Taking 4 month old to the theatre..

[Tdcp]

My dd is part of a large group of school kids playing instruments at the theatre on Monday. I also have a 4month old ebf baby. The closer this is getting the more I'm worried about the baby going. She has ear defenders but she also likes to be put to bed at 8pm and the show is 7-9pm. Silently dreading it. I'm hoping that taking her sling will help her sleep. I've also booked the end seat on the balcony with hopes that I can scurry out if she starts fussing.

Is this unreasonable? I have to admit when it was first mentioned I didn't think it through entirely but I thought as it's school kids performing there would be more kids there. I didnt realise this is an open to the public ticketed event until we were asked to buy them. I can't exactly miss it. Dd is 10 and has struggled massively with anxiety and panic attacks so not going isn't really an option. I also have no one that can look after the baby but she refuses bottles anyway.

Anyone have any tips here?

Sounds like you've got a reasonable plan.

And the audience will be mostly other parents/family of the orchestra. You'll have plenty of those sort of things where you have to buy a ticket and technically it's a public event but it's mostly just parents etc.

From the headline I thought you meant an actual play… but a kids performance is fine, and you won’t be the only one. DD2 has come to many of DD1’s dance shows, and as long as you take them out if they’re noise everyone is fine with it.

Thanks for spelling that out to me. I think I've got so wrapped up in worrying about the baby that I've neglected to realise that it'll be full of parents and probably siblings.......

Yes I thought you meant a professional play and was going to say no-way, but I think for a child's performance it's fine. The only thing I would ask, is how would DD react if you had to "disappear" halfway through? Like might that be more unsettling than you just not being there. I think it's fine to take baby, but would be very rude NOT to take her out is she is crying.

You’ll be fine with her so young I reckon.

I used to take my daughter to baby cinema and to normal cinema with my older DC when she was ebf at that age and she would always just eat/sleep her way through in my arms and any crying can be instantly soothed with boob!

It only became untenable when she was walking and not napping as much at about 12 months old.

Agreed I think this is fine with the plan you have. Ideally baby might nurse to sleep in the sling with the ear defenders but as long as you're prepared to take them out if they cry is fine.

Thanks everyone. I was really stressing because dd is going through the extra fussy 4 month stage, she constantly dramatically unlatches and flashes everyone too 😂.

To answer pp, Dd (performing) shouldn't notice that I've gone if I have to step out, I have a balcony seat at the right of the stage. She also has some sensory issues and I'm on edge in case she can't handle the noise, she's refusing her ear defenders and wearing some noise reduction ear plugs so she doesn't stand out which is fantastic but it could swing either way. I'm hoping being with her classmates will help! I'll be glad when this is all over 😅

My daughter plays in 2 different bands, where tickets are in theory on sale to the public.

Trust me, there are zero audience members who don’t have some link to the players or the band (eg ex players). You’ll be fine with your baby!

You have a good plan and being on the edge of the row you can sneak out of baby makes noises but these things often go better than you expect!

Your plan is completely fine. It's the people who don't take their kids out when they get noisy who deserve at least one of Dante's circles of hell. You have found a way to cover both of your children's needs as best you can. They'll probably be lots of parents in the same situation there.

Thanks a lot to you all. You've really put my mind at ease, I definitely got carried away with the worries for a while there! I'm going to blame the lack of sleep (due to emergency works, neighbours parties and heat rather than the baby...)

Parents have gone to their kids' performances with younger children and babies from the beginning of time. It's nothing out of the ordinary, so don't worry yourself.

It'll probably be fine, if not you might end up walking the baby outside and missing bits, but at least you're there. You'll find a room full of parents more sympathetic than most audiences I would hope.

yeah - this! DCs are performers in 'big' shows open to the public in a company 'known' for it's professional like performances... it's almost always family, and sometimes poor friends who've been dragged along (!) and there are always very young kids there. I would never have dreamt of buying a ticket to these shows before my kids were involved...