smelling ones that everyone in the building notices but mom/dad. Change your kid for crying out loud.

 

I tend to give more grace for smells.

 

I had the baby who would have the "stinkies" for HOURS before an actual poo diaper actually showed up. I'd keep checking the diaper and, nope. Nothing there. But wooo-weee. He sure smelled like it.

[melissel]

I tend to give more grace for smells.

 

I had the baby who would have the "stinkies" for HOURS before an actual poo diaper actually showed up. I'd keep checking the diaper and, nope. Nothing there. But wooo-weee. He sure smelled like it.

 

:lol: My cousin had one of those too. My aunt would check and check and check and nothing. Then my cousin would leave the house, and whammo! My poor aunt would get stuck changing the diaper. It happened so many times when they were visiting!

[mom2hunangirls]

I was in Memphis as well. SWB clearly asked noisy babies/children to leave at the beginning of her lectures. Apparently no one with babies/children who have noise making skill thought she meant them. I'm sorry, but if I can leave my 2 children home with dad for 4 days so I can hear speakers I'm looking forward to, so can they. Period. The conference clearly stated to take kids only if they'd be quiet. I'm glad some moms think the 3 little outbursts, as sweet as they sound when happy, are annoying. Because it's not just one baby. Leave them home. It's possible. I did it.

No, they don't deserve a copy of a cd because they had to leave. If your child can't be left at home or out in the main hall just consider it a sacrifice you must endure in this phase of life. You can't have your baby and SWB-live. :)

I'm not anti-baby. But I'm just coming out of the baby phase and I wanted to hear SWB speak. And I was frustrated.

No one NEEDS to be at the conference.

I hope babies are not allowed in the speaker rooms next year.

[Harriet Vane]

IMO...why in the 'h e double toothpicks' come to a convention with a baby in the first place?

 

Because some of us have children who cannot or will not take a bottle, and the only way to get to a convention is to bring the nursing infant along.

 

Frankly, the conventions are sooooooo helpful in terms of looking at materials and gaining valuable instruction, that I consider it well worth the effort of doing so with a small child in tow.

 

The one thing I DO NOT LIKE in the way this thread has evolved is the ranting against the very presence of children, which is a far cry from what SWB posted about. The issue is not the presence of children--the issue is parents who do not remove their children from a seminar when their children are loud or misbehaving. Reading this thread, one would get the impression that parents all over have chucked any semblance of manners entirely. However, I have been to conventions every year for the last eight years, often going to two conventions per year (one secular, one religious), and I have found that the vast majority of parents who bring their little ones along have been very careful not to inconvenience others.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Because some of us have children who cannot or will not take a bottle, and the only way to get to a convention is to bring the nursing infant along.

 

Exactly. My children nursed well into their second (and maybe their third) year of life, so that would have meant a decade without the benefit of a conference.

 

Frankly, the conventions are sooooooo helpful in terms of looking at materials and gaining valuable instruction, that I consider it well worth the effort of doing so with a small child in tow.

 

The one thing I DO NOT LIKE in the way this thread has evolved is the ranting against the very presence of children, which is a far cry from what SWB posted about. The issue is not the presence of children--the issue is parents who do not remove their children from a seminar when their children are loud or misbehaving. Reading this thread, one would get the impression that parents all over have chucked any semblance of manners entirely. However, I have been to conventions every year for the last eight years, often going to two conventions per year (one secular, one religious), and I have found that the vast majority of parents who bring their little ones along have been very careful not to inconvenience others.

 

:iagree::iagree:Amen to that! The conference that I go to is a family event, not just a mom event. Some parents go just for themselves and that is great, but many treat it as a family treat. My kids look forward to it. I have been presenting there for several years and I have never had a problem with a noisy child. For the most part, parents have been very considerate when their children needed their attention.

[gardening momma]

I don't know how many lectures are going on at once,

About 15-20 for each time slot.

[OnTheBrink]

Because some of us have children who cannot or will not take a bottle, and the only way to get to a convention is to bring the nursing infant along.

 

Frankly, the conventions are sooooooo helpful in terms of looking at materials and gaining valuable instruction, that I consider it well worth the effort of doing so with a small child in tow.

 

The one thing I DO NOT LIKE in the way this thread has evolved is the ranting against the very presence of children, which is a far cry from what SWB posted about. The issue is not the presence of children--the issue is parents who do not remove their children from a seminar when their children are loud or misbehaving. Reading this thread, one would get the impression that parents all over have chucked any semblance of manners entirely. However, I have been to conventions every year for the last eight years, often going to two conventions per year (one secular, one religious), and I have found that the vast majority of parents who bring their little ones along have been very careful not to inconvenience others.

