http://onlytheblogknowsbrooklyn.com/2008/04/12/au-contraire-dont-bring-babies-to-a-school-talent-show-please/ Serving Park Slope and Beyond Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:12:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 http://onlytheblogknowsbrooklyn.com/2008/04/12/au-contraire-dont-bring-babies-to-a-school-talent-show-please/comment-page-1/#comment-2268 How to Treat Anxiety Wed, 24 Dec 2008 09:11:07 +0000 http://onlytheblogknowsbrooklyn.addresszero.com/?p=4185#comment-2268 oh its not just school talent shows, it applies to other social events too :( oh its not just school talent shows, it applies to other social events too :(

]]> http://onlytheblogknowsbrooklyn.com/2008/04/12/au-contraire-dont-bring-babies-to-a-school-talent-show-please/comment-page-1/#comment-2267 L Thompson Sat, 12 Apr 2008 21:52:45 +0000 http://onlytheblogknowsbrooklyn.addresszero.com/?p=4185#comment-2267 I understand Mr. Loffredo's frustration, I really do. At our son's school, babies and toddlers abound at school performances, and some parents do their best to hush the little ones, and others do little. However, Au Contraire should consider that the moms and dads of those noisy babies had made a point of being there to see their older child perform on stage, and the only way to be there without younger children in tow is to find a babysitter. But it's not so easy to find an occasional babysitter who you trust, or who, as relative strangers to them, your kids will trust; and for many of us, it's not so easy to afford. So that's probably why they brought these disruptive tots to the performance. It seems that what you might be wishing for is that the parents would help the toddlers to focus a bit on the show, or to at least use a quiet voice; or move out to the hall with the babies, or organize a separate play area for the toddlers. That would indeed be more considerate to the performers, and appropriate for the young ones. At our school, a number of parents (including myself) have developed the chutzpa to serve as parents-at-large at these events, moving along the fringes and gently but firmly reminding the little kids (and sometimes the bigger kids) of what kind of behavior is expected. Over the last 5-1/2 years, no one has told us off for interfering with their kids (though maybe they've wanted to!) Maybe some of them appreciate our modeling how to do it? I understand Mr. Loffredo’s frustration, I really do. At our son’s school, babies and toddlers abound at school performances, and some parents do their best to hush the little ones, and others do little. However, Au Contraire should consider that the moms and dads of those noisy babies had made a point of being there to see their older child perform on stage, and the only way to be there without younger children in tow is to find a babysitter. But it’s not so easy to find an occasional babysitter who you trust, or who, as relative strangers to them, your kids will trust; and for many of us, it’s not so easy to afford. So that’s probably why they brought these disruptive tots to the performance.
It seems that what you might be wishing for is that the parents would help the toddlers to focus a bit on the show, or to at least use a quiet voice; or move out to the hall with the babies, or organize a separate play area for the toddlers. That would indeed be more considerate to the performers, and appropriate for the young ones.
At our school, a number of parents (including myself) have developed the chutzpa to serve as parents-at-large at these events, moving along the fringes and gently but firmly reminding the little kids (and sometimes the bigger kids) of what kind of behavior is expected. Over the last 5-1/2 years, no one has told us off for interfering with their kids (though maybe they’ve wanted to!) Maybe some of them appreciate our modeling how to do it?

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