Bringing the kid?

[elicia423126]

I've never taken my kids with me, because BF is mommy's day. I feel they would slow me down, but I've been fortunate to always have my mom or DH stay with them. I don't have a problem with people who take their kids as long as they use common sense. Next year my oldest son will be 12 and I want to take him with me for the first time. I haven't told him yet or he would be begging to go this year! I think it can be a bonding experience and a time to create memories.:)

[smga1]

I will take my ds who is 2 because I have no one to babysit.

[kati30]

are you crazy? I could never shop with kids that day....good luck

[jw109]

I feel really bad for these kids being drug out of a warm bed out into a line at 3 am. They get pushed and shoved. I would never take a child under 12 with me. they are too small and you never know how ugly a line might get. On the other hand I have been to meijer and other 24 hr stores that you can have the child in the store and wait for the sale items to come out, I suppose that wouldnt be so bad for the child. I would check with child cares in your neighbor hood and see if any are offering black friday care. Please dont take him.

I have to agree. I just could not imagine bringing my 2 small children. Although, I think it's acceptable to bring older children, that's just my opinion. I think it is dangerous as people run through the stores and children are little. Sometimes when people have something in sight, they just keep their "eye on the prize" and will trample whatever is in their way to get there. I have seen it and I don't live in a big town. I also do not agree that "It doesn't matter the weather". I think it certainly does. Frostbite is certainly an issue and seriously, how comfortable can it be for the babies or young children? If your child is whining, why would you make them stand out in the cold? Do you think there may be a reason they are whining? That would be my thought..

[afrey66]

are you crazy? I could never shop with kids that day....good luck

Wow, kind of harsh. Don't you think?

 

Just because you wouldn't doesn't mean others should be criticized for taking their child(ren) especially if they can not have a sitter. I've taken my daughter many times and it's worked out fine.

[afrey66]

Maybe people need to be less crazed about the deals they find on BF. This would save a lot of insanity. It's only an object.

[Melissa]

Maybe people need to be less crazed about the deals they find on BF. This would save a lot of insanity. It's only an object.

Exactly....which is why it's totally unnecessary to drag children along. There will always be other days and other sales.

[jellybean051901]

I have a 4yo DD. It is very cold here. I would not take her early or stand in line with her because of the cold and of the crowd. I would be too afraid she would get hurt. I have no problem taking her out later in the day. I don't think it is a safe enviornment for a young child. The deals wouldn't be worth it to me to put my child at risk.

[afrey66]

Exactly....which is why it's totally unnecessary to drag children along. There will always be other days and other sales.

The point I'm trying to make is to each their own. I don't see how it's anyone else's business if someone wants to bring their child. Conversely, if someone wants to leave their children at home that is there business as well.

 

If someone is that focused on an item, that they would not pay attention to their surroundings...well to me that's the bigger fool than someone who would NOT want to spend time with their child(ren).

 

However, I've yet to see (knock on wood) any of the craziness in my city that I've heard of elsewhere. I guess the insanity depends on where you live.

Edited October 19, 2008 by afrey66

[Illinoismom]

The point I'm trying to make is to each their own. I don't see how it's anyone else's business if someone wants to bring their child. Conversely, if someone wants to leave their children at home that is there business as well.

 

If someone is that focused on an item, that they would not pay attention to their surroundings...well to me that's the bigger fool than someone who would want to spend time with their child(ren).

 

However, I've yet to see (knock on wood) any of the craziness in my city that I've heard of elsewhere. I guess the insanity depends on where you live.

I have always taken my children starting at age 10, My oldest daughter and I have some great memories of Shopping on BF as now my son who started when he was 14 and my youngest daughter who is now 11. My youngest son who is 9 may or may not stay at home depends on if his dad wants to go or not. My husband is not a crowd person so he has only gone once and last year he and the youngest met up with us later in the morning,

 

No one has the right to look down or say what one parent does is right or wrong. I have never put my children in Harms way, and they have all survived Black Friday shopping and have learned to help people that day as they are runners when I am in line and we make friends.

