To use a wrist harness on 7 year old at a concert?

[notmysundaybest24]

Hi I'm brining my daughter 7 to a concert at a stadium soon. I'm probably being a bit anxious here but would I be safer to get a wrist strap for us to keep her close? We are seated at the concert but it's leaving the venue when everyone is rushing to make it for the last train/bus I worry about.
I've been to concerts before with friends and my husband and we've never lost each other and I never worry about it if we did as we're all old enough now.
She also knows what time do if she got lost. Would a wrist strap be a bit too much do you think?

I know this is missing the point but what sort of stadium concert is suitable for 7 year olds?

Have you double checked the rules, some venues have minimum ages even for seated.

When we were in London and it was busy, I liked to put DS in front of me and put my hands on his shoulders to ‘steer’. No risk of hands being broken away by a crowd.

Any? I'm assuming Taylor Swift or similar. Stadiums have seats.

It wasn't the seating, it's just tickets for stadium concerts usually cost a fortune. I can't imagine taking a 7 year old.

My DS came to Chris Rea at the MEN Arena when he was 5 (after much pestering by him) had a fabulous time, he was stood on his chair singing his head off and CR was laughing and waving him to him! No crowd issues at all, - actually worse in the shopping centres!
He later came to several Status Quo concerts ( Wembley Arena, NEC & MEN ) and again no crowd issues at all, people were actually very kind and gave him space and chatted to him.
I think the ideas about wristbands is a very good one, and just stay put for 5 minutes to let the main body of people leave. Have fun!

Another good idea, think we may have done this too, too long ago for me to really remember🫤

No because it could result in broken wrist, dislocated shoulder etc if it gets pulled.

My kids have memorised my number and know to go to a help desk if we get separated or a 'mum'. Also I always tell them - if you lose us, we'll meet you at 'something obvious as a landmark' or if it's hard to do that then they know to stay where they are out of the crowd and we'll find them. We have lost our child for about 15 minutes so we always go through some sort of plan now because its the worst feeling. The biggest one being the 'we'll find you no matter what so keep calm, be patient and follow the plan' as our lost child was worried that we'd just forget about them out of sight! This knocked me sideways as obviously we were running around like headless chickens but goes to show what headspace a lost child might get into.
I think a strap will cause more problems than it solves.

Personal choice I guess. I've taken my kids to loads of things. Taylor Swift tickets cost me about £120 each.

I agree with you.

he was stood on his chair singing his head off ...really pissing off the people behind whose view he was blocking.

Wow.

Has as much right to be there as anyone else. I'm always blocked as I am short, I just get on with it.

Maybe stick an airtag in her pocket if you're really worried?

He may have as much right to be there, but he doesn't have the right to stand on the seats.

If my mother had attempted to put a wrist strap on me at age 7, I would have been so offended, I would have slipped it and run off deliberately.

@saveforthat my 5 year old has been to a couple of concerts. He enjoyed them!

About the wrist strap, no I wouldn't do that. I'd either give her a bit of paper with my phone number on or write the number on her/a wristband. And give instructions of who to go to if you got separated.

Or leave a song or two before the end.

You don’t even need a wristband just write your number on her arm (inner forearm least likely to rub off) in pen / sharpie. Always do this with my dc when being in busy places & gives all of us some reassurance.

If you feel it's needed then it's needed.

My two had wrist straps for years. They were I think 9 and 10 when we were able to start phasing them out. They have autism which is somewhat relevant but I believe all parents should do what they feel is safest regardless their child's needs.

Took DD to P!nk at about that age. At 13 she’s seen Beyoncé, Muse and the 9 hour Taylor Hawkins tribute gig at Wembley at 11. We’re off to the Foo Fighters in a couple of weeka.

Apple air tag in her bag.
Write your name and number up her arm in sharpie.
Hold her hand.

Can you get one of those kids air tag watches? Or like a wrist band where you can track their whereabouts?

I was going to get them for my girls for when we go somewhere really busy.

Totally off topic but just thinking back to when I was seven and we would hang around the river bank with other local kids til the street lights came on with no way of contacting an adult and thinking how very much we’ve gone the other way in trusting our children to know what to do in an emergency…

Times sure have changed.

In my experience best thing is to have a simple plan for if you get separated; she goes to X place (possibly have a 2nd option as a back-up) and doesn't move - you will find her. If she is able to alert a steward (there will be no shortage of them at a concert like that!) as well, then she should do that.

No harm also in staying put at the end and letting the bulk of the crowd go out first. Please don't leave before the last couple of songs; they're usually the "big numbers" and for a young fan at possibly her first concert, let her have the whole experience.

As for a 7 y/o going to a concert - I LOVE seeing the younger up and coming generation discovering the joys of live music - and the artists love it too. I am assuming this concert is Taylor Swift (if it is there will be LOADS of young kids there!) - but regardless, there is no reason why a young kid cannot go to a concert. I did and grew up going to concerts - have had some of the best times of my life at live music.

Some of the best crowds actually are at rock concerts - they REALLY look after the young audience members because they respect younger kids listening to and embracing great music. Many of the artists really love it as well - they love seeing younger generations taking their music forward - a new audience. There are numerous videos out there of artists in bands interacting with younger fans and showing a lot of respect to them.

If it is TS - not my cup of tea - but that doesn't matter, I hope your DD LOVES her concert - whoever it is she is going to see!