(How Do You Afford Your) Rock and Roll Lifestyle
Anyone have tips or tricks for protecting a baby's eardrums during a loud concert in a small bar? Don't say "Keep him away from loud concerts (and bars, OMG, bad mother!)" because, come on, my baby's father is in a band, and that's so cool, and jeez, it's not like he's two and able to toddle across the dance floor, scale a barstool, and order himself a pint. He can't even drink out of a cup yet, let alone suck down a shot.
He was actually a dream at the concert, crying only when a stranger would get all up in his grill (note: he's almost five months old; you don't have to get two inches from his face for him to see you), and at one point he actually fell asleep in my arms while the boys rocked it out so hard that one of the cranky-ass patrons slurred in his best outdoor voice after one particularly rousing original, "Do you have to play so goddamn loud?! Turn the fuck down!" At which point the bar went completely silent save for the blinking of everyone's eyelids in disbelief.
In contrast to that guy, though, Wombat was on his best behavior and was beloved by all, from the moms and future-moms and grandmas in the fan club to the random and therefore creepy old guy who slipped me his email address on a napkin with an offer to photograph my kid with his professional equipment at no charge. I always knew babies were chick magnets for guys, but this was a surprising turn of events.
Anyway, that was Wombat's second concert (although the first was more of a "recital" for Simon's work band), and he's got another one coming up soon, which means I need to find an earplug solution that works better than cotton balls. The cotton always ends up falling out, and I have to spend the entire show with my fingers in his grimy little ears, which really hampers my ability to chair-dance like the professional that I am.
Do they make can-style headphones for babies? Are earmuffs hopelessly uncool? Is there a Parent Hack for this sort of thing? I'm too lazy to Google, and this is what Internet friends are for, right?
(This is also what Internet friends are for: holding your baby while he's wearing a kickass onesie from two other kickass Internet friends.)
Doesn't anyone make tiny headphones like the one's used at the firing range?
He's been to the firing range right?
Protective ear muffs/headphone-like-sound-barriers (they're so cute, too)!
http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/ejuearmu.html
You are SUCH a Gwynnie in the making!! http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2005/gallery/starmoms/gpaltrow.jpg
For reals though, you gotta get the robin egg blue pair! And take LOADS of pics!
http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/ear-muffs-for-children.html
Amazon has a bunch of noise cancelling junior ear muffs. I searched under 'baby headphones.' I like blue.I first saw this on a baby at warped tour and thought it was so awesome. I believe matt logelin got maddie a pair and had photos on his blog. You read his blog right???
My grandma still loves to tell the story about how my very first concert was one she and I attended together, and I danced to Willie Nelson in my diaper.
(I don't have any personal experience advice, but I would think baby earmuffs might work!)
If you don't mind hot pink, we have a pair of never used baby noise-canceling ear muffs that we bought for Nora Lea for SXSW.
Let me know -- they fit on her 4 month old baby head and are adjustable up to 5 years old, I seem to recall.
I knew I'd seen them somewhere!
Here ya go!
http://www.babyearmuffs.com.au/
Heh. Good luck with this one.
This baby is totally pulling it off and he looks quite comfortable with it:
http://www.thesartorialist.com/photos/1279BabyWeb.jpg
I'm pretty sure these are the headphones everyone's linked above but when you were asking for option I immediately thought of this picture. Totally stylin.
Awesomeness. I especially love the blurb that says these are great for "concerts, parties, motor racing, church, fireworks..."
I don't know if this would work but what about the kind of earplugs they make for babies who have tubes in their ears. You know, for when they are bathing or swimming. Not sure where'd you get those, maybe a pharmacy?
Our friend Dan said he saw you guys in the bar (and saw Simon playing). I was jealous!
I see that everyone else has provided links, but I think your Wombat will be so much cuter than even Apple or Kingston while wearing ear-protector-things. (Cannot remember the name.)
So glad the lil guy had fun at daddy's show!
We had a great time on Saturday! We must drag you up here more often.
A friend of mine took her 10-month-old to Glastonbury and made her wear baby earmuffs. Not like cold-weather earmuffs but like mow-your-lawn industrial earmuffs. I have no idea where she got them but it was adorable.
If it helps, my dad is a marching band director. He used to take me to drumline rehearsal, and they'd just put ear-muffs on me. I have excellent hearing now!
...and here I thought we were the only ones crazy enough to try and go to rock concerts with kids! I love it.
PLEASE come back and tell us you're joking...
5-month infant ears are SO fragile. Once you damage ear hearing cells, or whatever, they are NON-recoverable. PLEASE reconsider you bringing him to such a LOUD concert. Srsly.
5-month infant ears are SO fragile. Once you damage ear hearing cells, or whatever, they are NON-recoverable. PLEASE reconsider you bringing him to such a LOUD concert. Srsly.
I'll personally send you money for a reliable babysitter. I will.
My 21 month old has been to dozens of shows (her dad is in the music biz) and she wears the robin blue Peltor ear muffs. Our first mother/daughter outing was actually to go to Sears to buy said muffs. They are under $20 and do the trick. They work in most settings, but test them out on yourself first to make sure the venue isn't still too loud. Though, we did just go to see The Eagles of Death Metal on Record Store Day and were just fine. Happy concerting!
These are the ones my cousin uses on her baby, and they take her to a number of drag racing events. I assume if they work for loud cars, that it would work for a loud concert too...There are many options as your other commentators pointed out. http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/ejuearmu.html
Very interesting site. Hope it will always be alive!
Very interesting site. Hope it will always be alive!