Your preschooler is pestering you to but
tickets to expensive shows should you splurge and keep him happy?
The school holidays are upon us and there’s
a slew of concerts and performances in town – all aimed at young children. You
might be feeling some pressure to take your preschooler along to at least one,
as you know many of hi friends will be attending.
You might be feeling some pressure to take
your preschooler along to at least one, as you know many of hi friends will be
attending.
But tickets are so expensive! For the same
price, you could buy several DVDs of those concerts, which he could then watch
at home. On the other hand, you don’t want him to feel he’s losing out when his
friends talk about their experiences later on.
But everyone’s going
an
advertisement for the latest children’s show
Be patient when your four-year-old
excitedly notices an advertisement for the latest children’s show. At this
young age, he may not realize that promotions can be misdealing, and that the
performance may not live up to his expectations – he’s easily enticed and
influenced by the children he plays with.
If several of his preschool pals are
talking about the must-see show, it’s just a matter of time before he wants to
see it as well.
Advance planning will help. Scan the papers
and Internet for information about the children’s shows, which will run through
the holiday month. Pick one or two performances (depending on what y can
afford) that you think your preschooler will like. Take advantage of the early
bird promotions that are usually offered; there’s a better chance of getting
reasonably priced tickets for good seats. Likewise, matinee performances are
usually cheaper – and at a more suitable time slot for preschoolers – than
evening ones.
Which one will it be?
Explain to your four-year-old what each
show has to offer, and try to work out which he’s likely to enjoy the most.
Listen to what he has to say, but also use his previous experiences of going to
shows to help the both of you make a decision. He will thoroughly enjoy this
type of planning, as it enables him to anticipate the event with greater
excitement.
Don’t be afraid to point out that he can go
to only one show (or the number you can afford) during the holidays because the
tickets are costly. Hopefully, it’s a children’s concert that’s on at least
halfway through the holidays, so he’s less likely to ask to go to another!
As soon as you’ve both decided, book and
pay for the seats. You don’t have to buy tickets for everyone you know who
might want to go along. If you can afford an extra ticket for your child’s
friend, then that will probably add to his excitement.
Planning in advance, buying a good ticket
at a reasonable price, and involving your child in the show selection should
ensure he goes to at least one enjoyable show – and he’ll be able to tell his
friends all about it.
