You're joking, right? Troll?

Well - I'll assume you are serious and not a troll since yo've been around for quite a while.

I ask in all seriousness - WHY on Earth would you consider taking a baby or todler to a broadway show? Except for maybe Lion King-type shows (not babies/todlers though). Most children do enjoy the Lion King. But it was designed for them afterall (but I do know some little ones who were very scared by the Lion King)

Some places/events are simply inappropriate for small children. Not to mention, the person sitting next to you who forked over $100+ for his ticket will be VERY unhappy when a mother and baby sits down next to him . . . . .

I believe you would need to check on the policies of the theater/show that you are interested in. Some like Spelling Bee specifically state that Children under the age of 5 are not permitted in the theatre, for Scoundrels the cut off is age 4. Beauty & the Beast, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Lion King are listed as "Kid Friendly". If there is a specific show you are interested in, go to the ticket site for that show (telecharge or ticketcharge) and look under "Show Advisory" for restrictions

If you can afford the tickets, you can afford a babysitter.

Marsh, because there is an age limit on most plays and children are not allowed free, babies are pretty much non existent at Broadway plays.

So, even if an infant is allowed in the theatre (The Lion King probably), they still have to purchase an expensive ticket.

I forget whether the standard is children 4 and under and children under 4 for most shows. Sorry, no babies. And, others have said, why would anyone think of taking a baby to a show?
I might add that while you may be allowed to take young children to a show, I would hope that good sense and judgment would prevail in making a choice that is appropriate for a youngster.
In response to GoTravel's comment, I don't think that any Broadway theater would allow an infant into a performance.

Thanks for your responses! I certainly am not a troll! My son & his wife won a trip to NYC. She is 7 months pregnant & they have four young children! They are leaving the 3 oldest children behind with friends, but are taking the 10 month old baby with them. One Broadway play is included in their trip, but they also plan to see "Phantom". I wouldn't want to sit near them! They probably don't think they need a ticket for the baby.

They probably will not be able to take the 10 month old into the theater. Because Phantom is all ages, if they are allowed they will be required to purchase a ticket.

There isn't enough room to hold an infant on your lap in the seats.

Tell them not to even try to bring the baby to the theater. The child will NOT be allowed into the theater.

PS: I'm amazed that after having four children, your son and daughter-in-law don't realize how inappropriate and inconsiderate it would be for them to even think of bringing an infant into the theater.

Are you really Howard? I'm not. At all.

My best friend and her husband take their 15 month old child EVERYWHERE!

They had him late in life, she was 40 and he was 47, first child for both, and he goes everywhere with them.

Her significant other is a with Federal Law Enforcement on the alcohol side of things and the child has been in a couple of strip clubs.

So no, it doesn't surprise me in the least.

GoTravel, are you endorsing that practice?

Which one LOL?

Absolutely not.

I would strongly encourage them to re-think bringing the baby, as everyone mentioned above. In addition to having to buy a ticket for the child (no matter the age), many Broadway shows, including Phantom, are quite loud- I would imagine this could frighten or startle a child. A scared/crying baby would be a disruption to everyone in the audience.

I can understand not wanting to leave a child that young behind, but perhaps the hotel (or other Fodorites) can recommend a reputable babysitting service for the evening.

Just trying to get a few laughs here!
YOu're right though, I shouldn't have been amazed. "Appalled" might have been a better choice!

I guess I shouldn't have been so quick to assume it was a troll post.

The ignorance and/or selfishness of some people is often unbelievable.

I repeat: The infant will NOT be allowed into the theater! So, the parents have no choice as to whether or not to buy a ticket for him/her!

As TarheelinNJ so excellently pointed out, it is loud and scare the beegeezus out of the baby.

Update! I just spoke to my son, and a THIRD family has been found to care for the baby, so he won't be going to NYC. These four children are age 6 & under (3 year old girl twins). My husband & I are about to go on a trip to India and we live a 3 hour drive from our son & family, so that's why we are not taking on the grandchildren. Would you nice folks please join me in a moment of silent prayer for these three brave families! They will be on duty for 4 nights & days!

Thanks to all of you for your help! I knew it would not be appropriate to take a baby to the theatre.

LOL!

They have true friends!

As I recall, it's kind a belly button count situation: You got a belly button, you need a ticket. No planning on sitting the baby in your lap.

The belly button has nothing to do with it. As my earlier postings note, infants are not allowed in the theater. Period!

