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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

About babies and the Olympics?

79 replies

curiousgeorgie · 10/08/2012 22:07

I really don't understand why parents have taken tiny babies and toddlers to the Olympic games.

Last week I went to beach volleyball, and the crowd was very rowdy and lots of audience participation, and loads of people had babies in slings and toddlers with them who were subjected to the rain and cold with no shelter and huge crowds.

At Athletics the couple behind me had a baby I think was probably about six months.. Very calm for most of it, but everytime the crowd cheered and screamed (especially as lots of GB competitors) the poor baby jumped and screamed, clearly terrified.

At water polo / football / rowing & gymnastics it was the same.... Children who were too young to be there, and were clearly not getting any enjoyment out of it.

Leaving wembley stadium after the football is the scariest crush of people for even an adult... Being jostled through that crowd trying to stay with my friends I just felt so sorry for the poor children who's parents had subjected them to this. (and absolutely packed tube after tube with a buggy / pram?? Madness!)

I have a 22 month old DD, and wouldn't for a second even think of taking her to something so busy and loud. The scope for getting lost or injured or just being scared and having a rubbish time is too great.

AIBU to think people with these young children were being irresponsible abd even selfish to take them to the Olympics?

OP posts:
Original poster
curiousgeorgie · 10/08/2012 22:28

Duelingfanjo - as stated above? Sunburnt / crushed / damage to hearing / traumatised?? Have you been to a stadium event? It s so loud!! And the crush to get out / onto a tube / into a station is insane.

Funny though. Discus Hmm

OP posts:
DuelingFanjo · 10/08/2012 22:30

you can avoid the sun, and being in a crush to get out, I think traumatised is a little over the top. Are you generally this scared of life?

suebfg · 10/08/2012 22:30

I think you're sounding like a bit of moaning Minnie tbh. We had a fab time with DS at the Olympics and made a great weekend of it. I don't think there could have been anything remotely dangerous at the Olympic Park!

Original poster
curiousgeorgie · 10/08/2012 22:30

Gigondas - in that case, yes, it's easy to stay home?!

OP posts:
Gigondas · 10/08/2012 22:30

All of these risks you talk about - sun burn , crush , noise etc can be dealt with by a sensible parent in various ways.

The more you post the more it sounds that you just don't like kids at sports event. . That is a point of view but don't dress it ip as "it's dangerous for the kids"

CrackersandCheese · 10/08/2012 22:32

Aw well. I'll be taking my 3 mo with me to the Paralympic athletics. He'll be in a sling and I've got some ear defenders for him. He's EBF and so it's much easier for him to be with me.

I can understand the problem with quiet sports where concentration is needed but not in a crowded stadium. As long as we're organised and use common sense whilst we're there, I don't understand what the problem is.

YABU

Original poster
curiousgeorgie · 10/08/2012 22:32

Duelingfanjo - no, I take my DD all over. (to appropriate things) and when younger and I could just feed her or walk her to sleep, lots of museums, Disney Paris etc. that's just not the same as being in a crowd of 80,000 people.

OP posts:
LaurieFairyCake · 10/08/2012 22:32

Sorry curiousgeorgie, disagree quite a bit. You can be somewhat childcentered without you having to go without entirely as a parent.

I'm sure the parents were trying to minimise the discomfort of the babies/toddlers as much as possible but it's always going to be a balancing act.

Gigondas · 10/08/2012 22:32

So ignoring the sports mad excited kids who wanted to go

MrsKeithRichards · 10/08/2012 22:33

If we, as a society, want to see more mums breastfeeding for longer we're going to have to get a bit more tolerant of babies in places like this.

Original poster
curiousgeorgie · 10/08/2012 22:33

Gigondas - not dressed up as anything. Older kids sure, quiter events, definitely. The Olympics? Absolutely not. Purely selfish.

OP posts:
runnervt · 10/08/2012 22:34

When I was at the Olympic park in no way did it seem dangerous for children. A bit noisy at times maybe but that would be all. Maybe the crying baby the OP saw was particularly sensitive. I don't think you can generalise that all babies/children will be traumatised.

Original poster
curiousgeorgie · 10/08/2012 22:35

Mrs Keith Richards - yes. For a completely irrelevant point you make a good one?

It's to nothing to do with tolerance of babies. I'm FOR the babies... Being somewhere they'll have a nicer time!!

OP posts:
suebfg · 10/08/2012 22:36

I think it's more selfish to leave kids with someone whilst you go off for the weekend - I'd rather us stay together as a family

Original poster
curiousgeorgie · 10/08/2012 22:36

I think some people are a bit confused??

It's not about the baby bothering people. It's about people (noise, crowds etc etc) bothering the baby??!

OP posts:
MrsKeithRichards · 10/08/2012 22:37

Not irrelevant at all. Many people would have bought tickets before that baby was a twinkle in their eye.

Gigondas · 10/08/2012 22:37

Confused but as posters have been on here saying their kids and babies were fine, I think you are being Ott.

I don't think it is selfish to take a baby or child to Olympics provided they are well cared for (eg sun screen , ear defenders) and I dont agree that they are traumatised .

runnervt · 10/08/2012 22:37

It's purely selfish to take babies anywhere then - it's not like they want go shopping for example. As someone else said it's a compromise between everyone in a family.

Original poster
curiousgeorgie · 10/08/2012 22:39

Yes. Completely irrelevant to the point I'm making. Maybe read the thread again?

It's not about being intolerant of babies. Seriously. Scroll back.

OP posts:
handstandCrabForwardRollGold · 10/08/2012 22:41

Took my 8 month old to the football. He wore ear defenders and slept through the second half!

I'm sure he's not traumatised, but I'll be sure to put some money aside for extensive Olympic based therapy just in case.

Original poster
curiousgeorgie · 10/08/2012 22:42

Gigondas - have you been to Olympic stadium? During athletics? When someone from GB is winning??!

Small baby - traumatised. The crowd is ridiculously rowdy and loud, the whole stand shakes, everyone stands up screaming at the track...

Any small babies you know not bothered by that should perhaps see a health visitor??

OP posts:
Gooseysgirl · 10/08/2012 22:43

We took 5 mth old DD to the athletics on Wed morning... Lots of offers of babysitting but we decided we'd like to go as a family. What I didn't want was for DD to spoil other people's experience so when she needed feeding and became unsettled I left the stand with her. Volunteers were v organised and efficient about buggy storage, and we had no difficulties with changing facilities. In hindsight it was certainly a lot more hassle to take her than it would have been to leave her at home, but I don't regret taking her for a second!

badmammy · 10/08/2012 22:45

Good god. Don'cha know having a LIFE or any interests of your own at all, once you have children, is selfish. The second that baby emerges into the world you are committed to watch nothing but CBeebies and visit no out of home venues except soft play centres or parks for at LEAST the next ten years.

Heaven forbid you try to include your young child in an event you yourself might find interesting. How COULD you be so selfish???

Original poster
curiousgeorgie · 10/08/2012 22:49

Badmammy - childcare?? Doing things when they are a bit older??

I have a life and a lot of interests but would still not take my child to a stadium of 80,000 screaming people.

OP posts:
Gigondas · 10/08/2012 22:52

No but I have been to Twickenham During a six nations match and international . I am not saying all babies would be happy but I have a child that slept through it.