 

I have no issue with kids being there at all. I'd never expect a nursing mother to leave their baby at home. I do expect them to take them out if they're crying.

 

Last year I went to a conference where one of the keynotes was someone I'd been DYING to hear. Every. Single. Workshop. had at least 2 if not 5 (yes, 5. I counted) crying babies. At the one with 5, I literally could not hear the speaker and he had a microphone! There were signs outside the doors, asking for cell phones to be silenced and noisy children to be taken out. Apparently, these parents felt the requests didn't pertain to them, because not one parent took their crying child out. I was livid. That is what I have a problem with.

[Spy Car]

Why does everyone think it is Attachment Parenting parents who let their babies cry? Every AP parent I know is very attuned to everything their baby is doing and experiences distress at the sound of crying babies and, thus will bend over backwards to comfort their baby. Now, they may be ignoring the happy baby noises, which, while sweet, are still distracting.

 

My fault. It was intended as a "joke." I was as much of an "attachment parent" as a man can be. No offense intended. Some people just like to keep their babies with them. I did. My wife did. And babies sometimes cry.

 

Bill

[Harriet Vane]

I have no issue with kids being there at all. I'd never expect a nursing mother to leave their baby at home. I do expect them to take them out if they're crying.

 

Last year I went to a conference where one of the keynotes was someone I'd been DYING to hear. Every. Single. Workshop. had at least 2 if not 5 (yes, 5. I counted) crying babies. At the one with 5, I literally could not hear the speaker and he had a microphone! There were signs outside the doors, asking for cell phones to be silenced and noisy children to be taken out. Apparently, these parents felt the requests didn't pertain to them, because not one parent took their crying child out. I was livid. That is what I have a problem with.

 

I agree--I also expect babies to be taken from the room if they are crying or loud.

 

Your conference experience sounds awful! It's a reflection both on the parents who did not obey the rules, AND on the conference organizers who did not provide oversight of that aspect of the family conference.

 

My post was in response to someone who was outraged that anyone would even bring a baby to a conference.

[Poke Salad Annie]

Here's an example. I'm listening to Andrew Kern's lecture, Teaching Classical Literature Classically, and I can hear a baby in the background. I'm glad I didn't attend this lecture, although it was right up there on my list of lectures to attend. I wouldn't have made it through the whole hour. I would have had to leave----it's just too distracting to me to hear a baby talking over and over, and then try to filter that out and focus on what the speaker is saying.

[OnTheBrink]

I agree--I also expect babies to be taken from the room if they are crying or loud.

 

Your conference experience sounds awful! It's a reflection both on the parents who did not obey the rules, AND on the conference organizers who did not provide oversight of that aspect of the family conference.

 

My post was in response to someone who was outraged that anyone would even bring a baby to a conference.

 

Yeah, well, I won't be attending that conference again, and I told them so.

 

And, I just wanted to make sure I was clear that I'm not against babies at the conference, just loud ones! LOL

[Cindy in the NH Woods]

Hmmm.... I imagine one could get ideas from watching the Willy Wonka movies with an eye to removing errant parents and children. Just kidding.... just kidding....

[dirty ethel rackham]

My fault. It was intended as a "joke." I was as much of an "attachment parent" as a man can be. No offense intended. Some people just like to keep their babies with them. I did. My wife did. And babies sometimes cry.

 

Bill

 

Yeah, I get that, but they are not the ones just ignoring their babies who are crying. They are the ones putting the needs of their babies ahead of their own wants, thus, taking them out, walking them, feeding them, etc. Most AP parents pay attention to their babies earlier attempts at communication before they get to the crying stage and would never think it was OK to make a roomful of people listen to their baby cry because they wouldn't be able to stand it themselves.

 

The ones who ignore their babies' cries are the ones who are used to ignoring them. I was at the library yesterday and there was a small infant who was screaming his full head off in that "oh, so urgent" itty bitty baby cry. The mom ignored that baby for a good 3-4 minutes. Just as I was about to get up and walk across the library to take that baby out of the stroller , she finally noticed him. I am 9 years past the baby phase and I still can't stand to see a baby crying and ignored. My arms just ache to comfort an unhappy baby.

 

Just about every AP parent I know would take the child out when the child first began to fuss, not waiting until the full out crying. However, I do know plenty of AP parents who would expect the world to welcome their child's cute, happy baby sounds. But most would have better manners.

