Nope. We've taken the younger kids to maybe 1 tournament for the oldest (and she's now in 11th grade). It's incredibly boring for the younger siblings. We always split up.

For something big like OotM or a finale soccer game, I would have my parents take the middle kid to the BD party and skip a 2yr old play date so both parents could be at the event. There will be more play dates.

My husband missed all but 2 soccer games this fall because they were scheduled during our preschooler’s nap. One was a morning game and one we had to get a babysitter to stay with the preschooler.

We split up almost every weekend for different parties, play dates, etc.

Anonymous wrote:I have 3 kids. Youngest is 2yo toddler. Oldest child has a science Olympiad tournament that is all day. 2yo invited to a birthday party and middle invited to a holiday play date. DH thinks he should just take the oldest to the tournament and I take younger kids to do their activities.

Would you split up the kids and not go to the tournament?

We always split up. My child worked very hard and I want to be there to support him. At the same time, I know there is a lot of waiting around and my toddler will be restless.

Are you kidding me?? Of course you should split up. I am going to guess you are an oldest child. No, you do not make the younger children revolve their lives around the oldest's.

Another vote for split.

Yes. Each decision should be about the convenience of the parents/family. No one child is so special that their particular activity inconveniences the entire family. Go if you can. Of course in a loving family, usually, others want to go. One exception is, as the younger ones grow, make sure the older children have had to attend the younger one's activities in a roughly an even amount. Too often younger children have been schlepped around and the older have not. What happens is the older children grow up not knowing as much about the younger children's life.

Totally depends on the event. Basic weekend ball game? We split up. End of year ballet recital or major sports tournament? We all attend.

You may not want to split them up and want to be there but that is life with multiple kids. You either hire a babysitter, dump the younger ones on another family or relatives or plan to miss things.

I split them up. For something relatively short like a concert, I make the sibling go to support each other but not an all-day thing.

We do a mix of everything.

If it’s a big event, our family supports each other. My daughter had a dance performance this past weekend. Long story - but I had purchased tickets for my two boys to see it with my husband, my parents, and my grandmother. Somehow each year one kid gets has been invited to a bday party after I buy the tickets but it always gets sold out and I can’t switch to another show at that late date. I have to tell the kid they have to miss the bday party for the show and that it’s important to support family at these big things.

One year my daughter had to miss a bday party because an older brother’s Odyssey of the Mind team made the State competition. My DH had to judge, we wanted to support the competing son, and I couldn’t do it all and get my daughter to the party.

They often go to each other’s baseball games unless they have their own plans. They play with other siblings at the baseball field. But if one of them has been invited to a party etc. we will split up.

My daughter is only 4 so if it’s something regular like a baseball game, either DH or me will stay home with her if it’s late at night etc. so she doesn’t have to stay out past bedtime.

I can’t tell what category Science Olympiad falls in. We’ve never done that activity.

Anonymous wrote:My child worked very hard and I want to be there to support him.

14:14 here. I'd add that there are often multiple tournaments in the year. Perhaps you can attend the next one and let dad be in the charge of the younger two that day?

Yes, you split up. That is not fair to the other two to sit all day bored.

Anonymous wrote:It depends on what your other commitments are and how important this event is to your child. We only have one kid but sometimes DH has work commitments can't make all these events. But if it was a big deal to our child he would absolutely do his best to make it. So sending someone else to work conference or in your case hiring a babysitter so you can attend the tournament.

New poster here. I do a lot with Science Olympiad. This will be an all-day event and the OP's older child will be inside classrooms and labs and with teammates and teachers studying and prepping between events -- there is no need for OP to be there. Maybe the child will demonstrate a "mousetrap vehicle" or other device that parents can watch but that's mere moments in a very long day.

OP, don't take your toddler to this. If there's an awards ceremony at the very end you might turn up for just that, though it's highly likely to be crowded, late, and loud, so sit where you can slip out with the toddler.

Your child doing Sci Oly wil be so focused on his or her events, partners and coaches that your not being there will be no big deal, honestly. Good luck to your kid and the team! Go enjoy some special one on one time with your toddler!