Howard?
I believe BTW is referring to all mammals. And I'm sure she figures infants do fall into this catergory. Well, the one still under cover gets to go for free... but that one doesn't exactly have a belly button yet per se...

This is a pretty funny thread. I'm trying to picture this...We've come to NYC for the weekend to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. We haven't been to a broadwway show in three years. We've paid, oh, a couple of hundred dollars for tickets. We arrive, dressed up, excited. As we're ushered to our seats -- WHAT?! There's a person sitting next to me holding a 10 month old infant!

I don't think so!

I'm still trying to get over the fact that this couple has 4 little kids and another one in the oven That's a lot of little kids!

Infants are not allowd in any Broadway theater - and who in their right mind would pay $100 for a ticket for one anyway. Or think tht the baby's fussing/crying would be accaptable to all the other patrons. (Even if they somehow sneaked the baby in they would be escorted out as soon as it began to cry.)

Children's shows usualy allow kids 4 and over. For regular shows kids usually have to be 7 to get in. But you can check the box office of each show for info.

Marsh, so glad to hear someone is going to watch the baby so they can have a nice vacation away from the little ones.

To jcorrea,

You can bet that as the grandmother, I am still trying to get used to the idea that they have 4 little children & 1 on the way! They are precious children, though!

It's actually only $5 for a Lap Child seat (in CA), don't know how much in NY.

And what's wrong with having four little kids and one in the oven? Some people (especially in their 30s) would like a large family and just don't have the luxury to space them out like other (younger) people do. If it's not a problem for them, then it shouldn't be a problem for anyone else. And what fun for all those young kids once they're all older.

????

Yes, the nutballs are out again.

Why revive an ancient post to discuss your views on family planning? Go to the Lounge.

Is your quiver full????

If you want a large family, get to it when the gettin's good. None of this career nonsense. BREED EARLY BREED OFTEN!!

NO PROBLEM.... Since this is a post from 2005.. the baby is now old enough..... perhaps the baby could bring their own children in a few more years....

Some children are not little monsters and their parents shouldn't be punished because of their age! My son is 10 months old and is easily engaged in anything with a lot of visual stimulation. I'm pretty sure shows like "The Lion King," "Spiderman," "Mary Poppins,and "Beauty and the Beast" would be appropriate for well-behaving kids. If your kids are loud, screaming maniac children, you shouldn't take them anywhere where you're making someone else listen to that craziness! However, if your kids are ready for the real world, you should expose them to it! I saw someone comment about taking a baby to a strip club - pretty distasteful - but I'm sure most parents practice better judgement. It is unfortunate that there is such a negative view towards people with kids on here.

boredmommy, if you are seriously thinking of taking your 10 month old to a Broadway show, please do us all a big favor and post here what or when that show might be so we can avoid it.
I realize you think your child is unique, but I do not want to sit next to ANY 10 month old sitting in a parent's lap through a 2 to 3 hour performance, no matter how wonderfully stimulating or engaging you think it is.

For the record, I DO love children and believe strongly in exposing them to the arts at a fairly early age -- but in my humble opinion, taking a 10 month old to a Broadway show is as poor judgement as taking that baby to a strip club you mentioned above.

"It is unfortunate that there is such a negative view towards people with kids on here"

The vast majority of adults end up having kids. It is nothing special. Get over yourself.

FWIW, the kid in the original post, even if a newborn at the time, will be 8 this year, certainly old enough for a Broadway show.

Did boredmommy revive this thread because she's bored?

It's funny this was revived. Mostly because my mom and I were just talking about the fact that they took me (as a 2 or 3 y/o!!!) to see "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" (I think at the Kennedy Center).

So many questionable lines of thinking in that decision. But I wasn't scarred by it--apparently I loved listening to the record with my dad at home so they took me along. Foolish and rude in retrospect of course--I kept trying to sing along with the songs, especially "The Sidestep." My mom cannot believe she did this.

I was the oldest child. They made lots of new-parent-my-child-is-different mistakes with me. They also took me on Space Mountain in Disney when I was 2.5.

The earliest show I actually remember being at? 42nd Street. Still a fave.

<<<They also took me on Space Mountain in Disney when I was 2.5>>>

You must be very tall

"I'm pretty sure shows like "The Lion King," "Spiderman," "Mary Poppins,and "Beauty and the Beast" would be appropriate for well-behaving kids."