[Spy Car]

Yeah, I get that, but they are not the ones just ignoring their babies who are crying. They are the ones putting the needs of their babies ahead of their own wants, thus, taking them out, walking them, feeding them, etc. Most AP parents pay attention to their babies earlier attempts at communication before they get to the crying stage and would never think it was OK to make a roomful of people listen to their baby cry because they wouldn't be able to stand it themselves.

 

The ones who ignore their babies' cries are the ones who are used to ignoring them. I was at the library yesterday and there was a small infant who was screaming his full head off in that "oh, so urgent" itty bitty baby cry. The mom ignored that baby for a good 3-4 minutes. Just as I was about to get up and walk across the library to take that baby out of the stroller , she finally noticed him. I am 9 years past the baby phase and I still can't stand to see a baby crying and ignored. My arms just ache to comfort an unhappy baby.

 

Just about every AP parent I know would take the child out when the child first began to fuss, not waiting until the full out crying. However, I do know plenty of AP parents who would expect the world to welcome their child's cute, happy baby sounds. But most would have better manners.

 

I agree. I didn't mean to strike a nerve. I think attachment parenting is keen. It is my favorite kind of parenting :001_smile:

 

Bill

[Kate CA]

What Angela said :D

 

I'm not saying I agree or disagree with you Kate, but as Angela pointed out, they started and marketed this one specifically to be family friendly.

 

That's all I was trying to highlight.

 

I'm all for the courtesy of loud, crying children being taken out of seminars, but anytime you're dealing with lots of people, you've got lots of opinions, and lots of personalities!

 

It might be conflicting to promote it as family friendly and then have stipulations on where babies and children are welcome.

 

I understand this was the choice of the convention promoters. I just disagree with it. :) I will be as bold as one might be on a thread like this and just say that I don't think babies belong in convention speaking events. That is what buying the CD is for. I just think it is rude to those who are there to listen and learn--who managed to find babysitters or have husbands who can attend to their children--the majority of people there.

 

I did not attend a single convention when I had babies--my babies were never those that sat quietly on a lap and I knew it would be totally distracting to me and to those around me. I tried once, to go hear SWB speak at a local one-room event held for just her (back when she was new to the speaking circuit and didn't gather such large crowds) and I brought my baby. I stood in the back and walked her and still had to leave the room. It was utterly frustrating to me and would have been highly distracting had I stayed in the room. I didn't get a chance to hear anything. I just don't think it is fair to the many moms that really need that time.

 

This is just my opinion, I am sure others will disagree! :D I don't mean any offense to those with babies. I had five so I do understand.

[CarrieF]

 

So I have three questions.

 

1) You parents who come without babies: what do you wish would happen when a baby keeps crying? If the speaker stopped and threw them out, would your gratitude overwhelm your discomfort?

 

2) You parents WITH babies: how would you hope that this would be handled, if you were the owner of the noisy infant?, and

 

3) Would anyone who's attending Cincy like to volunteer to be a room-sitter and tap parents with noisy babies on the shoulder and ask them to leave? We come to these things with a skeleton crew, so I don't have anyone to do this--but I could probably get you a vendor badge.

 

SWB

Disclaimer: I was one of "those" who did not want children at our wedding because of similar situations, so I may NOT be the most objective person with an opinion here. ;)

I love babies (have 4 of my own), but there is a time and a place for them, EVEN at family-friendly homeschooling conventions!

Having been to most of your Memphis talks, I totally "get" where you are coming from and was pretty amazed at the lack of consideration by said parents with annoyingly loud infants. My friend even moved during one of your talks on Saturday because the infant and toddler behind us were so obnoxiously loud (maybe this is the very situation that was the proverbial straw?! My other friend and I just threw back a few raised eyebrow looks that apparently conveyed the message effectively . . . eventually.) SO, to answer #1: YES! My gratitude would totally supersede any discomfort.

#2 - I would likely never take a young child to a lecture, BUT . . . If I were said parent of distractingly loud child, I would be mortified and leave immediately, so I don't know that I can answer this for those who somehow MISS the very pointed yet gentle request you give at the beginning of EVERY lecture to please be courteous and take noisy babies out. Other than a "common courtesy" inoculation, I'm not sure WHAT would work and still be 'nice'.

#3 - If I could be anywhere near Cinci, I'd totally be that person to tap the parents on the shoulder. It is a necessary not-so-evil that I am really pretty surprised isn't handled by the coordinator. (I promise I could do it respectfully and gently! Ha! Ha!)

We're all homeschoolers, we love children, but we come to hear the SPEAKERS, not crying/fussy children. If I wanted that, I'd just stay home and buy the MP3 downloads.

