Re: babies at Pennsic

["Rowanwald Central" <rownwald@gte.net>]

Poster: "Rowanwald Central" <rownwald@gte.net>

> <<snip>> However, I've also seen noise curfews and behavior 
> restrictions for even a camp's neighbors b/c of someone's kid.

<<more snip>> I resent my fun being curtailed (or I have to walk
across half 
> the war to have it) b/c of someone else's child. 

My turn to speak as a parent (he he). Don't worry, Kilmeny - I ain't
about to flame you! Here's my take on the thread:

   Newborn, or nearly newborn babies have few interests - dry sleep,
full tummies, more dry sleep. Their way of dealing with too much
input (particularly loud noise) is to startle awake, protest for a
moment - and then avoid the problem by determinedly SLEEPING until
the noise goes away. Usually, the relief that the irritating sound is
gone is so great that they fall even deeper asleep. I have seen
infants at rock concerts - blissfully snoozing.  Your major concerns
with an new infant is crankiness due to overheating or colic. Colic
attacks (and their accompanying wailing) can make everyone around you
miserable as well as you and your child. Taking the child out to the
car and placing it lovingly in the infant seat and going for a long
ride in air conditioning may well be the only cure... tiring, but
achievable.

   Older infants (lovingly referred to as rug-rats and
curtain-climbers) are more of a challenge at any camping event. They
require absolute constant supervision and diversion. They are more
prone to accidents and crankiness, so a long event like Pennsic is
not going to be enjoyable for you unless you and your child have had
a lot or practise at other smaller events, and your child is not
"schedule dependent". They should be comfortable with "winging it" as
far as food, naps, clothes and such are concerned. This is the age
when temper tantrums, whining, and determined disobedience is the
norm - normal in child development, but unfair to impose on your
camping neighbors. I know that many parent's response would be "But
that means that I can't play as much as I'd like to! Not fair!" My
answer to that is: you chose to have the child - accept the
responsibilities that go with that choice. Use your intellect and
networking skills to find solutions and compromises - but don't
expect, as your right, that your neighbors must help you raise your
child. If you are tempted to say "Rosine, you just don't understand!"
My response to that is: I raised two sons in the SCA, and I DO
understand.

   It is not such a curious phenomenon that the demographics for
Pennsic show a large number of children at 2 and under; very few
between 2 - 7; and a surge again at 8 and older. It is my belief that
most parents feel they deserve a small break after the rigors of
infancy and use the War as a chance to re-discover the joys of being
with just each other while their 2 - 7 year olds are old enough to
spend time at "Camp Grandma".

Rosine of Rowanwald
ex-Kingdom Chatelaine for Children's Activities
ex-Kingdom Chatelaine
now mother of two (gasp) shaving-age sons
=======================================================================
List Archives, FAQ, FTP:  http://merryrose.atlantia.sca.org/
            Submissions:  atlantia@atlantia.sca.org
        Admin. requests:  majordomo@atlantia.sca.org