I love live music, I love live shows, and I love everything about the arts. I was lucky that as a teenager I had a pair of season tickets for the ballet. I camped out with my mom for hours to get last minute, orchestra tickets to RENT when it first came through Cincinnati. And because my family lived less than 2 miles from Riverbend Music Center, I spent much of my hard earned Coney Island picnic grove money on tickets, though I had no shame at fighting to win tickets from a local radio station covering myself in their logoed stickers (do people still do stuff like this?!). I’ve had many express concern about what I’m bringing my son to, whether or not he’d understand it or how he’d behave. Here’s my experience so far.
Ballet
Especially because my oldest is a boy, I feel people question why I think bringing him to see ballet is appropriate. Somehow, it’s assumed that young men can’t learn to take in the beauty, imagine the details that are shared through movement without words, or to appreciate costumes, scenery and a blend of genres. I do selectively choose which shows I bring him to, sticking to the ones that have a recognizable storyline like Peter Pan, Cinderella, or the Nutcracker. While he doesn’t always enjoy the costumes (he asks me why everyone has to be so naked all the time), my son has learned firsthand that strength looks different depending on setting, that there is a time and place to be quiet vs. ask questions, and that our actions can tell a story when our words can not. Of course, for us, it helps that we are friends with some of our local ballet dancers and that our Cincinnati Ballet has done an impeccable job of including family-oriented shows each season – it is an experience I am grateful to share with my son.
Theater
Tickets to the theater are certainly not cheap, but when shows fit your child’s interests, I highly recommend you go. You see, the theater is like having a book acted out before you with a few jazz hands along the way. But it can help with big kid conversations like yes, it’s ok for boys to wear make-up or wear a dress if they want to. Or we’ve gotten to chat about abilities, as a show we saw had someone chair bound performing a dance number with others which he’d never seen before. There are many ways to find cheaper or discounted tickets, so I urge any parent who’s been on the fence to give it a try. Seeing my son want to listen to a soundtrack after the fact has been so fun, as I can see his imagination churning as he’s listening, re-enacting or modifying scenes as he goes.
Symphony
While classical music doesn’t always excite people, the blend of instruments and the enormity of sound that comes from a show in which our city’s symphony is playing is something you must at least enjoy once. Here in Cincinnati, our symphony does an incredible job of playing “classic” classical music, but our Pops provides a more upbeat, modern twist with shows that are very kids friendly and oriented. The kids-oriented programming even gives the kids a chance to touch and try some of the instruments, helping them to understand what they are enjoying even more, as the shows typically aren’t going to be full of pyrotechnics or many dancers to entertain. Our family especially enjoyed the Americana themed show during the Fourth of July week that also included a tribute to our armed forces.
Live Concerts and Shows
Yes, I’m the mama you saw in the lawn section with my four-year-old son. I’ve even taken him to a show out of town as a special treat, including a children’s museum as part of our day. Yes, the music is loud. Yes, there is beer and there has been an occasional whiff of marijuana in the air (luckily, he was close enough to the ground I’m not sure he caught that). But mostly, it’s people freely moving to music they love, singing along, getting lost in the moment instead of their reality, their phone or their drama. We’ve seen the Counting Crows now twice, with Live and Matchbox 20 as other bands in the mix. My son’s ultimate bucket list is to meet his favorite cowboy Garth Brooks (anyone know him and want to put in a good word?).
If you’re interested in trying this out, just a few tips we’ve come up with: find a spot away from some of the smoke, etc. Locally, our lawn section even included a family area that was free of alcohol and smoke. I also like to remind my kiddo before we go to stay near me and to hold my hand, especially after it gets dark. Bring plenty of hand sanitizer and snacks, as inevitably, they’re going to get hungry and an $8 pretzel just doesn’t make sense. They’ll usually let you bring in a sealed water, so do that! Take your kids cues and be ready to leave, even if the band isn’t back from intermission. And most importantly – don’t forget where you parked. When my sister and I took my son to a concert out of town, we managed to lose our car in the parking lot which meant a whiney kiddo on my back as I panicked about never getting home.
I want my children to grow up knowing how much music can affect them, how dance and theater can move them, that being a part of it is a powerful experience and even why it’s important to contribute to the arts as well. I want them to feel comfortable laughing, crying and being surprised with a whole community of people around them. I am so glad I’ve started taking my kids to various shows early, as my son and I have many incredible shared experiences already.