Sorry for those who are offended, but really, if we want our children to be courteous, we must model it for them. We'd be horrified to have someone rudely interrupt a sermon or movie or concert; this is not much different.

[Nestof3]

I understand that moms with crying babies want to hear the lectures, but I think lectures are not the place for crying babies because it ruins it for everyone else. I've heard you ask people to leave if their babies are crying, but for some reason people think that must only apply to the other people. LOL

 

We recorded our wedding, and through much of it, all I can hear is the whining of a child. I understand people not wanting to miss a wedding, but I think it best if a person hires a sitter to watch the baby -- even at the place of the wedding -- just during the ceremony. Ben was a baby when we went to my brother's wedding -- a noisy, fussy baby. My husband stepped out with him so that others could enjoy the ceremony. I just think it's the right thing to do.

 

If I were you, I would remind people at the beginning and also ask some people to remind those who need reminding (though they shouldn't). I have to say I honestly don't understand why classically educating adults would need to be reminded of such a simple request, but oh well.

[FlockOfSillies]

Maybe it's because AP types are less likely to leave the baby at home in the first place?

[Veritaserum]

I have no issue with kids being there at all. I'd never expect a nursing mother to leave their baby at home.

:iagree: Mine never could figure out a bottle, so if I was going to be gone long enough to miss a feeding, I brought my babies with me. For the last conference I attendeded with a baby in tow (to see SWB!), I brought my second dd to help out. She was (a very responsible) 7, but she could take my crawling baby out into the hall where I could watch them through the door and still hear the lecture.

 

Nursing was always a good way to quiet my babies, too. :tongue_smilie:

[mymonkeybug]

Because some of us have children who cannot or will not take a bottle, and the only way to get to a convention is to bring the nursing infant along.

 

I agree and commented to that affect below the part of my post you are quoting.

 

I also didn't say that kids should not attend, just suggested that it is nice if children aren't a distraction for parents. Myself personally, I prefer to leave my children home with dad so I can shop and learn without distraction.

[Amy loves Bud]

Susan,

 

I was in Memphis, and I think the way you handled it at the start of one of your talks - the "ten second" speech - was good. I also think asking a TWTM boardies to introduce you and be the bad guy who taps shoulders would be great.

 

I might just be willing to do that in Houston this summer if you need someone. (Anything to make you want to come back to Texas!) Email me if you want me.

 

I find noisy babies and children to be quite disturbing after a few minutes. I went to a lot of effort and expense to go to Memphis in order to have a bit of a "retreat" and collect my thoughts on where we are going in our homeschool. Crying babies in the talks did not help to further that effort. Now there were some truly delightful and well-behaved children there and that was great.

 

I do not bring my 3 year old to these events for this very reason. I don't want to disturb the other folks there. When I can't make arrangements for her, I don't go. It's that simple. I buy the CDs or download the MP3s instead.

 

Amy

[myfatherslily]

My 2nd child was a fussy infant:) He also would not take a bottle or pacifier. I wouldn't have even tried to take him to any even like a convention, but we still had lives. I spent several restaurant meals just standing next to the table cause he would be consoled in no other way. Should I have taken him to a long lecture, I could have stood in the back and he would have likely been happy. Is that an option for moms? Do some do that without being disruptive? I know that many babies stop crying immediately if you just stand and rock them.

[angela in ohio]

The registration for the children's conference is $25/child. It would significantly raise the price for *everyone* (even people like me, who are leaving their kids at home) to have that cost included in the price. Maybe the solution is to charge an entrance fee for everyone and the kids could attend the children's program or not for the same entrance fee?

 

No, not everyone would pay it. I meant that it would be an additional charge for those bringing children.

[jina]

THANK YOU for this post!! I was "the friend" CarrieF mentions above that DID move because the people behind us were just SO rude with keeping their noisy children in there (at Memphis convention). I honestly could NOT concentrate and keep up with the thought process while there was CONSTANT noise. It's not just the crying, it's the talking to each other, ruffling paper, dropping toys, etc. And another thing...why do they sit in the front or middle for that matter? Doesn't it seem REASONABLE to request that they would sit in the back or side so they would be less distracting - and so they could make a quick exit if needed?

 

What baffles me the most is that SWB states VERY clearly at the beginning of each lecture that it distracts her and to please take them out if they cry. It's just RUDE to stay in there and do nothing! If I HAD to bring a child, I would sit in the rear at the very least.

[gardening momma]

SWB--do you remember if there was this problem last year at Midwest? I went to 2-3 of your sessions, and don't remember any problems.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I wonder if it would do any good at this point for people who were in workshops in Memphis that were disrupted by non quiet children to contact the conference organizers and mention it?

