Capital Pride Celebration with kids

[Anonymous]

We ended up inadvertently taking our 3 year old last year. By inadvertently, I mean we had dinner not far from the parade route and then walked along 14th street as the last few floats went by. He loved it. At 3, the mature content was not something he noticed. Overall, given the later hour 14th was not as crowded, and yet there were still lots of music, balloons, beads, etc to make it fun. 3 year old has talked about going again for the entire year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We ended up inadvertently taking our 3 year old last year. By inadvertently, I mean we had dinner not far from the parade route and then walked along 14th street as the last few floats went by. He loved it. At 3, the mature content was not something he noticed. Overall, given the later hour 14th was not as crowded, and yet there were still lots of music, balloons, beads, etc to make it fun. 3 year old has talked about going again for the entire year.

OP has a 5 yo, at that age the kid will surely notice the mature content. At 5 kids are in the development stage in which they pay close attention to genitalia (see Freud’s stages of development).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
"Mature content" is NOT family friendly, IMO.

Yeah, that’s a good reason to stay home and pull down the shades. There is way worse nudity on tv , along with gross violence that you won’t see at the parade.
The parade is a very happy event.

Weird. Who lets their 12 year old watch nudity and violence on TV?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
"Mature content" is NOT family friendly, IMO.

Yeah, that’s a good reason to stay home and pull down the shades. There is way worse nudity on tv , along with gross violence that you won’t see at the parade.
The parade is a very happy event.

Weird. Who lets their 12 year old watch nudity and violence on TV?

Apparently PP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We ended up inadvertently taking our 3 year old last year. By inadvertently, I mean we had dinner not far from the parade route and then walked along 14th street as the last few floats went by. He loved it. At 3, the mature content was not something he noticed. Overall, given the later hour 14th was not as crowded, and yet there were still lots of music, balloons, beads, etc to make it fun. 3 year old has talked about going again for the entire year.

OP has a 5 yo, at that age the kid will surely notice the mature content. At 5 kids are in the development stage in which they pay close attention to genitalia (see Freud’s stages of development).

There won't be genitalia exposed at the parade, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We ended up inadvertently taking our 3 year old last year. By inadvertently, I mean we had dinner not far from the parade route and then walked along 14th street as the last few floats went by. He loved it. At 3, the mature content was not something he noticed. Overall, given the later hour 14th was not as crowded, and yet there were still lots of music, balloons, beads, etc to make it fun. 3 year old has talked about going again for the entire year.

OP has a 5 yo, at that age the kid will surely notice the mature content. At 5 kids are in the development stage in which they pay close attention to genitalia (see Freud’s stages of development).

There won't be genitalia exposed at the parade, right?

They are not naked if this is what you are asking. But there are certain attires that are definitely getting attention to genitalia in a way that is not appropriate for minors. In a certain sense naked would be better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We ended up inadvertently taking our 3 year old last year. By inadvertently, I mean we had dinner not far from the parade route and then walked along 14th street as the last few floats went by. He loved it. At 3, the mature content was not something he noticed. Overall, given the later hour 14th was not as crowded, and yet there were still lots of music, balloons, beads, etc to make it fun. 3 year old has talked about going again for the entire year.

OP has a 5 yo, at that age the kid will surely notice the mature content. At 5 kids are in the development stage in which they pay close attention to genitalia (see Freud’s stages of development).

There won't be genitalia exposed at the parade, right?

Yes there is. We stumbled upon the parade once and saw a lot of penises.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We ended up inadvertently taking our 3 year old last year. By inadvertently, I mean we had dinner not far from the parade route and then walked along 14th street as the last few floats went by. He loved it. At 3, the mature content was not something he noticed. Overall, given the later hour 14th was not as crowded, and yet there were still lots of music, balloons, beads, etc to make it fun. 3 year old has talked about going again for the entire year.

OP has a 5 yo, at that age the kid will surely notice the mature content. At 5 kids are in the development stage in which they pay close attention to genitalia (see Freud’s stages of development).

There won't be genitalia exposed at the parade, right?

Yes there is. We stumbled upon the parade once and saw a lot of penises.

I've been quite a few times and never saw exposed penises. There are, however, a lot of assless chaps and topless women, and men in BDSM-themed costumes. That's certainly the minority of floats though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We ended up inadvertently taking our 3 year old last year. By inadvertently, I mean we had dinner not far from the parade route and then walked along 14th street as the last few floats went by. He loved it. At 3, the mature content was not something he noticed. Overall, given the later hour 14th was not as crowded, and yet there were still lots of music, balloons, beads, etc to make it fun. 3 year old has talked about going again for the entire year.

OP has a 5 yo, at that age the kid will surely notice the mature content. At 5 kids are in the development stage in which they pay close attention to genitalia (see Freud’s stages of development).

There won't be genitalia exposed at the parade, right?

Yes there is. We stumbled upon the parade once and saw a lot of penises.

I've been quite a few times and never saw exposed penises. There are, however, a lot of assless chaps and topless women, and men in BDSM-themed costumes. That's certainly the minority of floats though.

They might be painted or glittered but they’re there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
"Mature content" is NOT family friendly, IMO.

Yeah, that’s a good reason to stay home and pull down the shades. There is way worse nudity on tv , along with gross violence that you won’t see at the parade.
The parade is a very happy event.

I mean, choosing not to take a 5 year to a parade that might have explicit sexual content is not the equivalent of staying home and pulling down the shades. Let them be little! . Same reason you DONT let 5 year olds watch shows with nudity and gross violence on tv? (!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We ended up inadvertently taking our 3 year old last year. By inadvertently, I mean we had dinner not far from the parade route and then walked along 14th street as the last few floats went by. He loved it. At 3, the mature content was not something he noticed. Overall, given the later hour 14th was not as crowded, and yet there were still lots of music, balloons, beads, etc to make it fun. 3 year old has talked about going again for the entire year.

OP has a 5 yo, at that age the kid will surely notice the mature content. At 5 kids are in the development stage in which they pay close attention to genitalia (see Freud’s stages of development).

There won't be genitalia exposed at the parade, right?

Yes there is. We stumbled upon the parade once and saw a lot of penises.

I've been quite a few times and never saw exposed penises. There are, however, a lot of assless chaps and topless women, and men in BDSM-themed costumes. That's certainly the minority of floats though.

The further the better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We ended up inadvertently taking our 3 year old last year. By inadvertently, I mean we had dinner not far from the parade route and then walked along 14th street as the last few floats went by. He loved it. At 3, the mature content was not something he noticed. Overall, given the later hour 14th was not as crowded, and yet there were still lots of music, balloons, beads, etc to make it fun. 3 year old has talked about going again for the entire year.

OP has a 5 yo, at that age the kid will surely notice the mature content. At 5 kids are in the development stage in which they pay close attention to genitalia (see Freud’s stages of development).

There won't be genitalia exposed at the parade, right?

apparently youve never been to a gay pride parade

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We ended up inadvertently taking our 3 year old last year. By inadvertently, I mean we had dinner not far from the parade route and then walked along 14th street as the last few floats went by. He loved it. At 3, the mature content was not something he noticed. Overall, given the later hour 14th was not as crowded, and yet there were still lots of music, balloons, beads, etc to make it fun. 3 year old has talked about going again for the entire year.

OP has a 5 yo, at that age the kid will surely notice the mature content. At 5 kids are in the development stage in which they pay close attention to genitalia (see Freud’s stages of development).

There won't be genitalia exposed at the parade, right?

apparently youve never been to a gay pride parade

I've been to many gay pride parades and NEVER seen genitalia exposed. I'm not saying it couldn't ever have happened, but it's certainly not common. I am the previous poster who recommended heading to the Rainbow Families family area. It's basically on a full block next to the parade route. That way if you want to draw your kids' attention away from any inappropriate content in the parade you can just say: Hey, look at this sack race getting started or something. I've brought my kid to pride. He loved all the positive attention he got and the beads and candy. He never saw anything I even had to explain later. One year he got an inflatable Pink Flamingo. He loved it. Those of you who make Pride out to be some horrific scene of hedonistic misdeeds probably haven't ever been to pride. Some bar floats do come by, but they are all in one section of the parade, which a family could easily grab an ice cream during and miss. More corporate groups and school groups than half-dressed people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
"Mature content" is NOT family friendly, IMO.

Yeah, that’s a good reason to stay home and pull down the shades. There is way worse nudity on tv , along with gross violence that you won’t see at the parade.
The parade is a very happy event.

I mean, choosing not to take a 5 year to a parade that might have explicit sexual content is not the equivalent of staying home and pulling down the shades. Let them be little! . Same reason you DONT let 5 year olds watch shows with nudity and gross violence on tv? (!)

+1 I would never take my kids there.

[Anonymous]

We are a 2 Mom family. We took DD when she was 2, last year when she was 5 and we are going tomorrow, she is now 6.
Did not see any penises the last 2 times, We did see men and women scantily clad, some butt cheeks, but they were dancing and waving flags and rainbows and it was fun. Also saw drag queens.

We told DD what the Parade was about as far as Gay Pride and also that its about respecting that everyone is different and being different doesnt mean you are unkind or mean, its just being different. We want her to see that there are a lot of families like ours and there are lots of different kinds of people in the world.