How old is old enough. . .

P

PPC1052

Final Approach
Joined
Feb 2, 2012
Messages
5,398
Display Name
Display name:
PPC
. . . to enjoy the show? Most likely, I'll not be able to make it until my son is old enough to bring along.
 
First, if I read this right, many props for being a late in life pops.

Second, make it work, as you must for many things. Eff conventional thought. Your son will thank you for it, probably long after you pass, but you still have to make the effort.
 
At least old enough so they can be entertained by the show and not wanting to be entertained by you. 5 or 6 should be fine. Have fun! Makes for great father and son memories.
 
Ryanb said:
At least old enough so they can be entertained by the show and not wanting to be entertained by you. 5 or 6 should be fine. Have fun! Makes for great father and son memories.
Click to expand...

Amen to that..

Some of my early memories are of me in the right seat yanking and banking in an old SR 10 Relient. with my Dad locked down on the yoke in the left seat. (Circa 1946/7) by 1950 I could fly it.
 
catmandu said:
First, if I read this right, many props for being a late in life pops.
Click to expand...
I'm 47 and he is 4. He will be right around 5 next year. I think that qualifies me as a later in life pops.


His mom is not in to camping or roughing it. She'd have a great time for about 3/4 of a day. She would not be excited about me trekking off for a multi day vacation without her. So, you see my dilemma.
 
PPC1052 said:
So, you see my dilemma.
Click to expand...

She doesn't want a week of time alone? I see HER dilemma...

Look into renting a house or university dorm space. Heck, if you're willing to pay, there's a Hilton Garden right next to the end of 27, but I suspect they are already sold out for next year. And maybe the year after that.
 
PPC1052 said:
She would not be excited about me trekking off for a multi day vacation without her.
Click to expand...
She doesn’t like the idea of a ‘guys trip’ ?

Is the dilemma more about the 4 year old or the wife?

In all honesty, a long weekend would probably be sufficient, especially with a small child.
 
She wouldn't want to go for the length of time that I would want to go, and she would not want me to go somewhere without her for as long as I would want to go if I went to Oshkosh. But, if I take the little one, I might be able to sell her on a weekend all to her self. I suspect with a 5-6 year old, I can't imaging going for longer than just an over night. I am in Indy, so a flight up one day, stay overnight, and return home might be fine.
 
I started bringing my son when he was 5, pulled him around in a wagon. He is 25 now and has made it almost every year since.....
 
PPC, I don’t see how far away you are? One doesn’t have to take 5 days off to go, especially if solo you can cram much into a day or two. Yeah, if coming across the U.S. one day isn’t worth it. If Sun & Fun is closer, try that for now.
 
You don’t have to camp to have an awesome time. And you don’t have to stay for a week, or even multiple days.

Take your family on a 2-3 day vacation to Wisconsin Dells. Nice water parks, family fun. Go to Osh (1.5 hr drive if I remember) and stay there a couple more days. Fun and variety for all and no one has to feel left out.
 
My son's first trip was at age 2. He loves planes and still has the little plastic toy that we bought him. My daughter was 4. We only went for one day and I went for a second will they and my wife visited my sister down in Milwaukee. I don't think the kids really remember it, but at the time they definitely had fun.
 
For a lot of the folks I've been hanging around with for the last 45 years, some of them have had their kids with them when they were -9 months old.

Jim
 
I took my son for the first time when he was 3 months. It didnt go all that well and we left after only 3 days (We always do the Saturday before opening until the Sunday evening, leaving on the Monday after it ends). We returned the following year when he was one and he had a blast. We had to be careful with the sun and the noise from the jets etc, but he had a great time.

As for the wife, well she had no intention of camping etc until she came for the first time, now she looks forward to Osh and Camp Scholler as much as me! I say tell the wife to come along and try it at least once.

We will be missing this year for the first time in a long time as baby #4 is due to make an appearance any day now.
 
Took my daughter (just her and I) when she was 2, and she enjoyed it, but got scared poopless by one surprise FA-18 pass and the weird 'whomp' noise the V-22's rotors make while transitioning - despite hearing protection. Granted, we're 'local-enough' that we day-tripped by car, no camping. Biggest challenge was the porta-potties - i.e. when _I_ needed one and couldn't just leave her outside. Due to . . . reasons (likely not good ones), I think that's the last time either of us went, but not because it was a bad time.
 
PPC1052 said:
She wouldn't want to go for the length of time that I would want to go, and she would not want me to go somewhere without her for as long as I would want to go if I went to Oshkosh. But, if I take the little one, I might be able to sell her on a weekend all to her self. I suspect with a 5-6 year old, I can't imaging going for longer than just an over night. I am in Indy, so a flight up one day, stay overnight, and return home might be fine.
Click to expand...

I've made the 1200 nm trek from where we live to OSH about a dozen times. My wife came once. She flew commercial to Chicago and I rented a car to pick her up and bring her to Wittman Field. It worked well. She got to see what it was all about, met a whole bunch of friendly and interesting people, experienced the obligatory deluge on the tent, and happy for me to go without her from then on. She enjoys the quiet time at home when I'm gone apparently. :)

For the parents with young children there's a program called KidVenture that's run at the EAA's facility (Pioneer Airport) next to the museum. Aviation themed hands-on activities for kids of all ages, and a big draw for families. Plan a couple of days instead of an overnight, and split one day between the museum (indoors, air conditioned) and KidVenture. Use part of the second to walk the showline and see the airshow. btw, the night airshows seem to be really popular with the kids too.
 
Last edited:
I don’t know how old “old enough” is, but a kid like me wanted to go to the airport and airshows from my earliest memories. Jet noise and low-level passes were an added bonus. Still is, in fact!
 
We took our son for a day when he was 5 months old a couple of years ago. Just had to be careful of the heat and what not. They do have a small building with A/C that has changing tables and an area for nursing moms. To be honest without that we probably would not have gone that year.

Next year we are planning on going for a few days and he will be 4 then. Both of us plan to go which I think will help sanity all around. Not sure if we will take our daughter who will be just short of 2 though. If we do we will more than likely do Saturday or Sunday through Wednesday and then hit the Dells for a day or two on our way home.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top