Sorry boredmommy - but you are soooooooooo wrong. NO show of any kind is appropriate for a 10 month old.

meant to add: "It is unfortunate that there is such a negative view towards people with kids on here"

Folks on here don't have a negative view of kids (well, a few do but not most) - we were all kids once.

What we have are negative views of 'entitled' parents who think their little darlings have the 'right' to go anywhere even when totally inappropriate.

Taking an infant to a Broadway show is simply ridiculous. And what makes you think they would let you hold one. You would have to buy it a seat. Everyone going in has to have a ticket. If you want to spend a hundred bucks for an infant to get really bored, start whining and irritating many dozens of people - well you need your head examined.

The traditional age for shows is 5 - but IMHO many 5 year olds are not ready to be still for that long. More fuss will be tolerated at Disney shows since they are largely for kids - but parents - please do not expect your kids to act like adults. It's fair neither to them or the other members of the audience (or diners).

If a 5 year old is ready and interested - fine. If not - save your money until they are.

While I don't think it is appropriate to bring an infant or toddler, I'd prefer it to the two adults sitting by me at Wicked last October. The one in front of me kept checking her phone and texting. The one to my left announced 20 minutes into the show that she wasn't feeling well and made us stand up so she could go to the restroom and then returned 10 minutes later. After that we were treated to her garlic burps.

I was at Phantom two years earlier and seated behind a group of middle school age children which didn't exactly thrill me at first, but they were perfectly behaved. I'd be happy to have them as seat mates any day.

sf7307, it was before they imposed the height requirements. It's actually a fairly tame coaster in the scheme of things. But I actually remember being scared out of my wits on it. What I do not remember it what happened shortly after that--when we went down a very little slope on "It's a Small World" I began screeching from fright.

<<<It's actually a fairly tame coaster in the scheme of things.>>>

Which is why it's one of my favorites!!

Ther's a huge difference between an 11 or 12 year old and a 5 year old.

Some of the latter are really interested and able to sit still and quiet for the necessary time. But a lot just aren't ready (think of all those little kids kicking the back of your seat on a plane, whining about food or something to drink and then crawling around on the floor). do you want one of those sitting next to you in a theater?

I'm all for kids being exposed to culture - as soon as they have the self-control to behave as necessary for all to enjoy it.

As for adult misbehaving - that's why there are ushers.

As others have said under 5's shouldn't be going to Broadway shows, they go on too long and they will get bored, along with needing the loo, and getting hungry, thirsty, fidgety and constantly asking when will it finish.

You also never know how young kids are going to react at shows, I took my 7 month old son with me to see Steve Irwin's croc show, as soon as it started he was terrified because of the PA system and the crowd clapping, we had to leave after 5 mins

I haven't taken him to strip shows but I have taken him since he was around 5 to pole dancing shows. We have a pole set up in the bar and games room at home so he's used to his mum and her friends practicing on it.

This is boredmommy's first post and she's been a member here since midnight.

I went to Broadway shows starting at 5 and was enthralled, but I was expected to behave and be quiet. My mother loved musicals and played albums of many musicals all the time so I was excited to go.
I didn't take my son until he was eight.
The idea of a ten month old at a play is absurd.

I wonder what the Duggar's would do?

If someone KNOWS a behavior is inappropriate why do they ask others about it anyway?

Because they think the rules don;t apply to them. Because they think that their children are so special that the entire audience should think it adorable when the baby goos and gaas in the middle of the show - or a 3 year old starts to climb over the seats or yells out in that incredibly piercing shrill voice that little children have.

Famously Billy Crustal once stopped his one-man show when some idiot didn;t turn off his cell phone and it rang several times. He just sat and stared at the guy until he got up and left. It's true there are incredibly inconsiderate adults -but they can be dealt with.

I'm sure this mother is the type that goes to very upscale restaurants with her kids and thinks it's amusing when the children throw food and crawl around on the floor.

Anyone else taking bets that boredmommy is a regular poster here who registered a new posting name and then just posted this one post purposely knowing how everyone would tell her she's an idiot? If anyone wants to bed that's NOT the case, I'll give really good odds -- seems like a much safer bet than either team for the Super Bowl!

I agree, Patrick, that was my conclusion, although I was less blunt about it.

Hmmmm....

I'm also surprised no one has reacted to the last paragraph of Geordie's post - maybe it's the same person!

Here's the official policy:
Infants and toddlers found entering the theater will be confiscated by the house manager. They can be retrieved after 11pm at the impound lot on 12th Ave.

How much does it cost to get them out? Or do they parents to take them away?