 

 

Last year my oldest daughter was number 2 and her brother was number three in a line at walmart for Wii and GPS and something else Oh yeah a DS. A lady who was 10 back wanted to go and get her daughter who was at BB but didnt want to leave the line. I stood where my daughter was and she held the spot for the lady, when the lady came back I removed my self and my daughter took her spot back, the lady had her spot. She offered to pay my daughter 25.00 for the 15 minutes she stood there and my daughter wouldnt take it. Not bad for a 20 year old I was proud of her.

[afrey66]

I edited my post because I left out a word in the second paragraph. It changed the whole context.

[Illinoismom]

I edited my post because I left out a word in the second paragraph. It changed the whole context.

I wasnt picking on you hun, I was agreeing

[kim_r4]

I may bring my dd with me this year if I decide to cave in to all of her begging. But I'm not really thinking about black friday yet. I'm focusing on halloween at the moment.

[afrey66]

I wasnt picking on you hun, I was agreeing

 

I know.

[lesliepear]

We took my son on BF 2002 when he was 6 weeks old. But I don't think we've taken him since. The routine the past few years has been for me to head out to Staples @ 5 AM and DH stays home with my son and internet shops. (It's a lot easier to get up in the wee hours of the morning to shop online, especially with your child sleeping in the next room!)

[mccabefamily29]

I couldn't agree with afrey66 and Illinoismom more, it is no one's business how you decide to shop on Black Friday.

[theboyzmom]

it may not be anyone's business, but the whole intent of the original post was to get other's opinions...so everyone has the right to post their own opinion, and honestly, I don't think anyone has been nasty (asking someone if they are crazy isn't really that harsh)

 

let's keep this thread non-judgemental

 

although I am on the side that won't take a child out and feel badly for the children who are out and look miserable, to each his own...each has to make a decision that works best for their situation (however, I managed to get great deals on lots of things without going to BF for years)

 

let's just not attack or get mad...

[dbaby4ever]

Thanks everyone for your opinions. I didn't want to take DS so I wasn't going to go but luckily Nana has decided to take off that day and keep him ! Yaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!! So I get to go. Only thing is I will have to do her shopping too. But that doesn't seem like a bad trade.

[amberjobryant]

glad you found a good solution, happy shopping!

[leefamily23]

I think there are so many factors. If you usually go,then you know what kind of crowds you'll expect. We are pretty much 20 miles inbetween 2 shopping areas in different directions. If I go to 1- it's very calim, polite, ect (but not as many stores and no mall). If I go to the other it's essentially every man for himself. To scenario #1, there would be no problem taking kids. To scenario #2, I'd truly be afraid to bring a child along. As it gets waaaayyyyyy toooo chaotic.

 

Also, I know someone mentioned that the weather shouldn't matter. It's got to play in a little bit though. I know 2 yrs ago, we had temps that were in the single digits w/ a wind chill that made it feel almost 20 below. That was just too cold. That was the 1 year even we didn't stand in line, just couldn't do it. We sat in the car and waited for the mad rush to make it through the doors.

 

Most years here it is cold and w/ the wind chill it usually is feels 10-25 degree's. Once again, just too cold for a child to be out in line for any length of time.

 

I shopped once w/ my son when he was 3 yrs old. It was actually my 1st BF. I was wondering what the heck I was doing when I got to Walmart at opening. We pretty much left within a few minutes empty handed, and that was that. I was scared for him. I didn't know it was going to be like that then though.

[booga12345]

I wouldn't take my kids, only because:

 

I shop for them, and it would be no fun if they knew what they are getting

I don't have the patience to deal with them and other people, all in the same day

I am fotunate enough to have someone to watch them

It is the 1 day out of the year that is all mine

 

I live in a large city and I have never seen the madness other people might have witnessed. So do what you feel comfortable with.

[mommy2g]

The kids come with, Neither dh nor I want to stay home, the stores are 80 miles away and we have no family here, so they come. We have camped out at Best Buy all night twice so they are pros now (They will be 8 & 10 this year, we skipped last year so the first time they were 5 & 7). They spend most of the night sleeping in the van, we take out the back seat and pile on blankets so they are comfy and not cold. Dh and I take turn one waiting in the line the other in the van with them. They have movies, books and games to occupy themselves before bedtime. They actually look forward to it and have fun. They usually join us in line once the BB employees come out so they can get donuts and hot cocoa. Once the doors opened last time, I got a cart for the then 6yo to make sure she stayed safe, the other one did great following.