General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsShould I take my daughter to the circus?
I just realized that my daughter had never been to the circus. Ringing Brothers is shutting down - last show is My 21 in Uniondale NY.
https://hampton-coliseum.tickets-center.com/search/?performerId=726&kwds=Ringling+Bros+B%26B+Circus&nid=1
She's been to a Wiggles concert but not a circus. Not THE circus.
Disneyland - yes
Familiar with Joe Walsh - yes
Sailboat - yes
Hates clowns - yes
Mentioned genocide and Christopher Columbus in 4th grade - yes. Teacher agreed - yes
Eats her veggies including beets - yes
So, should I?
18 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited | |
Yes | |
12 (67%) |
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No | |
6 (33%) |
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You are a terrible parent | |
0 (0%) |
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I'm a bit iffy on your parenting | |
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Fruit salad yummy yummy | |
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0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided. | |
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CrispyQ
(38,938 posts)

Or perhaps I should say, human animal only circus.

DemocratSinceBirth
(100,513 posts)The only animal free circus this coming week is the Trump Inaugural. I wouldn't take my daughter to that.
A HERETIC I AM
(24,676 posts)You sure?
hunter
(39,219 posts)He's probably thinking he shouldn't have accepted that job at NBC news. It will forever stain his resume.
Response to underpants (Original post)
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lillypaddle
(9,605 posts)B&B are shutting down for good.
Take her before it's a thing of the past.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-big-top-comes-down-ringling-bros-circus-is-closing/ar-AAlSxkf?OCID=ansmsnnews11
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)
underpants
(188,288 posts)Googling parenting.com
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)It's like a bad flashback. Which one is obsessed with Food- Greg? Jeff is the one with Narcolepsy, I remember that much.
underpants
(188,288 posts)Not interested.
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)Just seemed sort of creepy and sad, and I always imagined it probably smelled funny, too.
Maru Kitteh
(29,493 posts)etherealtruth
(22,165 posts)There are clowns there
democratisphere
(17,235 posts)Good opportunity for conditioning.
elleng
(137,839 posts)and have fond memories.
yewberry
(6,530 posts)Take her to an alternative like cirque du soleil or cirque vargas. Mummenschantz. I wouldn't subject a child to 'entertainment' based on the suffering of animals.
oneshooter
(8,614 posts)yewberry
(6,530 posts)AFAIK, neither cirque du soleil nor cirque vargas is planning to shutter.
democratisphere
(17,235 posts)It could be your last opportunity to take her.
TheCowsCameHome
(40,230 posts)She's only a kid once.
JI7
(91,255 posts)Sissyk
(12,665 posts)Every kid needs to experience the stinky bigtop and dirty animals while eating cotton candy after picking it up off the floor where they dropped it. Lol!
It's been a long time since I took the boys, but it was a very enjoyable, family event.
demmiblue
(37,990 posts)However, a childhood is never a childhood without seeing the Harlem Globetrotters or the Ice Capades (or the current manifestation)!
RIP, Meadowlark Lemon.
underpants
(188,288 posts)Front row seats at the Richmond Coliseum. No idea how mom could afford that.
demmiblue
(37,990 posts)I remember being terrified that they would choose me to come down to the court.
BainsBane
(55,404 posts)So I say yes. And yes to cotton candy.
greytdemocrat
(3,300 posts)Why would you care what people here have to say???
underpants
(188,288 posts)alphafemale
(18,497 posts)I'd talk to her about it.
Cirque du Soleil is a much more inventive show.
Igel
(36,515 posts)Maybe she'll like it, and tell her kids that she saw the greatest circus in the US for generations.
Maybe she'll dislike it, and tell her kids that she personally saw what she disapproves of now (or will disapprove of later--these things change over time).
Either way, she'll have something to pass along about what amounts to an institution in a country where institutions have a bad name unless they were founded in the last several years by the politically and economically pure and maintained in a perfect and sinless state.
Historic NY
(38,365 posts)my father used to organize http://www.circusesandsideshows.com/circuses/clydebeattycolebroscircus.html Clyde Beatty Cole circus that helped raise funds for the volunteer fire dept. The circus depended on local volunteers to help for free tickets and maybe a couple of bucks. My brother and I made the most collecting the elephant paddies, we sold them to older folks for their gardens. The circus is a fading piece of Americana, yeah there have been problems, but not ever circus had them. Sometimes being too politically correct blocks ones line of sight through the forest.
woodsprite
(12,308 posts)My daughter and I were at a Bernie rally in Baltimore. We didn't want to leave the city during rush hour, so I talked her into going to the circus with me.
Just make sure it's the whole 3-ring circus, and not one of their single ring offshoots. Went to one of those one time and was really disappointed. The full circus was awesome. And yes, I enjoyed it. All the acts were good, but they had some acrobats and skateboarders that were awesome!
WhiteTara
(30,294 posts)to any circus lover. Filled with excitement, beautiful costumes, high wire acts and the best acrobatics on the planet. And they are ALL willing participants without whips and chains to keep them in line.
gollygee
(22,336 posts)We went to that circus, spent a ton, and the whole time they kept coming up with other ways to try to fleece us out of money, and doing it in a way where my daughter got disappointed and cried over and over again when we didn't buy whatever experience they wanted to sell.
And I laughed at the PETA protestors on the way in, but by the time we left I wondered if they had a point. I have never gone to a circus again. It was a horrible experience.
JI7
(91,255 posts)i would much rather just observe animals in their natural habitat. that is a lot more interesting to me. even if they aren't really doing much.
pintobean
(18,101 posts)Blue_Warrior
(135 posts)mercuryblues
(15,386 posts)not my circus
Paula Sims
(911 posts)It's pricey but more than worth it.
I saw my first in Orlando in 2001 (La Nuba) and have been hooked ever since. It's often my birthday/anniversary/Christmas/whatever present. . .
canetoad
(18,502 posts)Cirque Du Soleil. Or even a local group doing circus skills.
meadowlander
(4,812 posts)but on the other hand, if the girl hates clowns, the girl hates clown.
As a side note, would recommend a Chinese circus if you ever get a chance. A bit like Cirque du Soleil but old school and probably cheaper. The one I saw in Shanghai had motorcycles running around in a globe cage each going about 150 mph without hitting each other.
Who doesn't love this?
aikoaiko
(34,207 posts)Maybe its time of come and gone, but still I'm glad he was able to experience it all.