advice for going to a game with a 1 year old
As others have mentioned...this isn't probably going to be a fun experience for everyone involved. Maybe the kid will make it a quarter or, at best, a half, but the kid will be exposed, probably overwhelmed with the noise, and someone will likely be walking her around 10 minutes. That's fine if you are ready to basically do loops around the concourse for 3 hours, but seems like a wasted afternoon to me. I'd say, wait a couple of years and then bring her when there's a chance she can enjoy it.
/ Father of 3-year-old girl and 1-year-old boy.
// Never again
Your husband wants to raise her right. He may have been putting block M gear on that baby since she was days old. He may thinking about the photos of her cute self in the Big House. Maybe in hid mind's eye, he is picturing her in the student section her freshman year, turning to a friend and saying, "you know, I went to my first Michigan game before I could walk." His horrible Domer cousins flood their Facebook feed each fall with photos of their infants & toddlers at Notre Dame games & tailgates.
I have been there and I 100% get it.
But I also think her presence can potentially cut way into your enjoyment of the experience. For all the reasons already given. I would find some other way to seal her commitment to lifetime Michigan fandom. Buy one of those exorbitantly expensive cheerleader uniforms for babies, take photos with her before you go, kiss her goodbye, and tell the sitter you'll be back after we get done kicking the stuffing out of Cincy.
That said, I cosign the advice to wait for the next spring game. Great opportunity to bring little ones due to the added flexibility of the event and extra space around you. Plus you still get your photo ops and don't have to worry about missing something important if things don't go as perfectly as you'd like.
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Have taken my kids (now 21, 19, 17) to 18-20 games over the last 15 years. Until they were 6 or 7, we used sorority girls to baby sit for them (DG and Theta girls were great). Kids were happy, sorority girls got some extra $, we had a great time at the games. Win-win-win.
August 6th, 2017 at 10:35 AM ^
August 6th, 2017 at 10:29 AM ^
Down in front!
We have a 7 week old and have talked about taking her to a Michigan game in the fall. After reading these comments I think we'll pass on it. However, I think a tailgate would be OK. Controlled setting. Access to all the baby stuff. You can easily get out of the elements if necessary. We'll just head home after the tailgate and watch the game on TV. #solidplan
August 6th, 2017 at 10:01 AM ^
August 6th, 2017 at 10:11 AM ^
You might be OK at a tailgate perhaps, but like others have said - just don't really. We didn't even attempt taking the kids to a football game until they were six actually (five for basketball, but it is a different vibe and pace at Crisler), and even then you really don't get to stay quite as long as you might want sometimes (most of the time though).
August 6th, 2017 at 10:18 AM ^
August 6th, 2017 at 10:33 AM ^
r u nuts?
Don't do it!
August 6th, 2017 at 11:10 AM ^
I will buy your ticket.
August 6th, 2017 at 10:45 AM ^
That being said my son had a pretty good experience and my wife left at halftime to take him back to the air conditioned tailgate. I have taken him to games ever since, and think that he started really having fun around 4. However, I only take him to games that I don't mind missing part of the game for increased bathroom and concession trips. I would not even consider taking him Michigan State at night now and he will be 9 in two weeks.
August 6th, 2017 at 10:48 AM ^
August 6th, 2017 at 11:13 AM ^
It's a bad idea. It will be a terrible experience for your child, who at best will be bored and at worst will be seriously unnerved by the screaming, etc. Also, do some research on early childhood auditory development -- without extremely good ear protection, there's a non-negligable chance of permanent (although probably slight) hearing loss.
Needless to say, if you have a one-year old child with you, neither of you should be screaming at the game, but how fair is that to the team, the occasion, and the people around you? Worse, the people around you may feel a need to keep their noise level down to protect your child. That would really suck.
She'll get nothing from this experience -- to be blunt, it would be all about you and your husband. Just don't.
August 6th, 2017 at 11:23 AM ^
August 6th, 2017 at 11:34 AM ^
August 6th, 2017 at 11:30 AM ^
Just realize that any presumption that taking your daughter to a game at this early age is about what's good for her, her development, future, wants, or needs is b.s. And when the few who say it's not such a bad idea advise taking ear plugs, sun screen, and a baby carrier that allows you to keep the baby's face to your chest, that should be a clue as well.
August 6th, 2017 at 11:38 AM ^
Question...It's bad enough when "parents" take a toddler to an R rated movie at 10 p.m.....
August 6th, 2017 at 11:44 AM ^
I sincerely hope it works out.
August 6th, 2017 at 11:45 AM ^
August 6th, 2017 at 11:50 AM ^
My advice is don't do it. Leave the kid with the grandparents. The child will have no appreciation of the game and no memory of it and you will be miserable. I took my son to his first game around age 5 and even that was probably too young.
August 6th, 2017 at 11:52 AM ^
August 6th, 2017 at 11:53 AM ^
Anyone not willing to leave when it turns horrible for the kid in the first 2 minutes is totally unrealistic about the situation and is just being selfish.
Also, don't do it. It's an awful idea.
August 6th, 2017 at 11:58 AM ^
August 6th, 2017 at 12:01 PM ^
August 6th, 2017 at 12:03 PM ^
but when you get this degree of near-unanimity of opinion from a user base that normally likes to tear itself to pieces in arcane internecine disputes over basketball recruiting and secondary coverages, it's an indication that heeding the collective advice is probably wise.
August 6th, 2017 at 12:07 PM ^
August 6th, 2017 at 12:12 PM ^
August 6th, 2017 at 12:26 PM ^
If you just want to take your baby for the sake of staying she was at the big house at such a young age, take her to the next spring game. But taking a 1 yr old into a stadium of 108,000 people is not worth the photo op and story, I promise.
August 6th, 2017 at 12:28 PM ^
Don't go to the game, don't go to disney, don't go anywhere with a crowd now. Save your money and get a sitter and go with him yourself. You need couple time not 1 year old time in a loaded stadium with lots of sudden chearing.
You will not have fun nor will anyone around you.
August 6th, 2017 at 12:29 PM ^
We brought my son to the Maryland game last year (he was ~9 months old).
He lasted through the whole game, which surprised us. My wife was willing to leave early with him if necessary, which I think was important.
We got him lots of snacks and ensured he had good naps beforehand. We had a few family members to share in holding/wrangling him.
It wasn't totally easy, but it was very fun. You probably know that you can't predict whether the kiddo will have a really bad day though.
Let me know if you want my nieces phone number.
Take her to the o$u game. What could possibly go wrong?
August 7th, 2017 at 10:29 AM ^
So, by all means take your kid to the game but be sure to bring noise-cancelling headphones so they can't hear anything and a tablet so they can watch cartoons.