Maybe that would encourage them to provide room hostesses. They did have a volunteer to pay your admission option, so maybe some of the volunteers could be put into the workshops.

[Mom2boys]

I don't have time to read every post in this very long thread, but just wanted to say that Susan, I would be glad to be your room hostess in Cincinnati for "Homeschooling the Real Child", "The Bauer Family Homeschool", and "How to Get Ready for College". I will be attending all of those sessions and find crying babies, and noisy toddlers, incredibly distracting. I have no problem with approaching a mother and politely, but firmly, asking her to remove her child.

[Mom2boys]

I have not been to a convention yet (this summer might be the first!--definitely the vendor hall at least :lol:) so I don't know if this is actually possible. I'll throw it out there anyway. At church they broadcast the meeting into the cry room, either through speakers from the main room or just with a baby monitor by the speaker and the other end set up in the other room. That way the parent isn't missing out. i don't know if that would work in this situation but I like the idea.

 

In Cincinnati, there are about 20 different speakers per hour. To accomodate all the mothers of noisy babies would require 20 additional rooms with sound piped in. Nice idea, but not really practical. For the moms who do have to miss a session because their child isn't quiet, they do have another option to hear the session. They can purchase the recording.

[Mom2boys]

Well, if they can't take the heat of the hive, better to run now.

 

What about people with headdresses like the sphinx carrying those large Egyptian peacock fans? They could whack people on the head who refused to leave.

 

Then Susan could add that part to the warning at the beginning.

"Lovely audience, your quiet babies are welcome here, but should they begin to make noise, I urge you to leave. Otherwise, my killer wasp/sphinx hive minion/bouncers will come and swat you with their peacock fans until you take the kid out. Enjoy the lecture!!"

 

I'm mixing my ancient history with Puritanism, but that is ok.

 

:lol::lol::lol:

[5kidsforME]

I feel the need to speak up for all of us parents that do not BF and yet bring our babies to conventions. FYI this is the first time I am attending a convention with a baby. As I stated previously in the thread, I will be out the door before the baby is done his first "peep".. I have no desire to draw attention away from the speaker.

 

I am not going alone either Dh will be with me , so it is worth it for me to go even though I may spend some of my time walking in the halls. FTR so far he is a really quiet, mostly content baby. He will only be 2 months when we go too.

 

OK, back to my original sentence. I am a little baffled that people really think that just because a baby is bottle fed they should be left with someone else. Even if I could find someone to watch him (I can't) I wouldn't leave my little 2 month old with someone else. IMO he needs to be with mom, regardless of how he is fed. We live over 3 hours from Cincy so we are staying from Thursday-Saturday.

[Murphy101]

I am a little baffled that people really think that just because a baby is bottle fed they should be left with someone else. Even if I could find someone to watch him (I can't) I wouldn't leave my little 2 month old with someone else. IMO he needs to be with mom, regardless of how he is fed.

 

:iagree:

[Mom2boys]

The MidWest Conference has the following in the Attendee Understanding section that contains details about registration.

 

CHILDREN & TEEN REGISTRATIONS

• We do require that any fussy or crying babies or children be immediately removed from any SPEAKING SESSION or from the EXHIBIT HALL so as not to ruin the convention experience for those around you.

• There is a suggested "TEEN TRACK" of speaking sessions that are specifically designed for teenagers. This is available for a very nominal and affordable additional per-teen charge. (See Registration Pricing) Other than the “Teen Track” room, Teens are welcome to attend non-Teen Track sessions with or without theirparents.

• Parents assume all responsibility for their children and their behavior.

• All children must be registered, are expected to be quiet while attending any

speaking sessions and to be well-behaved while in a session or the exhibit hall.

• All children ages 12 and under are to be accompanied at all times by one of their own parents.

• If a child is deemed to be disruptive to a session or to the exhibit hall, the parent will be asked to leave the session or exhibit hall, along with their child, until such point that the child is able to be quiet and/or well-behaved.

• There is an unstaffed “nursery” room available for nursing moms at the Cincinnati convention. The other conventions simply have an area that is partitioned off with pipe & drape – as we don’t have quite as much space as in Cincinnati.

• The Cincinnati and Greenville conventions have an optional “Children’s Program” available that is provided by Children’s Conferences International. This requires separate registration and payment on the Children’s Conferences International website. (See the LINK provided on the homeschool convention website)

 

So it seem that while the conference is trying to accomodate parents with young children who want to attend, that they do still have the expectation that they will not be a disruption.

