Mum guilt after taking son to a concert

[Confusedpige0n]

I took my 11 year old son to see McFly vs Busted. He loved every second of it, About 30 minutes to the end of the 2 1/2 hour concert i suddenly thought I should have given him ear plugs to wear. It never crossed my mind to take them for him. I’m now feeling like the worst parent in the world and that I’ve damaged his hearing. I can’t believe I didn’t even think of it, perimenopause brain has me forgetting all sorts lately but this is unforgivable and I feel absolutely awful that I could have caused irreparable damage. Has anyone taken their children to concerts and they’ve been fine? I’ve wound myself up so much since we came home that I’ve been sick and can’t sleep I’m wracked with guilt about how irresponsible I’ve been.

You are lovely! Please get HRT if you can, its such a massive life changer. I thought i was at the end of my life until I went on it, now I am just starting out on the life I never lived. I was at the gallops on my horse this morning, racing like the wind. 2 years ago I didnt really bother getting up at the weekends. And please rest assured, your son will do plenty of worse things to damage himself in the next few years, he will always remember the night with his amazing mum. X

God it wouldn't even occur to me to give an 11 year old ear plugs for a concert! Are we supposed to? Guess I'm a bad Mum too 😂

He will be fine but you need to chill

He will be fine honestly. My son is 12 and has been to Glastonbury twice, and only went up the kids fields once to see Michael Rosen. He was on the barrier most of the time. He is going to see the offspring on Monday.

My mum took me to my first concert aged 10 in the 80s. There were no ear plugs then! Have been to many since, and am fine!

hhhmmmm … oohhh yes, dreadful parenting. The poor child is now quite likely to be developing tinnitus which will lead to him raising the volume on his apple buds which in turn is going to make things worse. Stone deaf by the time he’s 18 or 19, I’d say. And of course we then have to think about all the muck you allowed him to stuff down his throat during the concert. Sweets, sugary drinks - perhaps a hot dog on the way home .. ? I sense early onset diabetes, certainly mild obesity. I sincerely hope you were a bit more careful with any baseball caps or suchlike he was wearing. Poor lad likely to be bald in his mid 20’s. Drastically reduces his efforts to get hitched in future … don’t you even WANT to be a grandma ..? And now the serious bit .. Stop it! Just Stop it! You’re a great Mum for treating your DS to a concert he loved and which you no doubt endured. AND you spared him the indignity of wearing ear plugs. Give yourself a hug and move on.

Jeeze, I took my 10 year old to see Little Mix and didnt even think about ear plugs until now.
Tbh she wouldn't have worn them I dont think. It was her first concert (5 yrs ago now) she was like a little grown up with glitter flowers on her face, a t-shirt with her name and little mix with date and concert, a pair of denim shorts and a little across the shoulder bag. She looked adorable, danced all night while I stood with her an nearly cried at every song she sung to lol .. its a wonderful memory that will live with me (and her) forever ...

If he was 3 or 4 then maybe some ear defenders but he will be fine. You have given him a beautiful memory, we'll done mum xx

One of my friends has been a metal musician since he was a teenager, he’s only just started thinking about his hearing in his 40s and now puts pieces of his loo roll in his ears at gigs 🤨. Your son will be fine

I took my Dd to see 1 direction when she about 7/ 8, she's fine xx

Wouldn’t consider this for an 11 year old at all.

I took DD to see Sclub7 for her 9th birthday...she's in her 30's now and still has excellent hearing. 1 concert isn't going to affect his hearing, unless you were right next to the speakers.

I mean, if it was sunn-o))) or My Bloody Valentine, you would be right to be worried. But a pop gig? Nope, the sound pressure levels at modern pop concerts are very tame.

At smaller venues it’s often necessary if you are up the front as the sound levels can be very high as they don’t have flying speakers or delay speakers so in order to have reasonable sound levels at the back of the venue the level has to be seriously loud at the front. This is why small venues typically have a big bowl of disposable earplugs on the bar.

All musicians (especially drummers!) wear earplugs (or have in-ear monitors which also double as earplugs) for the same reason.

Earplugs don’t stop you from hearing the music at all, they just reduce the sound pressure level to a safe level.

Just an observation: I’ve experienced far louder noise (from the crowd) at a football match than at a rock concert (from amplified music), but I rarely see youngsters or anyone wearing ear defenders at sporting events, maybe they (we) should? I don’t think you should beat yourself up @Confusedpige0n

As I said upthread I don’t think op has to worry, but it’s bizarre all the people denying noise induced hearing loss exists from cumulative exposure to noise from gigs. I see it pretty much every week at work, noise exposure gives a distinctive shape to the hearing loss and if the patients haven’t been using power tools or working in a noisy factory then they are generally musicians, or worked in venues or went to a lot of gigs.

You will have no idea how many people are wearing musicians ear plugs because they’re pretty invisible. I’m certainly not suggesting older children and adults wear ear defenders to concerts.

He’ll be fine . It was a one off , not like he’s subjected to that every night of his life

Eh? Took my 12 year old and didn’t give ear plugs.

🤣🤣🤣 wtf

I took my 12 year old a couple of weeks ago - would never consider giving her earplugs! U had a good time - ur kid is fine and will remember it forever - my eldest daughter who is now 26 still remembers her first busted concert an she was about 7 or 8 - hearing is fine. Ur a great mum - enjoy the memories xx

Unless he complained it’s too loud don’t beat yourself up I have only ever seen babies and toddlers with them unless they have noise sensitivity you didn’t do anything wrong.

He'll be totally fine. What an amazing gig it was!

You took to your child to a live music concert where the music is going to be loud and then worried about damage to their ears … question is why take them in the first place … am I missing something … ?!

Op seriously he's 11 years old not 11 months!!! Unless he was literally stood next to a speaker he'll be fine!! Just like everyone else in the crowd!

He's been to one concert so don't beat yourself up about it. I started with Motorhead and AC/DC, moved onto a lot of reggae, dub, drum and bass, and stood by so many speakers that made my chest vibrate. I never wore ear plugs. Now in my 60s, I still like loud music but only in the last couple of years have I noticed a reduction in hearing high frequencies. I saw an audiologist who thinks I could benefit from hearing aids but they won't be essential for at least another 5 years.

His hearing will be fine, try not to worry, it sounds like he had a brilliant time 💐