Baby disco?
Few would disagree with the observation that parenting has grown trendier over time, as moms and dads dig in their heels and try to find ways to combine their pre-kid days with the steady rhythm of diaper changes and middle-of-the-night wakings.
But…disco clubs for little ones? Have we gone too far?
No way, say the many patrons of Baby Loves Disco events at Aubergine nightclub in San Diego. Tots get to dance; parents get to kick back with a margarita and connect with other moms and dads in the area. Everybody wins!
The merging of the two worlds makes sense when there are only so many hours in the day to be together as a family, said Sabina Skidmore, who runs the Baby Loves Disco events locally and also owns Babycakes, a children’s clothing boutique.
However, not everyone is as keen on the idea of finding a way to make everything adults enjoy kid-friendly, or vice versa.
Amy Tiemann, author of “Mojo Mom: Nurturing Your Self While Raising a Family,” sees a trend toward “over-intensive parenting,” in which everything is shared and done together. On the whole, she said, Generation Xers didn’t feel that close to their parents, so they’re trying desperately to bond with their children.
“The generation gap is almost erased,” she said. “You’ve got kids and parents practically wearing the same type of clothes.”
Tiemann said it’s important for parents, especially moms who have left the work force, to keep their identities. But that means carving out time for themselves, not including children in all of their activities.
While that’s certainly a valid concern, I lean toward the “This is very cool!” side of events like baby boogie nights. I like doing things with my kids, and if some of those things include actual adult conversation, what’s not to like?
Do you agree, or is the idea of baby disco carrying hip parenting too far? Squawk back and let me know!
Posted by Sunshining.
September 25th, 2007 at 7:56 am
I have been thinking of going to this dance party since I first heard about it months ago! It’s only one afternoon, not a daily event, so I think it is novel enough not to become an “only trendy moms may enter” kind of thing.
(And I actually defended it in the comments section of the very same article from signonsandiego!)
September 25th, 2007 at 8:37 am
What adult includes their child in all of their activities? Anyway, I think it’s a great idea. I say go for it ABH.
September 25th, 2007 at 9:17 am
Thanks! The way I see it, it’s a chance for me to go to a swank nightclub that I would never, ever go to at any other time; I get to dress up a bit, and have a fun afternoon dancing with my toddler in the company of other moms and toddlers. Where is the harm in that?
September 25th, 2007 at 9:49 am
For me it would depend on the play list. Some songs (Disco Duck comes to mind) were so wrong the first time around.
ABH, report back!
September 25th, 2007 at 10:31 am
sounds like fun…I would love to go!
September 25th, 2007 at 11:21 am
Hey my kids love to dance and they love music, so it seems like a good mix. When I wrote about Baby Loves Disco late last year it appeared to be a good time and decently thought out. I am going this Saturday.
September 25th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
OK, since you guys want to know how it is, I will buy my tickets tonight. Anything for MomSquawk.
September 25th, 2007 at 7:48 pm
WorkingDad and ABH, definitely let us know - it sounds like a super-fun outing to me!
September 25th, 2007 at 11:10 pm
[…] Brother In Arms wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptThe merging of the two worlds makes sense when there are only so many hours in the day to be together as a family, said Sabina Skidmore, who runs the Baby Loves Disco events locally and also owns Babycakes, a children’s clothing … […]
September 26th, 2007 at 8:21 am
Sounds like innocent fun to me! I would definitely give it a try if I had one near me!
September 26th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
Too bad WorkingDad and ABH aren’t single. This could be a whole new dating scene…
seriously though, how fun!!
September 26th, 2007 at 8:27 pm
It sounds like so much fun! So at night are the places where the baby disco takes place normal night clubs with smoking inside of them? My son has seious allergies to smoke and I would be worried that their might be lingering smoke or something like that… can you smoke in bars and clubs in Cali?
September 27th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
There is no indoor smoking in Cali, so no worries there. It is held in a normal, upscale nightclub though! Partay for mommay!