How kid friendly is TAM4 going to be?

Quilthugger

New Blood
Q
Joined
Sep 9, 2005
Messages
6
I'm trying to figure out a way to go. I'm thinking I'll probably have to leave the husband at home with my 8 year old daughter, but I'd love to bring the whole family. We took her to see Penn & Teller and she's even seen a few B***S*** episodes (not the tantric sex one, though!) She is about as hard-core a skeptic as any kid can be. (We say she may grow up to be any number of things, but gullible is not one of them.) She even watches PBS and the Science Channel with me and thinks she knows as much about String Theory as I do (and she might be right!) So would she just be too bored for words? I don't know I could really swing it to pay for registration for her, either....

Anyway, thought I'd ask and see what responses I get. Thanks!

Susan E.
 
I could be wrong, but I seem to recall somewhere that kids were discouraged? Just call Linda and find out.

I know last year there were a few complaints because one idiot couple actually brought a baby. Yes, a baby. To a conference. I am not making that up.
 
Babies are not a good idea, but I don't see why an 8-year old can't attend. Sure, it might get a bit boring at times, but that's the way it is. As long as he can be quiet.

Slick brings his teenage daughters, and I've also seen other youths there.
 
I guess some of the talks might be boring for her - the more scientific ones, probably. But that´s not all there is. There will be more than enough magic and entertainment in the schedule; and between talks, there´s Jerry Andrus showing optical tricks, Jamy Ian Swiss and his card tricks...

Besides, I think a couple of other posters are planning to bring their kids, too - those will be teens, though. Your daughter will probably be the youngest, but she won´t be the only kid around.


And I think that, if you bring her, I can arrange for her to be a judge at the Chocolate Challenge. She´ll love that!
 
We had said no children under 13, primarily because of the fact there will be "adult language", knowing Penn, but a well-behaved 8 year old (emphasis on "well-behaved) should be ok. Most of the talks should be interesting for a child.

Yes, we did have a baby in attendance last year. It was horrible. We had to ask them to leave.
 
Language not an issue

She has seen the "Humbug" episode, and we took her to see P&T in Vegas last Spring. I'm not concerned about her picking up words, my husband doesn't restrain his language much, though he's not as um, inventive, as Penn- LOL. The only ones she ever seems to pick up are from me, go figure. I think the difference is that if I'm going to curse, it is said with a lot of emotion. My husband just throws them in out of habit. But she's never gotten into trouble at school for coarse language- just for saying things like "Saint Nick was a real man, but he's dead now" and "Santa is your father.";)

As far as the baby at the previous meeting, I can see where it might be worth a try if the infant was young enough to be sleeping more than awake- but courtesy would dictate grabbing the seat closest to the door and fleeing at the first whimper. I did know a gal who managed to bring her infant to Organic Chemistry class for the first couple of months of his life without significantly disrupting the class. Depends a lot on the kid's personality and the parents' sensitivity, but it is not unfathomable. Of course, the problem is that by the time you figure out whether you've got one of those kids, they've grown enough to change their habits. One of the things that keeps parenting challenging!

I am thinking it really doesn't make sense for her. She's well behaved- for a hyperactive 8 year old, LOL. Of course, the meds help. A lot! But I just wouldn't want to put that much pressure on her to perform: "You can be the exception to the rule, but that means everybody is going to be watching you, waiting to show that the rule is there for a reason." I'm not contesting the reason, either- people pay good money to go to hear and see the speakers, and they deserve not to be distracted by (hopefully) whispered requests for clarification or the "I'm hungry/cold/bored" or "When can we go swimming?" mantras. So I'll be telling her the rule is that you have to be at least 13 for TAM4. Whether we try to bring her to Vegas or I'll be coming solo- or just order the DVDs, I've yet to decide, though....

Thanks for the reality checks!

Susan E.
 
Linda said:
We had said no children under 13, primarily because of the fact there will be "adult language", knowing Penn, but a well-behaved 8 year old (emphasis on "well-behaved) should be ok. Most of the talks should be interesting for a child.

Yes, we did have a baby in attendance last year. It was horrible. We had to ask them to leave.
Click to expand...


