E has a way of keeping me humble. Just when I start to get a bit smug that I have this parenting thing figured out fairly well something happens to deflate my ego like a sad balloon.
E still has the last bits of a insistent cold and was sort of tired yesterday. He took a long nap but even then I had to go in and wake him up so we could go to see Yo Gabba Gabba live. N had had a crazy day at work but he managed to leave the office a couple hours early so we could make it on time.
When we got to the arena E loved looking around and seeing all the kids and the Yo Gabba Gabba stuff. And then the show started.
At first he was intrigued and even had fun dancing around to the songs. But then they shot confetti into the audience and cranked up the volume and suddenly it was TOO MUCH. E started whimpering and then full-on crying to go home. N took him out into the hall to calm down and would bring him back into the arena where he was alternatively fascinated and terrified. After about twenty minutes or so he was still asking to go to the car.
So we gave up and left the arena. As soon as we walked outside E started crying again and asking to go back to the show.
The drive home was lame. I was frustrated and sad, N was frustrated and grumpy, and E was frustrated and tired.
In hindsight, I obviously shouldn’t have bought the tickets. They weren’t cheap and I spent basically all of E’s birthday budget on them. I thought he would like it–there were kids much younger than him there happily bopping around in their seats. Maybe having some sort of ear protectors would have helped? The show was really loud. Eh, I don’t know.
But the whole experienced emphasized that I need to let go when it comes to wanting to have Kodak-moment-type family experiences. For instance, I thought this would be a special experience the three of us could enjoy before the baby comes. I get sucked into “the idea” of things very easily. Sometimes I struggle with walking the line between not wanting to deny E experiences he would enjoy and having a realistic idea of what he would actually enjoy and what’s worth the hassle and money.
Blargh.
Ah. They're a bit finicky at that age, no worries. LN, at age 1, sat through a taiko drum show, mesmerized, and even asking timidly (but loud enough for people to hear between pieces) "More?" The drums were pretty loud (she didn't even want her ear plugs!) and they kept it dark in the audience.
Then, I took her to a movie theatre – lights went out and hell broke loose. Tried again… sat through halfway and then got scared (too loud and too dark, she said) and started crying…
I think, at age 5 1/2, she's finally sat through one movie (Cats and Dogs) without getting agitated. I've seen younger ones sit through movies all calm – but couldn't sit through a musical performance.
Long story short, it's not parenting fail! 😀 Hope your last trimester is going splendidly! (I do read every post – not commenting as much, pretty busy with wedding planning and all… :-D)
So sorry that it didn't work out the way you were envisioning. You couldn't have known how he would react or how loud it would be. We took Dylan to the Wiggles when he was that age- the older crowd's lamer version of Yo Gabba Gabba- and he loved it. But it could so easily have gone the other way- if you recall Dylan was frightened of his own shadow at that age. I would also have been angry and crushed if he'd had a bad experience! After paying for over priced tickets with the expectation that you are blowing their mind (in a good way) and then having a melt down is seriously a bummer. Hope he still had a good birthday and you're all recovered from the trauma of Yo Gabba Gabba.
Oh Faithie – I haven't read your blog in a few days and I wish I had read this story earlier. I just want you to know that I totally understand. I am pretty sentimental about my kids' childhoods and making these magical golden moments, and I get crushed when they don't work out as planned. Like this year's Halloween carnival – only Eve enjoyed it, while the other two cowered in terror from the noise, crowd, and scary costumes. I felt unsettled all night, like I had done something wrong. It's doubly sad when it's something they have been looking forward to because I feel like I've misled them or something.
But the great thing is, they don't care nearly as much as we do. For us, it represents those Kodak moments, but to them it was just a thing. I bet if you ask E, he will say he had a great time! Kids are great that way. And I'm sure it doesn't help that you are pregnant and a little emotional. All is well!
No parenting fail here!