We enjoy taking our children with us as much as possible when we go to movies and other public events, but we fear that children sometimes distract members of the audience. What can we do to ease that problem?

Keith M. Engar, chairman of the General Activities Committee and dean of the College of Fine Arts at the University of Utah. It is good for families to go to wholesome entertainment together. There are few joys in life equal to sharing with family members the virtuous, lovely, or praiseworthy things that may be found in the concert hall, theatre, and ward cultural halls. But some times children do fail to appreciate certain activities. The following suggestions may be useful in making family entertainment experiences enjoyable.

When you take children of all ages, choose events all members will enjoy. Babes in arms and toddlers do not enjoy being confined at length in a limited space, so it is inappropriate to take them to a play or a concert where they must remain stationary and quiet for a long period of time. They cannot be blamed for talking or crying aloud, and other members of the audience can’t be blamed for being annoyed by the distraction. Further, such noises are not fair to performers, who have rehearsed long hours for the show.

A good rule is to check the theatre or concert hall admission policies before you obtain your tickets. Not all will have as drastic a policy as the Salt Lake Theatre in 1863 which, at a time when the top adult ticket price was $1.25, advertised “Babies in Arms Ten Dollars Extra.” (There’s no record of anyone ever paying the ten extra dollars.) In the current free Temple Square Concert Series in the Assembly Hall held each Friday and Saturday night, it is recommended that parents bring no child under eight years of age.

Parents should be alert for events that advertise “bring the whole family.” I think it is appropriate to take the entire family to ward and stake roadshows because they are colorful, have a lot of action and energy, involve ward members who are friends and neighbors, and consist of several short scenes. Between each show is an intermission that allows toddlers to stretch their legs. And a parent bringing a baby can sit near an exit so that the parent and child can leave the cultural hall quickly.

It is difficult to say whether an entire family should attend ward and stake plays. I suggest that activities committees producing such plays decide on a recommended age level and communicate that decision in the publicity so that parents will know whether to bring children. In one ward I lived in, the dress rehearsal was presented at an early enough hour so that young children could attend. Other wards present special performances for children.

Occasional family dances for all ages, including babies and toddlers, are being scheduled by some ward activities committees. One of the most intriguing was an outdoor dance. A food committee planned a simple, inexpensive menu. A music committee with representatives from all age groups, including young people, chose the music. Children danced with each other and with their parents and other grownups. For anyone who didn’t care to dance, games were provided. Helium balloons were available for the youngsters. Parents with young toddlers could leave when they chose. An important part of this event was the opportunity for all ward members to share a family experience, and many nonmembers and inactive members joined the fun.

While it is important for parents to train children to appreciate and seek wholesome entertainment, they should avoid compulsion. If a parent forces a child to attend a concert, a play, or a ballet before the child is ready to appreciate it, the parent is risking having the child learn to dislike what he or she could eventually learn to love.