Baby to the pantomime

[Daisymay93]

Taking my 6yo to Panto tomorrow and wondering if it's acceptable to take my 14 month old if I can't find childcare ?

Have they got a ticket?

Not unless you are going to remove yourself and the baby if he/she cries.

No. I’ve been to various shows ruined for older children by ones too young being taken too.

I wouldn’t. They can be very loud with lots of bright lights etc. A 14 month old is very likely to be overwhelmed and stressed.

Would you even be able to get a ticket at such short notice?

Under 2's at my local theatre don't need a separate ticket providing they sit on someone's knee

Oh no you can't.....

If the 14 mo cries will you leave the 6 yo sat on their own or make them come out with you? Are you near the end of a row?

Ah depends if it’s a big production. Some of the effects are loud. I wouldn’t

Took my 13 monther and it was lovely. He clapped and danced and slept. Was prepared to take him out if he got upset but he was grand.

The 14 month old will be a nightmare. Don't do it

@Winterdaysarehere

Depends on the 14 month old. At our local theatre they wouldn't need a ticket, but if they get upset they will remove you promptly.

Dd1 would have been fine, as she was very good at sitting still quietly. We went to far harder things to sit through and she never raised a peep.
Dd2 went to the panto first at 6 week. She loved it, and just bounced on my knee the whole time watching the lights.
At 13 months she was harder, but was fine.
With ds at 18 months we watched the first half one day and the second half another day as he wouldn't sit still for the whole thing. I wouldn't have taken him if we couldn't have done that (knew director who arranged that)

Check the theatre website. You know your children. How is the 14 month old likely to be surrounded by lots of noise, people, music etc?

Check with the theatre. At our local one you must have a babe in arms ticket for fire safety regulations.

YABVU. It would be really selfish of you to take them. Even if you take them out when they cry, you’ve still disturbed everyone around you with the noise and then the movement.

Weve done it with younger you will be fine

Please don't. I work in a theatre and we have guidelines that it's really not for under 3s. It's loud and could damage hearing, whilst Panto is meant to be about joining in and shouting, it's not for running around and there's a difference between people joining in and a child crying.

It's a panto not the opera! Meant for small children!

We took a group of 3 and 4 year olds, it was very loud in parts

I wouldn’t either, it’s not fair on the other people who have paid for tickets and won’t be fair on your older child when you have to leave when the younger one gets upset. Pants is loud.

YABU.

It sounds easy enough to take a baby out if they cry but the reality is more difficult. You may have to make an entire row of people stand up to let you out, as well as dealing with your 6 yo.

We went last week and there was a crying baby that wasn’t taken out. Very distracting for the audience but I felt very sorry for the performers, must have been challenging for them!

I personally wouldn’t do it. I wouldn’t have left my 6 year old sat there if I’d had to take the younger one out.

If there’s 2 adults going though it will easier.

DH took our 10 month old to a relaxed performance but I don’t think I’d take her to a normal one.

At my local pantomimes all children need a ticket so you may not be able to for that reason. They also reccomend not suitable for under 5s as lots of noise from special effects, mildly scary scenes etc. Personally I definitely think it would be unsuitable for a baby. And then of course a child that age won't have the attention span meaning having to leave early/go out every now and again spoiling it for your older child and causing disruption to others. So no I really wouldn't.