Babies at games

[russon]

took my 6 yr old lad and 7 yr old girl to their first match last night, they loved it but i had the comfort of a warm evening and friendly atmosphere in the Worsull home stand. It'd be a different matter having to root them to their seats at villa park on a cold afternoon in December.

[silhillvilla]

I think 9 months is far too young. I took my lad to his first game when he was 2 , he was kind of ok for about 5 mins sat taking it all in, then it started to unravel. Up running about , climbing over seats , pulling faces at people, shouting . Then fast asleep before HT , then kind of repeated again 2nd half before we left on about 80 mins.
Didn't bring him back til he was about 7.

[dcdavecollett]

Blimey, I didn't go to my first Villa game until I was ten years old.

Does this mean I had a deprived childhood?

[Louzie0]

You and me both, dcdavecollett.  Worked though, we're both still here.


Apropos of this, I saw an England cricket game when I was 5 and really enjoyed it but that tends to be a bit quieter. And longer.
And there is ice cream.

[Hillbilly]

Hoping to take my 4-y-o to a game when we are over. He's been to see Richmond play at the MCG in front of nearly 100,000 so he's seen grown men cry at the football.

[peter w]

3 years-old is the age I took my nephews and now son to the game. Rather than them being scared the issue for me is that they will become restless, need feeding, possibly chnging and then sleep. Not conducive to trying to sit through a turgid 2 hours at Villa Park.

[andrew08]

Personally, I think anyone who takes a child below school-age - and certainly a baby - to a football is doing for their own 'I'm-a-better-supporter-that-you' ego rather than any possibility of engendering any love of football/the Villa for the child concerned.

That would be me then!  Took my lad to a reserve game when he was about 18 months. Stayed for a pre planned 10 mins (we beat Everton 8-0 I think in the end). It is a great memory for me as he toddled to the front of the lower Trinity and said 'wow'. After the 10 mins I had to carry him out and he grabbed hold of anything he could to try and stay! Screamed the place down. I had people jokingly telling me to let him stay as I shoulder carried him out.

He's been a season ticket holder from about the age of three. It's never been a problem for me or people around us. I've missed a few goals taking him to the toilet over the years but he's 12 now so that hasn't been an issue for a while now. 

9 months would be hard work, as would any little un still in nappies as there are no facilities really for changing but after that go for it.

There is no ego involved at all.... It's the Villa not bloody Chelsea!

[McGraths Dry Cleaning]

Interesting reading - I've got a three year old boy and two 4 month old twin boys - agreed with Mrs MDC (well, I say agreed...!!) that I'm not going to any games other than late KO games but after reading some of the comments above i think I'll try my 3 year old.

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

I think 9 months is far too young. I took my lad to his first game when he was 2 , he was kind of ok for about 5 mins sat taking it all in, then it started to unravel. Up running about , climbing over seats , pulling faces at people, shouting . Then fast asleep before HT , then kind of repeated again 2nd half before we left on about 80 mins.
Didn't bring him back til he was about 7.

I was like that at the last evening game I went to.
Shouldn't have gone straight from work.

[Bad English]

There must have been a few on the pitch over the years. Both in claret and blue and playing for the opposition.

[Risso]

Blimey, I didn't go to my first Villa game until I was ten years old.

Does this mean I had a deprived childhood?

Depends how old you are I suppose!  I don't feel like my kids have missed out on much by not going for the last four years.

[Holte L2]

I had my first season ticket when I was 6.  My dad started taking me when I was 4, and said I was absolutely mesmorised.
I've had a season ticket ever since.

[Small Rodent]

Dabid O'Leary had babies on the pitch at Leeds.

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

There must have been a few on the pitch over the years. Both in claret and blue and playing for the opposition.

Sir Alex Ferguson always reminded me of a big, fat, red faced baby.

That probably also explains the speeding in his car when he needed his nappy changing.

[martin o`who??]

I dribble like one after the half-time pint has topped up the other ten!!...