Children at Convention

[ladymidnight]

I'd really like to come to the Convention - just wondering if my two very mature, atheist 14 year olds would find it over their heads? I don't want to pay for them & then find that they are bored out of their brains.:(

Thanks

[Sir Patrick Crocodile]

I'm thinking she is referring to all those hours of long speeches. But yes as Protium mentioned we don't know your children.

[kazzaqld]

my not-so-mature 14 yearold is coming with me. I am hoping he enjoys some of the talks but I don't expect he will want to sit through all of them. He may surprise me! :rolleyes:

We shall see! :)

[ladymidnight]

Thanks for your replies - especially kazzaqld - that your son is coming to the convention makes it much easier. I was sure I would be the only one with kids. Presumably there will be somewhere for people to hang out or buy snacks/coffee if they're not in the talks.

Protium & Crocodile - you don't want to know my children :)

I'm thinking about the Sunday only now. My son wants to see Dawkins after seeing the video of him reading his hatemail!

[Praxis]

I'm probably going to incur wrath from someone for this but I feel strongly enough about it that I want to voice it out loud: I hope no little children attend the Sat night dinner.

By little children I mean under 10s - older kids are usually fine - but I'll be seriously crapped off if there's 2 or 3-year-olds running around during a talk or at the dinner. Worse, crying, squalling infants (of the under 14 months variety). Seriously, why would you?

There. I said it. And yes, I am a parent myself :)

[Sir Patrick Crocodile]

Even older than 10's can be a pain. I would say under 13's or under 14's or so.. :D
I guess I should mention I can get easily annoyed if parents can't control their children. I have seen way too many instances of this happening.

[meg]

We too are interested in finding people with children (especially from Canberra region) who are attending. Please do not put all children in the same basket - ours are intelligent and enquiring children who are devotees of scientific enquiry and can natter your head off about fusion energy etc, and whose role models are Dawkins, Krauss and the late Sagan and who WANT TO COME. So dear attendees, if you see children at the event, do not panic, do not go into spin mode, do not freak, do not worry that your opportunity for singles get-togethers might be marred. They are citizens too with a right to attend dinners and intelligent debate. If children are unruly or disruptive, it is down to the adults in charge of them - it is the way they are brought up and treated, it is not because they are children. Or if they are very young, because they should be in bed. Many people who have changed the world (for the better) were children at the knees of parents who nattered into the night with intelligent debate. And there are many ADULTS who have marred my enjoyment of events I have attended. So take care not to be offensive with your comments and warnings to those of us bringing children, it is in my view very important that some of them come to an event that may shape their views and therefore the future. We will be glad to meet others coming with their families. :)

[gj83]

I'm probably going to incur wrath from someone for this but I feel strongly enough about it that I want to voice it out loud: I hope no little children attend the Sat night dinner.

By little children I mean under 10s - older kids are usually fine - but I'll be seriously crapped off if there's 2 or 3-year-olds running around during a talk or at the dinner. Worse, crying, squalling infants (of the under 14 months variety). Seriously, why would you?

There. I said it. And yes, I am a parent myself :)
I used to get dragged every year to insurance conventions from ages 4-9. My parents would always take us to the formal dinner during the convention. My parents used it as a teaching tool for etiquette, but aside from that I just remember being bored and I didn't like having to feel proper for the evening. I haven't been to any atheist conferences so I don't know if they are more laid back, but all catered functions deserve basic dinner etiquette and good behavior. It was boredom that lead to wanting to act out, not anything else. Each child is different, but I believe I was around 12 or so when I could begin understanding formal dinner procedures well enough. Maybe it's different for us Americans since we tend to be less formal (one of my college classes actually featured a dining etiquette video by an Australian for Americans).

So my vote: under 12-14 no for conference and especially no for Saturday night. Over 12-14 the kid should know if he/she has an interest in atheism. My local atheist group has a family with a 17 and 18 year old and they have participated for a couple years.

[mmurray]

But this is an atheists convention -- aren't babies on the menu ?

More seriously surely a lot of the kids would much prefer permission to order anything from room service and access to the non-adult part of the pay movies.

Michael

[Annie]

I'm probably going to incur wrath from someone for this but I feel strongly enough about it that I want to voice it out loud: I hope no little children attend the Sat night dinner.

By little children I mean under 10s - older kids are usually fine - but I'll be seriously crapped off if there's 2 or 3-year-olds running around during a talk or at the dinner. Worse, crying, squalling infants (of the under 14 months variety). Seriously, why would you?

There. I said it. And yes, I am a parent myself :)


If there are any kids running around my table I cant promise i wont stick my foot out to trip them up.:eek:

[Melbmum]

It's a pity that there isn't anything organised for children - so that parents of kids under the teen years can also attend such conventions, knowing that their children are attending something. Dunno what that could be, but it might have been a good idea.

Fiona

[Praxis]

It's a pity that there isn't anything organised for children - so that parents of kids under the teen years can also attend such conventions, knowing that their children are attending something. Dunno what that could be, but it might have been a good idea.

Fiona
I don't know what any child under the teen years could get out of hearing a lecure from Peter Singer or Professor Dawkins, to be honest. My guess is they'd be bored out of their gourd. I mean, I know many kids are bright, but really, these things are for adults IMO.

Or do you mean something like a creche-type of facility? I would have thought that would be a totally unnecessary expense for the organisers.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-child, I'm a parent myself. I just think that there shouldn't be any onus on event organisers to provide for delegates' children and that people can simply get someone to mind the ankle biters.

Cheers.

[Dan]

It's a pity that there isn't anything organised for children - so that parents of kids under the teen years can also attend such conventions, knowing that their children are attending something. Dunno what that could be, but it might have been a good idea.

Fiona

We just need a big pit full of plastic balls.

[Annie]

I don't know what any child under the teen years could get out of hearing a lecure from Peter Singer or Professor Dawkins, to be honest. My guess is they'd be bored out of their gourd. I mean, I know many kids are bright, but really, these things are for adults IMO.

Or do you mean something like a creche-type of facility? I would have thought that would be a totally unnecessary expense for the organisers.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-child, I'm a parent myself. I just think that there shouldn't be any onus on event organisers to provide for delegates' children and that people can simply get someone to mind the ankle biters.

Cheers. Agreed Praxis. Im not anti-child either as I am a parent too but I dont see this as being the responsibility of the organisers of the convention. If we go to the movies, a wedding, a concert, a play, a pub, a restaurant, we dont expect to have our babysitting needs accommodated by the hosts. I suggest a little time with family or friends would be great for the kiddies. :)

[starr]

Agreed Praxis. Im not anti-child either as I am a parent too but I dont see this as being the responsibility of the organisers of the convention. If we go to the movies, a wedding, a concert, a play, a pub, a restaurant, we dont expect to have our babysitting needs accommodated by the hosts. I suggest a little time with family or friends would be great for the kiddies. :)

I agree with Praxis and Annie. I'm also not anti-child and I'm also a parent (my kids are 5 and 3).