[Ansteorra] a subject change...

[Elisabeth B. Zakes]

> Two kids under the age of 2 makes eventing.. tricky for me and Liam.  So,
> keeping in mind I can NOT be the first woman to bring smalls to an event, I
> seek the wisdom of those who have pulled this off  (eventing with babies).
> They're too small for children's activities, our closest family is in
> Biloxi, and it's not like we can leave them at home like cats where they
> get a big bowl of food and a warning about keggers.  Hints, tips, tricks?
>
>
> Moira Lindsay


The way Tivar and I worked it is that all of us went to the event, and
we traded around who had the "kid duty" for the day (or for the half
day). If there was an event I really wanted to fight at, he would set
up by the side of the list field with all the support equipment for
whichever child it was at the time, manage the baby, and cheer me on.
I did the same for him. If there was a meeting we both needed to go to
and the child was small enough, we took her with us, and if the child
got restless, whoever had the duty would excuse herself and leave.
(Sometimes the baby would get passed around the meeting. <G>) We would
look at the events coming up and split the duty as evenly as we could
so that neither of us felt we were always on duty.

All our children were attending events from day 3 of life. Just make
sure you plan ahead for anything, and bring along the half-ton of
stuff needed (a baby instantly doubles the amount of stuff you need to
take to an event). Portable cribs, plenty of cooling space for foods
and milk, etc. Plastic bags and ziplocks. Look at what you need at
home, and duplicate it for events. There's a lot of "camping" versions
of just about everything, just look for it. If you can't duplicate
(space, money, etc.), then try to get camping or mobile versions in
the first place and just take everything with you that way.

But it can be done, and can be done without grief. Why leave them at
home? They'll grow up in a unique environment, and learn a whole lot
without even realising it. Heck, they may even pitch in and help when
they're old enough to walk and talk!

You know you're in the SCA when you teach your daughter to peel
potatoes by telling her, "You hold the potato like a crossbow and ..."
:)

Aethelyan Moondragon
Bryn Gwlad