Despite never having had children myself (and frankly, not liking most of 'em a whole lot! ), I've always been a big supporter of children at bike shows/events... It's an opportunity for the whole family to enjoy the biking world and to spend time together, rather than hubby wandering off for the weekend and wifey sat at home looking after the offspring.
However...
Keep them under control FFS!
Don't get tanked up and proceed to wobble around the main stage area, with a small child perched on your shoulders. It'll all end in tears or worse. Come 9pm, they shouldn't be around anyway IMO.
Don't get tanked up and go back to your tent for a kip in the middle of the afternoon, leaving your 6 year old to wander around alone!
Don't let them wander around riding bicycles and scooters alone - ESPECIALLY on a Sunday morning when everyone's trying to leave the site.
YOU made the choice to have children - YOU take responsibility for them. I'm sure you'll be the first to wail over how dreadful it is when your kid gets injured, but if you act irresponsibly in such ways, it will be YOUR fault.
well i do have kids, and family bike events i agree its nice to have them there, i take my kids to bsb , wsb, moto gp, my 9 year old daughter loves bikes, even my kind of music, guns n roses, evenesence, but i doint agree with anyone drinking at all when they have there kids there, its a recipie for disaster, your not in control, and you may need to be in the event of a emergency. also there is other rallies where i think kids should not be at all, if you are gonna take your kids stay sober and let it be fun for them too.
I have to admit I'm totally with you on this one WB.........I work at a family farm tourist attraction, and parents seem to think they can relinquish responsibility when they walk in! Whilst our place is as safe as poss, there are still animals, (some very large) and tractors etc moving around, and chidren running about amongst them is not good news.....................meanwhile Mum or Dad is quite often sitting in the tea room having a cuppa........or on their mobile talking! Makes me sooooooooooo mad .................And although I can't answer for WB, I am most certainlky NOT getting broody!
I used to take my ex's kids to bike events as well.
Annoying little sods always found their way back though.
"a family farm"; A family farm?? Do they have places where they grow families?
Seriously though, you ought to try taking family style karate lessons!
Parent turns up with two brats in tow and drops them off whilst they go shopping. When you suggest that they ought to buy protective mitts, pads and gum shields; "I can't afford all that, they'll be fine!"
Then an hour later they're asking why little Johnny, crying, has been punched in the teeth by his big sister (in a manner incidentally that was far too hard to have been an accident).
The number of times I have paired two kids up and then changed my mind having realising I've just paired up two brothers, or worse, two sisters!
However, one advantage we do have over teachers is that most parents actually expect us to hit their children!
therre only annoying if its not fun for then , at race meets my towo like to fill the results in etc, plus i take them around the pits etc, as long as you make it fun they are no trouble.
I agree, if you can't keep them entertained and safe, leave them locked in the loft.
Leave some left overs from your dinner and a bowl of water though.
And maybe a squeaky toy or something to play with and an old blanket in case it gets cold.
Obviously I wasn't really cruel to my ex's kids.
They were good kids really. They'd spend the evenings quietly in their bedrooms whilst I was downstairs watching tv.
But then my ex would come home, untie them and remove their gags. Used to annoy me that, it would take me ages to catch them.
Lovin the theory behind that one Ricdude,how easily/effectively was it enforced in reality?
Hate to be so stereotypical but in my opinion bad kids stems from bad parenting(also lovin your parental tips kermit) and i normally avoid any large event with kids as after half an hour i wanna slap the kids and punch the parents
ps,i am also the first to comment on well behaved kids
So far it hasn't had to enforced. We understand that kids will run around like they do but its up to the parents to keep them under control.
The past 3 years they have been sensible and not let them run around too much. Its also up to people to keep an eye out for them when riding across the field as you would a pissed adult wobbling about all over the place. Which can sometime be worse.