Such a treat to have two great threads going on the list at once - on how we learned, and on including children at conferences. It's also relevant for us in my town as we plan to host the national meeting of our mother-to-mother BF organization this fall. The meeting itself is not an issue. Of course children are welcome in the room, everyone in the organization is a firebrand for breastfeeding, etc. The seminar on the first day, our income generator, aimed at members and at health care personnel, is less clear-cut. Children in arms, children who are enjoying being in the same room as their mothers and are well supplied with things to do that don't involve crowing like a rooster, yodeling, throwing hard objects or swinging from the chandeliers are fine with me. Also adults who knit during talks, as long as they don't click their needles together or count stitches out loud. Mobile phones with disco music ring tones at full volume are unwelcome, as are the kind of people who talk on them during sessions. We do want people to see children, but we also want them to get what they are paying for in the way of information about the topics covered in lectures. We've planned to offer a large room with piped-in sound immediately adjacent to the main lecture venue, where people with children who need to move around more or make more noise can be, without missing the content. After reading this thread I think we will offer some quiet activities in the front of the main room as well. One thing I have never understood about people whose children crow, yodel, throw things or swing from the chandeliers is what on earth THEY glean from sitting in a lecture during which the child actually requires all their attention. I never managed multi-tasking to that degree. Personally I am really bothered by mothers attending BF conferences who shove dummies into their increasingly insistent babies' mouths instead of picking them up and breastfeeding them, and this is indeed something I have observed at meetings of the organization I belong to myself. Even if the child is not making much noise, it drives me crazy when I observe it, probably more so than in other settings because I expect our members to Have More of a Clue. Dawn, thanks for the belly laugh I got over your son who didn't remember not knowing how to run a meeting. I have two children like that, and until I read your post, it never occurred to me why. Doh! Classic example of getting something with your mother's milk, as the Norwegian saying goes. Teresa, thanks for the story about John Holt kissing your baby. Has he ever said, written or done ANYTHING since then that could induce you to think a negative thought about him? Reminds me of taking both our children to a concert by a Norwegian singer-songwriter when they were about 4 and 9. The 9 y/o disappeared during the final curtain call, only to reappear on the stage, handing the performer a pad of paper and pen as she asked for his autograph. While he unhesitatingly signed his name, the 4 y/o said he wanted to say hi too, and we lifted him on to the stage as well. He plucked at the man's trouser leg, people were kind of flocking around him, but he instantly assumed a position at eye level with our son, who took his hand and shook it and said 'thankth for a nithe conthert', to which the singer replied, without cracking a smile, 'and thank you very much for coming'. Been my hero ever since, like every performer who takes their fans seriously. As Linda points out, some children are take-alongers and some are not. IMO if the child has no joy in being there, it's better parenting to make other arrangements. If your child's needs are going to mean that you won't be able to pay any attention to the speakers, what is the point of staying, especially if it means that nobody else can hear what the speaker says either? Does anyone have any experience with approaching disruptive people to suggest they make use of the alternate facilities? *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] COMMANDS: 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome