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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not be able to make a decision (OLYMPIC RELATED)

88 replies

Gumps · 02/07/2012 10:19

So lucky us, we have 4 tickets for the Athletics which includes the Mens 200m final (come on Bolt get your act together).
The plan was always to take DS1 (5) and DS2 (3) as I was under the impression that DD (9mo) was not allowed to go. However now they have changed the rules and she can come, provided she is securely strapped to one of us.
So dillema is now what to do. Do I take all 3 which is what I feel I should do? Sport is huge in our house and I am a sucker for nostalga/historic events. I will feel awful in the future when the boys can say Olympics I was there and DD slams the door in my face aged 14 saying you don't love me you didn't take me to the Olympics (my mother has warned me of this scenario).
Do I just take the boys?
Do I take none of them?
I have tried in vain to get Olympic park tickets but all gone. I thought I could fool them into thinking they had had their turn and then take some friends to the Athletics.
Other points to consider are that we live in Richmond (not too far to travel but will still need pushchair which will have to be Phil & Teds with all 3), want to go and soak up atmosphere at Olympic Park and our session is 1830 to 2230.
Someone make a decision for me please!

OP posts:

ceeveebee · 02/07/2012 12:01

God I would definitely take my 8mo baby twins if I had tickets. We applied for loads of stuff and got nothing. Btw we've been trying to buy football tickets too which show as available but when you actually try to but them there are none (for the gb games anyway).

Original poster

Gumps · 02/07/2012 12:03

Just googled taking young kids to the Olympics and Becks is taking Harper and his boys. If Victoria can do it in a pencil skirt and heels surely I can cope?!

OP posts:

cleanandclothed · 02/07/2012 12:10

I am planning on taking DS (3) and baby who should be 3 weeks. I will have 4 other adults to help though.

AdventuresWithVoles · 02/07/2012 12:41

I would not take the 9m old in a heartbeat.
Not sure about the 3yo; they won't remember properly, it for sure. Mostly it will be bragging rights at school. Would feel "fairer" if 3yo didn't get to go, either, just get 3yo a nice souvenir. Just take the 5yo.

(Apparently almost no one at DC primary school has tickets, btw, according to DC).

I've been to a load of Olympics events: LA 1984. They were rather boring. And I was a teenager who felt privileged to be there at the time, but actually, I got too hot & bored. Probably better experience if you're a baby who can't remember how dull it actually was.

DH is taking 3 DC (age 8-12) to a 2012 event without me or the youngest. I expect DC will come home saying it was no better than "okay", and youngest will get another chance to go in his lifetime, too, if he wants.

annh · 02/07/2012 13:01

I don't think Becks and Posh will be travelling on the tube with a buggy though, do you?!

Pandemoniaa · 02/07/2012 13:07

I rather expect that Becks and Posh will have all sorts of comfortable hospitality (and staff on hand) too. Neither of them will be sat in the bog-standard seats trying to entertain very tired children or attached, permanently, to a baby.

skateboarder · 02/07/2012 13:25

Is your dd used to being carried? My dc3 was constantly in the sling - her favourite place to be for at least the first 12 months. If your dd likes to be in the sling I would take her and the other two. If she isnt familar with it, I might leave her at home tbh.
we are taking 3 under 6 and 1 senior too to 2 separate events. I am not looking forward to the prospect now the reality is nearly here but we wanted to experience the olympics.
Is your dh intending to watch the olympics and leave you to watch the dc?

forevergreek · 02/07/2012 13:34

Can you borrow a sling for both elder children . Like an ergo or something for your back. One child each

With save them getting squashed and try can fall asleep in on way back if tired. Will be a nightmare even getting there otherwise

( we are taking x2 under 3 this way)

ceeveebee · 02/07/2012 13:46

I know it might not be comparable but I got the train in from richmond on the day of the jubilee flotilla with a double buggy with twins. It was very very busy but it was fine, people are generally pretty kind when it comes to helping with pram etc. As I'm sure you know, if you get the overground round fron Richmond to Stratford, you get on at the start of the line and train will be pretty empty when you get on. Personally I would take the buggy so they can sleep on the way home.

nothingoldcanstay · 02/07/2012 13:55

I took DS to the "once in a lifetime" Jubilee experience but to be honest he can't remember half of it already. It' s very late and it'll take ages for everyone to get out. It'll be on again in four years.I'd much see it in Brazil!

Original poster

Gumps · 02/07/2012 16:12

Thanks ceeveebee. I was looking at the travel guide which doesn't cover the overground and had totally forgotten about it. I agree pushchair is a must. Do people actually carry 5 yo on their backs? I think DH and I would have to be some kind of Olympians to carry 3 children between us. Could even Geoff Capes have managed that?

OP posts:

Original poster

Gumps · 02/07/2012 16:13

And don't burst my Beckham bubble. If Rhi Rhi got the tube to her own concert there must be a slim chance that I might sit next to David.

OP posts:

vj32 · 02/07/2012 16:26

You seriously want to take 3 children under 6 out to a massive crowd were they will get squashed, will be bored and won't get home till after midnight? Really? DH briefly suggested taking ds (14months) to the Olympics and I said no immediately - he will get nothing out of it, it is stressful enough in a huge crowd anyway. The info says allow at least 2 hours just to get into the stadium! No way would I want to put a small child through that experience just so in ten years time I can tell them they were there.

Football is a good compromise, or the cycling in Surrey.

vj32 · 02/07/2012 16:27

Oh and you can't take food or water in. So you will be cueing for ages if you want anything to eat or drink. (I am increasingly not looking forward to it... hate big stadium events)

vj32 · 02/07/2012 16:28

queuing obviously

Glittertwins · 02/07/2012 16:59

Our 4yr old twins are coming with us to the swimming and are very excited about it. I purposely went for heats/morning sessions though as the evening sessions would be a bit late.

Glittertwins · 02/07/2012 17:01

You can take empty drinks bottles and refill them at the water fountains so not exactly queuing. We are happy to get food there - we've factored in the pricing and neither of us wants to cart a bag of food about either.

forevergreek · 02/07/2012 17:50

I meant carry older two if you decided to go without youngest.

If with all 3 carry younger two and eldest walk

Original poster

Gumps · 02/07/2012 19:23

You were more sensible than me glittertwins. We were so desperate to go that we both put in our full allocation for all the things that we wanted to see and didn't even think about the timings. I am glad someone else is taking their kids too. My 5 and 3 year old are so excited as they are doing the Olympics for their sports days and can't wait to see the real thing. I hope you all have a fab time at the swimming.
I read all the food and drink stuff but rightly or wrongly (and i know its really wrongly as i work in sport and health) but i have factored in a trip to the largest mc donalds in the world!

OP posts:

Glittertwins · 03/07/2012 20:20

I'm soooo annoyed with Phelps for pulling out the 200m freestyle. He was one of the ones I really wanted to see. Hope Ryan Lochte doesn't do something as stupid.

Glittertwins · 03/07/2012 20:26

But on the plus side Camille Lacourt should be doing 100m back since he is world champ

JADS · 03/07/2012 20:35

Difficult one. Just check though - I'm sure I heard a rumour that buggies weren't going to be allowed in the Olympic park at all. I could be wrong.

We took our 8 month old son in a sling to the test at Edgbaston and he was fine. We sat in the really rowdy stand and he loved it. However we only had him and he wasn't a very mobile baby who is only 2nd centile for weight. We also didn't need to go on the tube.

Wandastartup · 03/07/2012 20:43

We are taking our 5 year old but not our 3 year old( have 3 sets of 2 tickets).
We just don't think the 3 year old would enjoy it our manage the walking. We are hoping to minimise the future complaints as she saw the Olympic torch and her sister didn't!

Kveta · 03/07/2012 20:49

we're taking our 2.11 yo and 2 month old to the modern pentathlon - we will leave early I expect, but want them to be able to say they were there. my sister (3rd child) is still annoyed that she didn't get to go to the glasgow garden festival at 6 months or so old!

PoppyWearer · 03/07/2012 20:50

We took 3yo and then-9mo to a test event at the Olympic Park, in the evening. We left a bit early, but managed. We used a carrier rather than a pushchair but the pushchair stores looked to be very close to the stadium and we wished we had taken one. If that helps?

Can't report on the baby facilities otherwise because the baby just fell asleep amid all the noise.

I say go for it.

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