Kids at your meetings?

cruelshoes · Joined: 23 Sep 2005 Posts: 3380 Location: Washington State

Have you noticed I am a little obsesive compulsive about my support group? Very Happy

What is your group's policy about having kids at your meetings? I have to bring my kids because my husband wants to come to the meeting (he doesn't get out much, and there is FOOD there. Very Happy

) We have another member that often does not have childcare, so the brings her two kids. I always try to have an activity for them to do (coloring or a craft or something) to keep them occupied.

Do you allow any kids at your meetings? I feel like I would rather have someone come and bring their kids rather than miss the meeting. Either way I will be bringing my kids because I don't have a choice (no $ to pay for a sitter.) I can see how if we get more than 5 or 6 kids, though, it might become a distraction for some of the people. If we got a lot of kids, I might think about breaking them off into a separate group.

What has worked for your group?
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-Colleen

Where are we going, and what am I doing in this handcart?

The Edifying Conscience · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 2920

We don't encourage or discourage children from attending. A couple of people who attend with some regularity bring their kids and the are always well behaved and have things to do...gameboy-like thigns/books/etc. We don't provide activities as we aren't a children's group. Plus, that's just one more thing for us to organzie. I don't know about you but it's often hard enough to get ready for a meeting without adding children's activities.

mrsppmrxky · Joined: 09 Oct 2004 Posts: 1612 Location: GF Kitchen

We do not have many that come, but they are usually always good. Even the babies behave in the group. Maybe it is because we have food as a treat that they can eat. LOL

On the nights that we do go out to eat, some will bring their celiac children so that they can have GF food and fellowship with others that have something in common.

Personally as long as they don't bounce off the walls, I have no problem with them being in our meetings. They are usually just so darn happy to have treats to eat that they will sit in awe and drool over the goodies on the table and wait for us to hand out the plates.
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Fidissimus · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 1881 Location: Portland, OR.

We're not a ROCK group so no kid activities. However children are welcome as long as they're not a distraction. Needless to say 3 yo's are not well behaved and my kiddlet has to stay home! Laughing

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Cheers!
Jenn

GF BD: Feb. 2001
Free of wheat, barley, rye, oats, dairy, eggs, almonds, pineapple and brewers yeast.
http://graindamaged.blogspot.com/

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 10612 Location: WI, USA

Does anyone have celiac kids at their meetings? We're supposed to have 2, but I think they have so much stuff going on it's tough for them to make the meetings.
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Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

cruelshoes · Joined: 23 Sep 2005 Posts: 3380 Location: Washington State

We have my son, another boy who is 12 who comes with his mom or dad, and this week we have a woman who has 2 newly diagnosed kids (7 and 11) who is supposed to come.
_________________
-Colleen

Where are we going, and what am I doing in this handcart?

The Edifying Conscience · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 2920