Should children be cultured?

As wonderful as it is to expose children to these event's, we just can not expect them to be quite....sit still and enjoy.

I would love to take my 7 year old granddaughter to some....but people pay good money, and she may be a distraction.
I think Art Galleries are a wonderful place, for a child at a time.If they are 7 & 8 upwards, that's fine.
Museums are fine for children, everyone is talking and walking...no big deal there.
Theatre and ballet, that's a no.
Life isn't about experiencing all these different things for our children, at the expense of others.What we may find o.k....may be unpleasant for older people.
I always think 'what-if' it was me, and that seems to be a good guide.

by jonaja

It depends on the child and on the event. If its a daytime thing to which families are welcomed then I can't see any reason not to bring young kids, though you know you child best and whether they have the attention span to sit through the performance. If I was at the opera or an expensive night time theatre production and it kept being disturbed by a small child crying or yelling I'd be a bit annoyed, especially since I would have gone to the trouble of getting my own kids a babysitter so I could be out without them for an evening. It's unfair to other patrons if they can't hear the actors on stage over your crying child. If you do bring toddlers or preschoolers to an event meant for adults you need to be prepared to take them out of the theatre if they get noisy. Many larger theatres have a "crying room" where you can take kids that are getting a bit restless or breastfeed in privacy if you're so inclined, with soundproof glass so you can still see what's happening on stage.

I think it's definitely good for kids to expose them to cultural events from a young age. My four year old daughter loves the museum (art galleries are a little more problematic, you have to watch they don't touch things) and the theatre. We haven't attempted to take her to a ballet yet but maybe as she gets a little older.

by Jennifer Muirhead

Depends on the child, I think. If your child enjoy the thing, it's OK. But if not, you shouldn't force him or her just so they can be "cultured".

by annep

I think the more experiences children are exposed to the better. They learn about the world and community around them. It is up to us, parents to show them the world and then let them make a decision for themselves.

by Ivana Katz

Absolutely, kids should be exposed to as much art and culture as possible as long as they are interested. The Sydney Opera House has special events just for children which are shorter than a normal production, usually run through the day and have audiences made up primarily of children. Having said that, supporting your local theater group by going along with children is also a good thing, and if you don't think your kids are much of a distraction then they probably aren't.

by Sarah Bell

Depends on the child. Kids today are gorgeous and well behaved.

by Justine Crowley

They are!!!

(just getting up off the floor) #*!*

Of course!! They should be cultured, but "being cultured" does not only equate to exposing them to events such as you have identified. It means giving them the skills and opportunities so that they grow up to be excellent and civil and decent human beings, whose world includes beings other than themselves.

by Happy Mom

Static displays like Museums and Art Galleries are great places to take the young and the not so young for that matter. As children get older and are able to sit and watch a movie right through firstly at home and then at a Cinema they may like to watch a suitable live Theatre production. I love the whole Classical Ballet experience and yes I studied Ballet when I was a child. I would like to take my Grand-daughters but they are all too young as yet. Something for the future perhaps if they are interested.

by soupson

I think kids should be exposed, however, pick your shows. For really little kids that can't keep quiet, go to kids shows - but if I'd spent $100 on a ticket to the Lion King, I'd be annoyed if some kid ruined my experience. I also think the parents need to take ownership of that behaviour - I always tell my youngest before a movie starts that she's not to talk during it, and all the other people have paid to see the movie, and she can't ruin it for them. Learning how to behave in these things is as much a part of it as learning what they are (ballet, art etc)

by Lydia C. Lee

My Mother started taking me to the Theatre when I was 5.
We had a ritual. We'd have Lunch at a lovely Cafe close by, which had a Chocolate Shop attached. After Lunch, we'd go into Shop, & Mum would buy a packet each of Coconut Roughs & Scorched Almonds.
We enjoyed the former during the Show, & the latter, at Interval, because of the noise of crunching the almond!

Mum took me to EVERY show that was on at the main city Theatre, be it Ballet, Musical, Play, Recitation.
I learned much, met many stars of the day, & enjoyed it all.
I still attend Theatre on a very regular basis, & STILL find it enjoyable. Thanks, Mum for a wonderful education!
I spent many years' studying Speech & Drama, & was involved in a Theatre Group from 9 til 16yo. Wow! It was marvellous!

Tried to instil same with my children, but they weren't interested.

Yes, if children are interested, it's something which will last a lifetime, but it has to have variety!

by donjo