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Ok So I am going to covention the 2ed one.. and am total happy but we just had a family problem and my husband who was going to come and watch my baby is now not going to be able to make it : ( So I have to take him by myself? How hard is this?
Ok 2ed question is that I have a little babysitter that can come she is 11years old.. not very old and has not really had alot of time with babys but she is willing to come and I called DS and they said she can bring by baby to me and stuff but not go in the make and takes or the classes...
So I guess is what I am asking is it worth it to have her come.. she loves stamps so will she think it is cool, will she be able to see anything? Will she get to eat lunch with me??
Any help will be great thanks girls!
Tiff
Personally, I'd be a little nervous leaving an 11 yr old out in the convention center alone and responsible for a baby.
If I were you, I'd just bring the baby with me. I was a M&T helper last year and loved holding babies for the moms who were stamping. As long as there are good M&T helpers, you shouldn't have a problem with that. At classes, sit on an aisle so you can escape if needed. At General Sessions, SU! always has a "mommy room" set up close by where you can watch on a screen what is going on while you are feeding the baby.
There should be plenty of helping hands. You won't really be alone.
So she will be alone while you do those things? Hmm...that seems like a lot of time for it to just be her and the baby. Where would she be able to sit..did DS say?
__________________ Keva
We shouldn't have expectations of others that we, ourselves, could not fulfill.
Everytime I try to take one of my kids to something fun for me, I end up spending the majority of my time taking care of them. If you aren't nursing I would try to find someone to watch them during the day (or whatever hours hubby can't be home) instead of taking him with you.
I don't know about the 11 yo. My cousin is 12 and my littlest is 2 months old. She helps with him when we're visiting (once a week at least) but definitely could not care for him without an adult present. So the 11 yo capabilities to care for your baby would really depend on if you truly think she could handle it.
So are you nursing? Does baby have to go to Convention with you?
The convention center is HUGE and we are not the only event going on inside. I would NOT leave an 11 year old alone in there, with or without a baby to watch. That's a really long time for her to sit with the baby alone.
Not to hijack this thread but are you telling me that I could have brought my 8 month old to convention with me? He's the reason I didn't go!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!
Not to hijack this thread but are you telling me that I could have brought my 8 month old to convention with me? He's the reason I didn't go!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!
The convention center is HUGE and we are not the only event going on inside. I would NOT leave an 11 year old alone in there, with or without a baby to watch. That's a really long time for her to sit with the baby alone.
I tend to agree... There will be a lot of people in and out of the convention center.
How old is your baby? I brought my youngest to Convention 2003 when he was about 2 months old. It went very well. I was with my upline and a few in my crossline who could help with the baby if needed, but even if I was by myself, I would have been ok. My upline's husband (who loves babies) babysat so I could do the M&Ts. That was when they had stations set up and you moved from station to station, standing up to stamp, not like they do it now sitting at tables. I think as long as your baby is happy to sit in the stroller or ride in a carrier, you will be fine. My DS slept right through the loud music, etc. during the 'main stage' events and there were many people who were happy to hold a baby when I needed some help.
Personally, I think an 11 year old is too young to leave alone with the baby, especially in a strange place.
Thanks so much for all your advise! My baby is 10 months old, but is just starting to walk and I am praying will be good in my hip sling for most of the day! I did not think I could bring a stroller? Can I? I thought you just had to hold him? But I was worried about when he went to sleep where I could put him down, if I canbring his stroller that would be great!!
Tiff
Oh, yeah you can bring a stroller. Get for carrying all your stuff! Most of these women are moms and love to hold babies as mom eats and stamps. You will be FINE! I've been to 2 leaderships with women in my sideline who had babies and no issues at all.
And to a previous post, yes you could have brought your baby. SU! ALWAYS allows babies, in arms only.
Yes. You can bring your babies in stollers now. Originally it was only in arms. I sent an e-mail to DS asking for feedback for their reasoning of babies in arms only and this is what they replied with:
"Thank you for your e-mail regarding the upcoming convention. We
sincerely appreciate the feedback that you have shared with us and want you to know that we have forwarded this along to the appropriate department
for further review and consideration.
Also know that after researching this matter further we have determined
that you will in fact be able to bring your baby in a stroller to this
event. Keep in mind however, that you will need to keep the stroller
clear from any isle ways for safety reasons. We have been informed that
more information will be made available regarding this matter once the
online orientation is posted. "
Oh, yeah! You can bring your stroller! There is no way you could carry your baby, the diaper bag & your convention bag without it!
Basically, they just say "babes in arms" to refer to the age of child allowed. They don't want kids who can walk all over by themselves to be there. But they don't mean your baby has to be actually in your arms all the time. Bring a blanket and if the floor is carpeted around the M&Ts, your baby can play on it while you stamp. There were a couple babies doing that last year.
Is there a local teenager from church/relative/familyfriend that you could bring with you? Or another adult friend that wants to come along for the ride?
I think leaving an 11 year old and a 10 month old in a public place alone is asking for trouble. I'm sure you can trust your 11 year old, but I wouldn't trust other people.
And you could also be dealing with not only some unsavory person approaching your children, but you could also be dealing with someone having the best intentions of your children's safety and alerting local authorities that a child is watching a child without parental supervision in a strange and public place. It's happened where I live. Not fun.
__________________ Erika Martin * Vermont * SU! Demo * My blog: Stampin' Mama
Thanks so much for all your advise! My baby is 10 months old, but is just starting to walk and I am praying will be good in my hip sling for most of the day! I did not think I could bring a stroller? Can I? I thought you just had to hold him? But I was worried about when he went to sleep where I could put him down, if I canbring his stroller that would be great!!
Tiff
I've been to 3 conventions and 5 regionals, babies in strollers were always welcome. They didn't want toddlers or anything older. You will be fine with your 10 month old and stroller - you will have areas you need to keep to (keep out of aisles, etc.) but you will be fine. What won't be allowed is your 11 year old sitter. I'd find other arrangements for her, as others have said up thread it's too public of a place for an 11 year old, no matter how responsible. Of course, no one hopes that anyone bad would be in the convention center but also there could be lots of good, well-intentioned people who would probably call authorities to protect those kids in that open area.
HTH,
__________________ Kelly
Stampin' crazed since 2001 Dean's wife, Andy and Matt's mom, and Jesus' sister.
"If they wouldn't make you leave your belly off, they shouldn't make you leave your baby" is my rule...
ie: bungee junping not allowed preggers therefore not allowed with a babe...
meetings /seminars / meals... pregnant ...yes/ babe yes...
I remember seeing there were lots of babies at regional conventions...
I think it's a great photo op for their scrapbook..."I been scrappin and stampin since I wuz borned!"
only sensible since you don't have to phone home and worry... or cry in the bathroom(I was always emotional when I was away for more than just a quick visit), or run away to pump to keep up your milk supply...
(wasting milk!horrors! :(I always had a hard time to pump and dispose when babe was at home drinkin my banked milk... )
I would ask sympathetic close group members for aid rather than adding an 11 yr -o,
and realize you *may* miss some things, get okay with that ...;) oh ya, you're a mom!lol
a sling is great, a stroller great, playing pass the baby...GREAT!
just be careful what you get back for swaps...!
LOL!
have fun lucky duck!
__________________ if your path is boobytrapped you are probably on the right track to treasure BUT if everything is inordinately hard you probably are rushing to the final exam in the wrong place a day early.
When they said "babes in arms" I thought that was just referring to the fact that they can't be mobil. As in old enough to run around. I have always seen people with strollers.
I agree with the majority. Baby is fine with the stroller and the hip sling. The sling when he is awake so he feels a part of what is going on, stroller for naps and keeping swaps in, etc.
Don't bother with the 11 YO. It will not be helpful to you to have to worry about her AND baby, and she is too young anyways. (IMHO!) Just bring your baby and enjoy.
I brought my 4 month old to Regionals. She is a fussy baby unless she is in my sling, so that is where she stayed. I did not make the M&T because I could not manage, but I still got everything and took it home to make when I get home. It was a BLAST and I loved it. Yes, I left a little early and yes I had to stand in the back and sway to keep her satisfied, but it was still worth it.
Best,
Carol O.
__________________ Carol O.
Stampin' CIA
Carol's Information Agency
Ok...I think everyone is getting a little too literal. They (SU) mean the age of babies in arms...you won't carry around a 5 year old all day. Of course you may bring strollers...how else would you have them at convention?
I mentioned the "babies in arms" because of the 10 or 11 year old. The baby is more than welcome.
Ok...I think everyone is getting a little too literal. They (SU) mean the age of babies in arms...you won't carry around a 5 year old all day. Of course you may bring strollers...how else would you have them at convention?
I mentioned the "babies in arms" because of the 10 or 11 year old. The baby is more than welcome.
Actually, a couple years ago they literally would not allow strollers in the convention area due to fire hazard rules and such. They can not block aisles and that kind of thing. It does depend on the convention center, some have different rules than others.
No worries this year. Strollers are DEFINITELY allowed!
Carol O.
__________________ Carol O.
Stampin' CIA
Carol's Information Agency
plus oftentimes it's the best place to be to get some calm is at the back of the general sessions, park the stroller behind the back row of bleachers if there are bleachers there, and sit quietly at the back rather than in all the frey of jumpin dancin demos. Then maybe you have a sideline, downline, upline, or a new friend, that can watch the baby while you go up front and jump dance and cheer with the rowdies!! (not diggin on anyone, i was one of the rowdies many years!!-just not the past few years)
__________________ Lisa @stampylisa -Twitter/PinterestSupport AFSPHoard stamp stuff, it's eco-friendly ;)Art=making something out of nothing and selling it~Frank Zappa~my Blog~My Health Coaching web
Please give your advise!