 

They do say this, and I am thankful for this policy, but the problem is that there is no one in each room to enforce it, other than the speaker, who is busy speaking. I greatly appreciated the room hostesses at the HEAV convention. I wish the Midwest convention had them as well.

 

Another option the Midwest convention does provide, is bringing grandparents along to baby-sit. They can attend for free when you purchase a family registration. I know not everyone has grandparents who are willing/able to attend, but I do think this is a nice perk for those with a willing grandparent.

Edited March 9, 2011 by Mom2boys

[Harriet Vane]

I feel the need to speak up for all of us parents that do not BF and yet bring our babies to conventions. FYI this is the first time I am attending a convention with a baby. As I stated previously in the thread, I will be out the door before the baby is done his first "peep".. I have no desire to draw attention away from the speaker.

 

I am not going alone either Dh will be with me , so it is worth it for me to go even though I may spend some of my time walking in the halls. FTR so far he is a really quiet, mostly content baby. He will only be 2 months when we go too.

 

OK, back to my original sentence. I am a little baffled that people really think that just because a baby is bottle fed they should be left with someone else. Even if I could find someone to watch him (I can't) I wouldn't leave my little 2 month old with someone else. IMO he needs to be with mom, regardless of how he is fed. We live over 3 hours from Cincy so we are staying from Thursday-Saturday.

:grouphug:

 

I absolutely do NOT think your little guy should be left behind. My own dd had very real separation anxiety long after she was done bre@stfeeding. It was a looooooong time before she could spend the night at Grammy's house because it wasn't worth the stress it caused her. I simply mentioned bre@astfeeding in my post because that was the issue that was a part of my life at that time (neither of my kids would eat from a bottle much as we tried).

 

I really do believe, though, that parents are the ones who get to decide who is ready to be left with a sitter or a grandma and who is not.

[5kidsforME]

They do say this, and I so appreciate it, but the problem is that there is no one in each room to enforce this policy, other than the speaker, who is busy speaking. I so appreciated the room hostesses at the HEAV convention. I wish the Midwest convention had them as well.

 

Another option the Midwest convention does provide, is bringing grandparents along to baby-sit. They can attend for free when you purchase a family registration. I know not everyone has grandparents who are willing/able to attend, but I do think this is a nice perk for those with a willing grandparent.

 

 

THAT is the reason for the grandparents discount/free?? I thought it was for them to be able to learn about homeschooling. :001_huh:

[5kidsforME]

:grouphug:

 

I absolutely do NOT think your little guy should be left behind. My own dd had very real separation anxiety long after she was done bre@stfeeding. It was a looooooong time before she could spend the night at Grammy's house because it wasn't worth the stress it caused her. I simply mentioned bre@astfeeding in my post because that was the issue that was a part of my life at that time (neither of my kids would eat from a bottle much as we tried).

 

I really do believe, though, that parents are the ones who get to decide who is ready to be left with a sitter or a grandma and who is not.

 

Thanks for saying that!

[Mom2boys]

THAT is the reason for the grandparents discount/free?? I thought it was for them to be able to learn about homeschooling. :001_huh:

 

Baby-sitting is one reason for grandparents to attend, but certainly not the only reason. I'm sure some do want to learn about homeschooling, or hear the non-homeschooling related talks, or even fund curriculum purchases.

 

I'm just saying that there is the option to bring a free baby-sitter in the form of a grandparent.

[gardening momma]

Maybe because it's really late at night right now, and I was reading the thread/poll about people being banned, threads closed, etc, but I had a silly thought. This thread is getting pretty long. It's slightly controversial. I think it needs to be ramped up quite a bit...get SWB's thread closed. :lol::lol: (she's such a trouble maker, isn't she?) Just kidding!

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

This thread is getting pretty long. It's slightly controversial. I think it needs to be ramped up quite a bit...get SWB's thread closed. :lol::lol: (she's such a trouble maker, isn't she?) Just kidding!

 

 

I'm with you ! Let's get this thread closed!

Oh wait, if I agree with you, it's not very controversial, now, is it?

Let me try again.

 

How dare you suggest that this thread be closed! We *need* a thread where we can vent about non well trained babies and non-wtm parents who are not being respectful of others! I shall stop breathing and turn blue if this thread gets closed! I will forever hunt you to the ends of the Earth. And since I'm Canadian, I'll put the RCMP on your tracks, and you know, they always get their man (woman).

 

:tongue_smilie:

[dirty ethel rackham]

 

OK, back to my original sentence. I am a little baffled that people really think that just because a baby is bottle fed they should be left with someone else. Even if I could find someone to watch him (I can't) I wouldn't leave my little 2 month old with someone else. IMO he needs to be with mom, regardless of how he is fed. We live over 3 hours from Cincy so we are staying from Thursday-Saturday.

