Thoughts and personal experience on taking a 1 year old to a Flyers game?

[rWoHockeyman88]

Hey guys, got a question for you. I have been debating tickets to the noon Ottawa game on March 3rd and then getting Flyers Wives carnival tickets for the next day.

My daughter is about to turn 1 on Jan 27th and I thought it would be a cool experience to take her to these events. We would sit in the lower bowl 5 or 6 rows from the ice for the Ottawa game. Believe it or not, she enjoys watching hockey on tv. She has since she was 4 months. I think its the back and forth motion on the tv. I'd love to get your thoughts on this if any parents have done it.

I live in Richmond, VA so it's going to be 5 hour drive and a hotel room to do this event with my wife and daughter. Basically, it's a gamble I am willing to take but others experiences would be appreciated as I continue to think this through.

Click to read more...

 

[PALE PWNR]

Personally I prefer to sit around 1 to 2 rows above the glass rather then below it, its easier t see what is going on. Rows 11-12. I don't have any personal experience with kids other then when I was one, but my dad took me to a lot of games when I was younger. I'm not sure when he started but it definitely is a main reason I'm as avid a fan as I am now.

 

[JDinkalage Morgoone]

I say do it. I wouldn't be the hockey fan I am today if my dad didn't take me to some games. I think it'd be a great experience!

 

[Beef Invictus]

It's a shame you can't continue her hockey education by taking her to Renegades games.

 

[Laveuglette]

Well, does she like noise and big crowds?

 

[laundryman]

The first Flyers game I went to was when I was very young. It was pretty traumatic at the time because I couldn't follow the game and as a result, the goal horn and crowd cheering caught me off guard

Luckily it didn't deter me from going to games later

 

[Qyburn]

It's very rude and selfish in my opinion. Nobody wants to hear your noisemaker. True, sporting events are loud but there are different kinds of noises, and babies are extremely grating to everyone.

You can't use the excuse that it would make the kid happy. Nobody remembers anything from when they were 12 months old. You'd be doing it for your personal convenience, not for the kid.

And you can't use the "what am I supposed to do, lock myself in my house?" excuse. The answer is yes. Kids are a joy but also a responsibility. There are trade-offs. Indulging in life 100%, with all its bells and whistles, has to be put on hold for a little while.

Carnival's fine though. It's a completely different atmosphere and there's also the fact that people are moving around constantly rather than stuck in the same place. If I'm at the Carnival and my ears detect a yowling monstrosity headed in my direction, I'm making a beeline for the concessions.

 

[dingbathero]

Five words: ear plugs and have fun!

Don't hurt your childs ears.

 

[GKJ]

If you're sure you'll get her on TV, and then take pictures with players at the carnival, beyond that making a 5 hour trip, then go for it. I find it pointless if they're not going to remember the experience, but it sounds like this is something more, so go for it.

 

[FlyingHigh28*]

Hey guys, got a question for you. I have been debating tickets to the noon Ottawa game on March 3rd and then getting Flyers Wives carnival tickets for the next day.

My daughter is about to turn 1 on Jan 27th and I thought it would be a cool experience to take her to these events. We would sit in the lower bowl 5 or 6 rows from the ice for the Ottawa game. Believe it or not, she enjoys watching hockey on tv. She has since she was 4 months. I think its the back and forth motion on the tv. I'd love to get your thoughts on this if any parents have done it.

I live in Richmond, VA so it's going to be 5 hour drive and a hotel room to do this event with my wife and daughter. Basically, it's a gamble I am willing to take but others experiences would be appreciated as I continue to think this through.

My advice from seeing others do it (including some of my good friends) is to save the money and wait until she's a bit older. Unless you know for sure that she's good around loud noises and big crowds, it can actually end up being a very traumatic experience for her and can be a very stressful experience for you too. Most people who take their VERY little kids to games end up spending more time tending to their kids than they do watching the game and it's a lot of $$$ to spend to have to go to the disgusting men's bathroom @ the WFC and change a diaper.

3 of my friends tried to take their 2 year old (or younger) kids to games. All 3 of them told me afterwards that they regretted it. One of them had to leave the game after the Flyers scored 4 times in a period and the goal horn launched their child into crying fits each time, another had to go change a diaper in the middle of overtime.

Ultimately, it's your choice but at the age of 1, she's too young to ever really remember this, so it really comes down to how you would most enjoy a game:
1) Watching from the comfort of home w/ your daughter where you know you will both have a good time
2) Getting a babysitter and going to the game yourself / with the wife / with a friend
3) Taking you daughter to the game, knowing that it's likely she might cry at the sound of the goal horn and will likely require you to divert your attention away from the game for 50 or so % of the time.

If your wife is going to the game with you, then it's a little bit better, but be sure and ask her opinion, because I think all of us guys here know she'll be the one dealing with any crying / diaper changes if they occur during the 3rd period of a close game

_____________________

The carnival is a great idea though. That's a family friendly atmosphere, no loud goal horns, etc. It's also a good deal cheaper than going to a game and you won't miss anything if your child starts to cry or needs a diaper change.

