Why I’m Taking My Toddler to Pride and How You Can Too ~ health and fitness,celebrity news,fashion blog,beauty women,whole foods,quotes about love

mercredi 7 juin 2017

Why I’m Taking My Toddler to Pride and How You Can Too

With temperatures continuing to rise and nights becoming a little lighter, I am reminded that Summer festival season is upon us. Soon our days will be filled with carnivals, food fests, and block parties peppering the neighborhood. But before I can ride the Ferris wheel and stuff my face with processed meats on sticks, I'm taking my 2-year-old to Pride.

As a heterosexual cisgendered white lady, I've never really had to fight for my place in society. No one has ever assumed that my sexuality was a phase or that my gender identity was wrong. I've never had to wonder whether or not holding hands with my husband was going to make someone uncomfortable or be faced with backlash. It's a remarkable privilege that I am very aware of, and I want my son to be aware of too.

Maybe by going to Pride consistently as a kid, he will see how vibrant and different we all really are.

Previous Pride parades and festivals that I have been to seek to celebrate a life of diversity, love, and inclusion. I may not be part of the vibrant LGBTQ community, but I am an ally. I will be supportive, listen, and add an extra voice - Pride is an observance of these things. I hope that my son will be raised in an environment that respects diversity, and maybe by going to Pride consistently as a kid, he will see how vibrant and different we all really are.

All that said, taking a 2-year-old to any festival seems nerve-racking, let alone one that is known for being nudity-friendly, sexually explicit, and frankly not entirely for kids. Add in the usual issues with parades and festivals like crowds, navigating traffic, and potential tantrums, and it can all be very daunting.

However, children should still be present, for at least some portion of the activities. If the longstanding motto of Pride is, "We're here, we're queer, get used to it," then ally children and their families can only help to demonstrate society's growing acceptance. Armed with my own reasons for going, I've devised a small plan of attack to ameliorate my own concerns about taking a toddler to a huge event, and maybe these tips can help your family as well.

Let's talk about sex, baby. I'm in the super sweet spot with my toddler in that he's old enough to get some enjoyment out of Pride but not so old that I need to really be concerned about what he sees. After all, I still occasionally change in front of him and he doesn't seem too scarred, or even curious, from that. However, I know your toddlers and children might be more aware of their surroundings and naturally you're going to see some things that might prompt questions. Start the conversation early, telling them about what they'll see and allow them to ask questions. At the event, if you're uncomfortable, go somewhere else. Be prepared that there is a possibility that they may ask what a dildo is, and I think it's up to you to determine how honest you want to be. While sex is a part of Pride, it's not the only part. Point out the things that you do want them to see, and when in doubt, distract them with rainbows and colors.

Festival vs. Parade. When determining what to see, both the festival and parade have a lot going for them. The parade will have floats, motorcycles, and lots of other exciting things to watch. But if your kid is like mine, the thought of getting somewhere super early (HA!) and sitting down in one location for more than five minutes is next to impossible. The festival, while potentially difficult to navigate due to the sheer number of revelers, is where we will be spending most of our time. There will be booths, music, and lots of things to eat. However, if your kid is more willing than mine to sit for long periods, try to set up a station with a Pack n' Play near where the floats line up (pro tip: bring a fitted sheet to place over the top to protect them against the sun). Bring lots of toys, books, and snacks, and be prepared for long stretches of time when the parade is stagnant.
Like the Boy Scouts, always be prepared. Although normally I would consider myself pretty relaxed, this is not the time to "go with the flow." Know your parade route and festival map. If your child is potty trained, know where the porta-potties are. Have multiple exit points planned in your head and come prepared. I'm bringing an umbrella stroller for the walk over to the festival and for the way home but plan on locking it up at a bike station if it looks too crowded. Bring a backpack of snacks, toys, extra diapers if needed, wipes, and water bottles. As a secret weapon, don't forget to pack the bubbles, because nothing eases the threat of a potential meltdown like bubbles. Plus, the other festivalgoers will enjoy them too, because at the end of the day, who doesn't like bubbles?
Go early, leave early. There are some who think that Pride isn't for children, not because they're worried about children being "exposed to the homosexual agenda," but because there are people who want to party and shouldn't need to curtail that because someone brought their kids along. I get the concerns and in trying to be respectful of that and to avoid the real crazy parties, I plan to go as early as possible and leave before my son's afternoon naptime. My Pride festival, the one in Chicago, opens at 11 a.m., and I will be grateful if we manage to last until 12:30. After all, naps still need to be had and it's better to leave happy than cranky.
Above all, know your kid. My son, while obviously a perfect human being, often needs time to adjust to new surroundings and crowds. This means that I will avoid the music stages until he is acclimated and that I'll bring extra diapers just to make sure he's extra dry and comfortable. Your kid may do better giving them something to focus on immediately, like dancing, so devise your plan based on your own kid. Although in my head this day will go smoothly, I know that there is a possibility that it will be too much for him, in which case we will walk away, try again next year, and find a spot for brunch where we can people watch and blow all the bubbles we can.

mercredi 7 juin 2017