 

Amen!! My kids were not ready for sleepovers at Grandma's house until they were elementary school age, much to Grandma's disappointment. We tried. Too many times did we get a call at midnight asking us to come get them. Never tried with a baby, though since my kids nurse through toddlerhood. Moms with littles in tow do need to be creative in keeping kids quiet and be prepared to leave before the children get loud - BTDT.

Edited March 9, 2011 by dirty ethel rackham
wasn't finished yet

[Sebastian (a lady)]

They do say this, and I am thankful for this policy, but the problem is that there is no one in each room to enforce it, other than the speaker, who is busy speaking. I greatly appreciated the room hostesses at the HEAV convention. I wish the Midwest convention had them as well.

 

Another option the Midwest convention does provide, is bringing grandparents along to baby-sit. They can attend for free when you purchase a family registration. I know not everyone has grandparents who are willing/able to attend, but I do think this is a nice perk for those with a willing grandparent.

 

You're right that they need to make sure that everyone who is attending the convention is staying within the guidelines for it. I think the hostesses are a great idea. I don't know if I would have thought to even mention the disruption of children in workshops on a convention evaluation form. I think I would have focused on the physical set up and the relative value of the speakers I'd heard and vendors I'd seen. But having a room facilitator is as much part of the set up as how wide the vendor aisles are or how hot/cold the rooms are. I am going to have to remember to comment on the success or lack of success in implementing their policy.

 

I did take my mom to a curriculum fair a very long time ago. My oldest was a couple months old and she was staying with me to help me while dh was underway. This was in a big vendor hall, with only a few workshops on the side. After a while, she offered to hold him for me since the front pack did sort of get in the way of looking at all the tables of books.

 

When I came back to the table she was resting at, he was asleep and she had been joined by 2-3 girls who were around 10 yo. They were working on a sheet from a vendor. The name of the vendor was on the top of the sheet and they were supposed to try to find how many words they could make from the letters in the name. My mom was just shaking her head. She told me after the girls bounced away that she kept trying to help them but they were getting the answers too quickly for her to keep up. I think that was the moment when potential opposition to homeschooling evaporated.

[H.S. Burrow]

I understand this was the choice of the convention promoters. I just disagree with it. :) I will be as bold as one might be on a thread like this and just say that I don't think babies belong in convention speaking events. That is what buying the CD is for. I just think it is rude to those who are there to listen and learn--who managed to find babysitters or have husbands who can attend to their children--the majority of people there.

 

I did not attend a single convention when I had babies--my babies were never those that sat quietly on a lap and I knew it would be totally distracting to me and to those around me. I tried once, to go hear SWB speak at a local one-room event held for just her (back when she was new to the speaking circuit and didn't gather such large crowds) and I brought my baby. I stood in the back and walked her and still had to leave the room. It was utterly frustrating to me and would have been highly distracting had I stayed in the room. I didn't get a chance to hear anything. I just don't think it is fair to the many moms that really need that time.

 

This is just my opinion, I am sure others will disagree! :D I don't mean any offense to those with babies. I had five so I do understand.

 

 

:iagree: This is the first year in our 5 year homeschooling journey that I live close enough to a convention to go. To be perfectly honest, it NEVER occured to me that parents would bring their small children into a lecture hall at said convention. Ever. :001_huh: I would never have done so when my children were small.

 

Several of you have stated that you get up and leave at the first sign of the smallest peep. *saying this in my most gentle internet voice*...What no one seems to realize is that getting up and leaving is in itself a distraction. It's a distraction for those sitting around you and to the speaker.

 

I understand the desire to attend the conventions and hear SWB speak. I truly do. I greatly desire to do so myself. But I don't want to spend $5oo plus on hotel, meals, travel, etc.... and not be able to hear her speak. Maybe I'm getting cranky now that I no longer have little ones, but I don't want people getting up, leaving, coming back in, getting up, leaving all throughout a lecture.

[Mrs Mungo]

I am not anti-baby. That is why I started out explaining that I nursed my babies into toddlerhood and was on my own often when they were little. I took my babies everywhere. Still, if a baby is not quickly and easily consoled, then they should be removed from the situation. If the choices are: a mom of a baby doesn't get to hear a lecture v a whole room full of people cannot hear a lecture, then the latter is the lesser of two evils.