 

[schroed3r]

If things continue the way they are going, the goal horn is the last thing you are going to have to worry about.

 

[AaronTrieu]

I'm in the boat where taking an infant to the game is a violation. Not only to other fans that pay good money, but to yourself and your kid. Your kid is 1 and won't remember this.

 

[ilovetheflyers8]

Five words: ear plugs and have fun!

Don't hurt your childs ears.

Yeah, I've worked at Caps games and I've seen little kids with sound blocker things on their head. They might be better than ear plugs as I believe ear plugs if put in wrong can actually hurt one's ears.

 

[BernieParent]

As a parent, I'd also say no to bringing your 1-year-old. There's no way she remembers anything; my daughter (now 9) hardly remembers visiting Disneyworld as a 4-year-old.

As well, I get annoyed having to travel on the morning commuter train with a bawling toddler. I couldn't imagine sitting near one at a hockey game where I dropped good money for a ticket.

Finally, with a young child, there are too many ways this could go wrong: child gets sick, scared of loud noise (as others have said), just plain antsy, poopy diaper, etc. Live hockey isn't at all like TV hockey, either.

But that's just grumpy old me.

 

[MsMeow]

1 is way too young and the noise is too much. If she goes into a crying fit its annoying to the people around you who paid good money for a ticket. If you have to leave your seat to take her to the concourse you're going to miss parts of the game.

 

[BernieParent]

Just a general question: Is your trunk well insulated?

 

[PAZUZU]

get tickets to the phantoms game instead. this way if you have to split 5 minutes into the 2nd period you won't feel as bad. plus, the phantoms games are way more kid-friendly.

 

[Qyburn]

get tickets to the phantoms game instead. this way if you have to split 5 minutes into the 2nd period you won't feel as bad. plus, the phantoms games are way more kid-friendly.

I think this is your best bet. Sure it's an extra 8 hours of total driving time, and you'll miss the carnival, but I hear Lake George is balmy this time of year.

 

[PAZUZU]

I think this is your best bet. Sure it's an extra 8 hours of total driving time, and you'll miss the carnival, but I hear Lake George is balmy this time of year.

phantoms are playing in philly on fri feb 22, that's the game i was referring to

 

[Qyburn]

I did not know that. The stupid thing is, if you had a comma in your post count, I probably would have given you the benefit of the doubt and done a little research before trying to humiliate you.

 

[Evergreen]

It's very rude and selfish in my opinion. Nobody wants to hear your noisemaker. True, sporting events are loud but there are different kinds of noises, and babies are extremely grating to everyone.

You can't use the excuse that it would make the kid happy. Nobody remembers anything from when they were 12 months old. You'd be doing it for your personal convenience, not for the kid.

And you can't use the "what am I supposed to do, lock myself in my house?" excuse. The answer is yes. Kids are a joy but also a responsibility. There are trade-offs. Indulging in life 100%, with all its bells and whistles, has to be put on hold for a little while.

Carnival's fine though. It's a completely different atmosphere and there's also the fact that people are moving around constantly rather than stuck in the same place. If I'm at the Carnival and my ears detect a yowling monstrosity headed in my direction, I'm making a beeline for the concessions.

I agree with this.

 

[rWoHockeyman88]

Thanks all. The feedback about parents who had done it really helped out. We decided to skip the game and carnival. If anything we will try and get a sitter and make the trip to DC or Carolina instead.

 

[rWoHockeyman88]

It's a shame you can't continue her hockey education by taking her to Renegades games.

Ha ha, yeah we have no hockey in this area anymore beef pretty disappointing. I was thinking about those days in the mid and late 90's the other day and decided to look up what happened to Sandy Allan. Now that's an embarassing story.....

BTW - I have seen your name go from Beef to Fish Invictus and back to Beef. If the Flyers loses continue can we expect a Tofu Invictus?

 

[Beef Invictus]

Ha ha, yeah we have no hockey in this area anymore beef pretty disappointing. I was thinking about those days in the mid and late 90's the other day and decided to look up what happened to Sandy Allan. Now that's an embarassing story.....

BTW - I have seen your name go from Beef to Fish Invictus and back to Beef. If the Flyers loses continue can we expect a Tofu Invictus?

That might happen, yeah. If anything, the Gades need to come back so the Vandemeer family can continue their tradition of playing hockey in Richmond. I actually didn't know what happened to Allan until I looked it up just now, yeesh.

 

[EvilAsh]

I have a 2 1/2 year old now. I took her to the Carnival last year when she was 1 1/2 and she loved it. She danced and saw herself on the jumbotron. Tom Sestito also signed her Flyers build a bear and she still carries it around with her and says Tommy when I ask her who signed it. It's more of a memory for you than your child but they will be glad you tell them you took them even if they can't remember.

The game is a different story. I took her to the free practice at the Well a few weeks ago and she wouldn't sit still (she's two now). Actually I've taken her to the Blue Hens hockey games & practice at Voorhees and she seems to sit better because it's not as loud. I'd say leave the kid unless you are just going to the Carnival.