Parent A can promise that they leave at intermission. One hour is doable at age 7. The issue is when the concert goes beyond that, which concerts geared to adults almost always do. Capital City Symphony does a family concert once a year so you should look out for that. They perform at the Atlas Theater on H Street. http://www.capitalcitysymphony.org/events |
The National Art Gallery and the American Art Gallery usually have free weekend concerts -- we just sit in the back and leave quietly between movements if the concert is too long. My 7 year old likes classical music, but I think that she is in the minority of her friends that go to concerts. If I am paying for tickets, I always ask her in advance and tell her what kind of music/instruments it will be and I won't buy them unless she says she definitely wants to go. |
The BSO also does a summer concert series that tends to be a little more casual and the programs are more family-friendly.
I think a seven-year-old can be expected to behave themselves at a classical music concert. I think a seven-year-old can be expected to attend even if they don't want to because it's important to be exposed to things. I don't think anyone can be expect to like going to classical music concerts. Some people do, some people don't. |
I don't think that "children should not be subjected to classical music concerts," but I do think that if a particular child is not into them, there's no need to force it. I like classical music, and DS is ok with an occasional concert. I also like baseball, but since DS finds it really boring and tends to be unhappy at games, I don't take him. He can just do something else with DH or his grandparents while I go. If he winds up liking it when he's older, terrific. If not, that's fine too. |
I do expect my DCs to occasionally do something I want to do just because I asked them to, in light of all the many things I do for them that I'm not actually interested in. Obviously it's about 95% me doing for them and 5% them doing for me, but I definitely expect my 5%. |