I was so thrilled when my friend D’Arcy approached me asking for a quote from a mother of a young child about taking kids to live theatre. No surprise, I had plenty to say on the subject:

Christina Billings, mother to 4-year-old Theo said, “My husband and I have been taking Theo to live performances since he was 2. He has been to the symphony twice, SLAC once, The Children’s Theatre once, and a few of the Rose Wagner Ring Around the Rose children’s shows. I think it is key to find age appropriate shows, but people should not be afraid to bring their kids and expose them to “fancy” settings. I think this early exposure is crucial to him developing a lifelong love for the performing arts.”

I really believe this. I think normalizing situations for kids (taking them to restaurants, taking them to the theatre) reinforces that there are different ways to behave in different settings. What is theatre etiquette? What are table manners in a public setting? Exposing kids to these kinds of environments gives them the opportunity to learn.

Plus, the magic of live performance just can’t be replicated. The energy and passion of the artists are sensed in ways that you can never achieve from watching a show on TV or movie theater. So, go out there. Don’t be afraid. Your kids and you will both benefit.