It should be noted that I went out and bought some M and M's for the little child (I think that was the baby, because a baby would probably work...this was a toddler) and the mother informed me the child did not eat candy. I was thinking, "well, for a treat for the poor child....plus candy will shut the kid up!"
I will not mention the JREF staff member that had the interesting cell phone ring!

Vegas has a lot of fun things for a child her age. So, other than some interesting bill boards, she should be fine. Don't tarry in the slots areas though. Children are verbotten!
 
Vegas is Disneyland for grown-ups. Emphasis very much on the words "grown-ups".

However from first-hand experience with a nine-year-old daughter, there's still lots for them to enjoy in Vegas, although they will definitely need adult supervision. Try stuff like the Ripley's "Believe It Or Not!" Museum, and any of the places with fun rides. I gather it would also not be too hard to find more outdoor adventure pursuits - horse-riding and rock-climbing expeditions, Lake Mead, etc. And I don't know about this for sure, but do the local Air Force bases have tours? Then again, there's always Grand Canyon and regions...

Good luck!
 
kittynh said:
Vegas has a lot of fun things for a child her age. So, other than some interesting bill boards, she should be fine. Don't tarry in the slots areas though. Children are verbotten!
Click to expand...
If you have young children and you want to shield their tender eyes from pictures of ladies in scanty clothing, I recommend that you stay off the Strip on Friday and Saturday nights. There are hundreds of people out there handing out promos for strip clubs, escort services, and the like.

Now, if your child just happens to find one of these promos anyway (they are, after all, hard to avoid), and if your child asks you about it, you can take the opportunity to teach your child an important moral lesson.

"This lady came to Las Vegas and gambled," you explain. "And she lost all her money. Now she is so poor that she has no clothes!"
 
There are some kid-friendly places in Vegas. Siegfried and Roy's animal exhibit comes to mind. There is also a big indoor amusement park at Circus Circus. Kids also like the rides on top of the Stratosphere.

If you want to bring kids, invest a few bucks in a paperback book (e.g., Fodor's Travel Guide) about the city. it should give you a list of the attractions that are suitable for, and typically cater to, the younger set.
 
Brown said:
There are some kid-friendly places in Vegas. Siegfried and Roy's animal exhibit comes to mind.
Click to expand...

You just have to use a lot of strength to throw the kids over the fence.

Brown said:
Kids also like the rides on top of the Stratosphere.
Click to expand...

Tell them that seatbelts are optional.
 
CFLarsen said:
You just have to use a lot of strength to throw the kids over the fence.


Tell them that seatbelts are optional.
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quilthugger, just so you can identify CF Larsen at TAM4, here is a picture of him....




wcfields.jpg
 
chortle

giggle

guffaw
:dl:

Thanks, I needed that!

Started looking at the finances and don't think I'll be going after all :(

Not that I don't have the money (well, credit, anyway), just that I need to spend it elsewhere. I'm pretty disappointed. :hb:

I am going to order the DVDs of previous TAMs, though. Living vicariously! And I can share them with my daughter at her pace....

Susan E.
 
Quilthugger said:
chortle

giggle

guffaw
:dl:

Thanks, I needed that!

Started looking at the finances and don't think I'll be going after all :(

Not that I don't have the money (well, credit, anyway), just that I need to spend it elsewhere. I'm pretty disappointed. :hb:

I am going to order the DVDs of previous TAMs, though. Living vicariously! And I can share them with my daughter at her pace....

Susan E.
Click to expand...


Quilthugger, anybody who laughs at my jokes desrves to be at TAM4.

Don't despair yet--there are grants (see the sticky above by Paul Aganapolouis (sic) ) and if you check back here this weekend I may have a surprise for you and some others......:cool:
 
Re: Here was MY mental image

Quilthugger said:
archie2.jpg


Glad to see I wasn't too far off....

Susan E.
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Well, actually Claus looks like the big, muscular, hairy, horned-helmet-wearing viking that he is. :vk:

Except that we no longer allow him to carry that big axe of his since that incident last year... :eek:
 
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