My first family gameday -- Suggestions?

Submitted by 608Monroe on

Big day Saturday for me and the family.  Not only is it opening week for the Maize and Blue, but for the first time, I’ll be taking my wife and our three girls (ages 15, 12, and 8) to the game with me.

 

I can choose two paths with this opportunity.  I can:

 

·       Force them to adhere to my pre-game traditions of getting to Ann Arbor by 8am.  Breakfast at Brown Jug by 8:30, and then to the golf course where I’ll hang with friends who have created ever larger, more elaborate tailgates -- including one dude who will get there the night before with his hitch-mounted, 60-inch smoker.  This, of course, means spending the precious morning hours socializing with other “enthusiasts,” only some of whom may be accommodating to children, let alone those of young impressionable ages.  High likelihood for too much sun for the kids – and alcohol for the parents.

 

Or, I can create a family-friendly agenda which will look something like this.

 

·       Wake everyone up at 6:30 with obnoxiously loud M Fanfare/The Victors, out the door by 7:00.  Parking on campus by 7:30am. 

·       Breakfast at someplace less greasy than the Jug.  I’m thinking Afternoon Delight. 

·       Quick stop at MDen for a Jumpman hat and poms for the girls.  Run across N. University into Diag to chase squirrels.

·       Walk to Union.  Have children spin cube;  Buy off-market t-shirt (preferably something horrible about ohio); Bathroom break in Union where I’ll talk about how there used to be a “ride board” downstairs.

·       Walk down State, making sure to have children ignore inappropriate bed sheet signs and fraternity craziness.  I’ll want to buy wings at Spots, but wife will say no.

·       Get to Revelli Hall around 10:15 with drinks.  Camp until MMB Drumline finishes their show, and walk to Big House with the band.

·       Leave at beginning of fourth quarter since 8-year old won’t shut up about being hot, and 15 year old won’t shut up about cell coverage.

·       Quick stop at Stuccis, where 12-year old will ask if we can go home now.

·       Home by 4:30.

 

Did I miss anything vital?

 

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StephenRKass

August 30th, 2016 at 2:29 PM ^

Tell your daughter to get a great education undergrad at Michigan. After that, if your grades are good enough, go to whatever vet program accepts you. (At one time, my daughter was interested in being a vet as well . . . admissions counselors at Michigan graciously told her that she'd be better off with her interests at a different school, whether that be MSU, Illinois, or OSU.)

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stephenrjking

August 30th, 2016 at 5:13 PM ^

The Duluth Grill looks pretty conventional from the outside, but it's got a lot of great food, and if you like Zingerman's style food sourcing you'll really enjoy it. Good for families, too--we've taken our kids on occasion. If you're inclined to walk around the bend of the harborfront from the aquarium, you'll hit Canal Park, too, which has a good variety of eating options (some obvious, some of it a bit further out of the way, like inside the Dewitt-Seitz building) and good access to the Lakewalk.

Our Lakefront area is terrific. Have a good time!

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mGrowOld

August 30th, 2016 at 3:42 PM ^

And I love them dearly.  And they watch the games with me at home and they made the trips up the tailgate in AA with me for about 20 years.

Now in fairness I had to do the whole "wife-thing" twice to get it right.  The starter wife was terrible.

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imafreak1

August 30th, 2016 at 5:06 PM ^

This is just one of the odd mgoblog things, with the wife day stuff and what not, about pretending that wives and families keep men from doing what they really want to do which is watch football all day long.

It's not my thing. It's too Married with Children and retrograde for me. But I have no reason to believe that either Cook or Seth are anything but devoted fathers and husbands and plenty of anectdotal evidence suggesting that they are.

So. No worries. Just jokes.

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LSAClassOf2000

August 30th, 2016 at 2:30 PM ^

This is actually a good question, one I have wondered about myself. I can only speak for me, however, and say that I prefer to evaluate each family member - at least in my extended family (my wife and kids occasionally participate in the Michigan madness) - individually and then sort of summarize before I decide how much time and emotional investment it is really worth. After I have done that, I come back to MGoBlog.

 

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ghostofhoke

August 30th, 2016 at 2:36 PM ^

Great question. I got married much later in life than many (35) and don't have kids yet. I loved being single and having the resources to do whatever, whenever. Life was great single. Life is not easier being married but on the whole it's better in a lot of ways. I feel like having kids around makes everything harder but people seem to like them. I'm guessing something is triggered when they come along that make you want to keep them. I don't think I'll ever understand what makes people want like 4 or 5 of them though.



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Ma1zeandB1ue

August 30th, 2016 at 1:55 PM ^

If you are walking down State, explaining what a three story beer bong is, and the pros and cons of terminal velocity's effect on liquids, will probably find its way into list #2.

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MGoAragorn

August 30th, 2016 at 2:00 PM ^

It appears you have been with MGoWife for 15+ years, so you know that your only choice is path 2. 

The thing I can't figure out is how you've managed to go 15 years without attending a game with your family. Hell, I live in California and mine have all been to a couple of games.

 

 

Joined: 10/09/2014

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608Monroe

August 30th, 2016 at 2:10 PM ^

You ask a worthy question.  The answer falls into the category of the inefficiency that comes with having FIVE in the family.  Not four.  Disclaimer, I love my little girl, but the fifth kid f*cks everything up.  The car, the house, dinner reservations, shopping, friends -- everything.  You will manage four.  Not five,  NOT FIVE.

Taking all five of us to the Michigan game is a futile exercise in statistical variability.  You throw enough variable factors into any mix and you will do anything you can to lower the factors -- which all affects your sanity.  Just trust me on this.  I speak from experience.  You'll go with one kid, or two if the prevailing winds are right.  But not all five.

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