 

If you have a baby, then you choose: do I want to skip this conference or do I want to pay to attend, meet with vendors, hold curricula in my hands, and *maybe* catch a lecture or two if baby cooperates. But, I don't think it is fair to say "I paid for this lecture, and I will stay to listen, no matter what my baby is doing."

[2squared]

I have only attend the MN Catholic homeschool convention where nursing babies and strollers are welcomed. This must not be the case at other conventions. The two years I have attended this conference, nursing babes were everywhere....and it was nice. The speakers in the main hall announced that the babies weren't distractions, but maybe that's a requirement of them speaking at this conference?? The main hall had lots of room for managing mobile babies. Toddlers and older children were not in attendance.

[elegantlion]

: so when my children were small. [/color][/size][/font]

 

Several of you have stated that you get up and leave at the first sign of the smallest peep. *saying this in my most gentle internet voice*...What no one seems to realize is that getting up and leaving is in itself a distraction. It's a distraction for those sitting around you and to the speaker.

 

I understand the desire to attend the conventions and hear SWB speak. I truly do. I greatly desire to do so myself. But I don't want to spend $5oo plus on hotel, meals, travel, etc.... and not be able to hear her speak. Maybe I'm getting cranky now that I no longer have little ones, but I don't want people getting up, leaving, coming back in, getting up, leaving all throughout a lecture.

 

 

I think she brings up a good point. I'm highly distractable and although I've never attended a homeschool conference, I've attended plenty of other types. I also think some of us are not used to being in circles where babies are around all the time and it can be distracting to have people wander in and out of a lecture. There have been times when I've felt I'm people watching more than learning anything.

 

As a homeschooler we are fortunate that we have events that are for the betterment of our family. In the same sense these are also continuing education for us, and the events are worthy of being treated with an air of professionalism. I'm sure many people that attend stretch their budget to do so. They may not be able to afford the recording to re listen to something they paid to hear live.

 

I'm glad there is the option of people bringing children. Most corporate conferences would NEVER allow children. I believe homeschooling lectures are at least owed the same amount of respect .

Edited March 9, 2011 by elegantlion

[Heather in Neverland]

:iagree: This is the first year in our 5 year homeschooling journey that I live close enough to a convention to go. To be perfectly honest, it NEVER occured to me that parents would bring their small children into a lecture hall at said convention. Ever. :001_huh: I would never have done so when my children were small.

 

Several of you have stated that you get up and leave at the first sign of the smallest peep. *saying this in my most gentle internet voice*...What no one seems to realize is that getting up and leaving is in itself a distraction. It's a distraction for those sitting around you and to the speaker.

 

I understand the desire to attend the conventions and hear SWB speak. I truly do. I greatly desire to do so myself. But I don't want to spend $5oo plus on hotel, meals, travel, etc.... and not be able to hear her speak. Maybe I'm getting cranky now that I no longer have little ones, but I don't want people getting up, leaving, coming back in, getting up, leaving all throughout a lecture.

 

I must be getting cranky too because I agree. I honestly don't want to go to any kind of conference if I have to bring my kids with me. I want to learn and shop and chat with other moms. That means that one year I just was not able to go because I had a very clingy baby. Such is life. It was a bummer but I got over it and just went the following year. To me it is a "rights of the majority vs. rights of the few" issue... but hey, I didn't have kids at my wedding either. :D

[Mom2boys]

I am not anti-baby. That is why I started out explaining that I nursed my babies into toddlerhood and was on my own often when they were little. I took my babies everywhere. Still, if a baby is not quickly and easily consoled, then they should be removed from the situation. If the choices are: a mom of a baby doesn't get to hear a lecture v a whole room full of people cannot hear a lecture, then the latter is the lesser of two evils.

 

If you have a baby, then you choose: do I want to skip this conference or do I want to pay to attend, meet with vendors, hold curricula in my hands, and *maybe* catch a lecture or two if baby cooperates. But, I don't think it is fair to say "I paid for this lecture, and I will stay to listen, no matter what my baby is doing."

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

[Kate CA]

I am not anti-baby. That is why I started out explaining that I nursed my babies into toddlerhood and was on my own often when they were little. I took my babies everywhere. Still, if a baby is not quickly and easily consoled, then they should be removed from the situation. If the choices are: a mom of a baby doesn't get to hear a lecture v a whole room full of people cannot hear a lecture, then the latter is the lesser of two evils.

 

If you have a baby, then you choose: do I want to skip this conference or do I want to pay to attend, meet with vendors, hold curricula in my hands, and *maybe* catch a lecture or two if baby cooperates. But, I don't think it is fair to say "I paid for this lecture, and I will stay to listen, no matter what my baby is doing."

 

:iagree: :001_smile: