Not at all. I didn't love taking my kids at the age because I didn't enjoy it-- I was always getting up for some reason. Definitely better to leave them at home at that age.

Anonymous wrote:Taking my baseball loving 6yr old to a MLB game next sat, and decided to get a sitter for my 3yr old. I just don’t think she is old enough to sit through it, and would be ready to leave after 30mins or just want to run around the whole time. I absolutely plan on taking her when she is older. My mom says it’s not fair we are leaving her at home, because plenty of people take their 3yr olds to baseball games. Am I being unfair to my DD?

It has been a long time since your mother has had a 3 year old. She has obviously forgotten what it’s like. LOL.

You’re the expert.

Stop questioning normal parenting choices! This sort of mentality blows my mind. “Thanks mom, but we’ve got this!

Team OP. Grandma can take the 3-year old on her own some time if she *really* thinks the 3-year old should go to a game.

I would like to enjoy the game, too, and that would be hard with a 3-year old.

When I see younger kids at the games, like those under 5 or 6, they are always up and down with their parents. Very interested in running up and down the steps there as well as wiggling in their seats. Five to 6 is the perfect age to start them. Younger than that, they have zero attention span for it.

We took DS when he was 3 but we went knowing that we would leave early because there was no way he was staying the entire time. We also knew we would be taking turns taking the little dude to the bathroom and for small walks. But we love going to the Cubs/Nats games and wanted to go. DS lasted until the 7th inning with minimal wandering. We still go now.

As for the netting, it is not awful. It is great that it is up. Precisely because it protects fans. Just like the plexi glass, or whatever it is at hockey games, protects fans. The speed that the ball/puck moves at is crazy and can do a lot of damage. The netting doesn't interfere with anything it just takes a little bit to adjust to.

No.

We left our 2.5yr old home with grandparents for several nap time and late evening events this summer with our 5yr old. 5yr old gets a special outing and toddler gets focused attention without his brother around from people he loves.

During preschool we will take the younger one on his own special outings on days when his brother is in kindergarten.

We make a point to take each kid for a special day or activity with both parents a few times a year. They love picking their activity and having our undivided attention.

You are doing the right thing. A three-year-old will be so bored and nobody will be able to enjoy the game with him around.

Parents often say things like this because they don't remember the reality of small kids. My parents have often remarked that they don't understand why we don't travel internationally any more with our baby and toddler. They don't get why we can't go to fancy dinners at 7pm or so (kids are asleep?!). Once you're even a few years out from the baby/toddler stage you forget how difficult it is and how short their attention spans are. My 3 year old would sit for maybe 30 minutes of a baseball game and she's well behaved.

Anonymous wrote:Taking my baseball loving 6yr old to a MLB game next sat, and decided to get a sitter for my 3yr old. I just don’t think she is old enough to sit through it, and would be ready to leave after 30mins or just want to run around the whole time. I absolutely plan on taking her when she is older. My mom says it’s not fair we are leaving her at home, because plenty of people take their 3yr olds to baseball games. Am I being unfair to my DD?

No, not at all.

DH has been wanting to take DD (almost 3) to a baseball game, and I've put my foot down, saying it's pointless until she's 5 or 6. Reasons:

1. She has no idea what's going on and doesn't care.

2. Because of #1 (and because she's 3), she's not going to want to sit in a seat for 3 hours. She's going to want to run around the concourse, which she can do at the playground.

3. She still naps (and yours likely does too) and goes to bed at 7:30pm. This makes baseball game times (1pm or 7pm) either right in the middle of nap or right at bedtime. Either way, it's a recipe for a cranky kid.

All of this means it's simply a waste of money. Going to a local baseball game where the tickets are really cheap and she can run around near the field is one thing, but paying for an MLB game where leaving means probably having to take the 6 year old home too (because you've driven there and parked, in all likelihood) is just pointless, IMO.

Aside from the fact that your 3yo will take most of your attention at the game, spending quality time with your older child is more than enough reason to leave your 3yo with a sitter. I'm sure your older child will love doing something special with you and getting your full attention. Your mother is wrong, in my opinion, to make you doubt your decision!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would worry about a ball to the head. No.

This is your reason why? Do you go to baseball games?

This is 19:11. We were also talking about THIS yesterday. Three years ago, I was hit with a foul-ball traveling at top-speed, although my memory of it is in slow-motion, as the ball headed right toward me. The ball pounded my arm, which I had put up to protect my head. You think it can’t happen to you, but it happened to me!

The next year, a bird in the concourse pooped on my head.

Still, we keep going back once a year!

I mean, sure it does happen, but not across the entire stadium. And those awful nets are now up all over the place. You’ll be completely safe in a significant portion of the stadium. Just don’t be stupid about seat selection if you’re bringing a small child.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would worry about a ball to the head. No.

This is your reason why? Do you go to baseball games?

This is 19:11. We were also talking about THIS yesterday. Three years ago, I was hit with a foul-ball traveling at top-speed, although my memory of it is in slow-motion, as the ball headed right toward me. The ball pounded my arm, which I had put up to protect my head. You think it can’t happen to you, but it happened to me!

The next year, a bird in the concourse pooped on my head.

Still, we keep going back once a year!

Ha, we just had this conversation. We go to one game a year, which happened to be yesterday, and, as always, I was amazed at how many babies, toddlers, and pre-schoolers were there. It then occurred to me that I couldn't imagine bringing my child when she was young because she was a runner and had very little control. I knew my child, and others know theirs. I do notice that a lot of families with very young kids bail out after a few innings.

With my well-behaved now-teen, we had a great time!

Anonymous wrote:I would worry about a ball to the head. No.

This is your reason why? Do you go to baseball games?