Is it rude to take a rather loud 1 year old to the library?

Question

i like to go to the library but i cant go without my baby. When i take her she loves to talk and yell out in the middle of the library, sometimes i get questioning looks from other people and im wondering if its rude to take her with me.

i highly doubt anybodys grades are going to fail because i take my baby to the library for 30 minutes once every two weeks, and i dont allow strangers to babysit for me. I understand that it could be rude or inconsiderate, i AM considerate of other people and THATS WHY IM ASKING THE QUESTION, and getting others opinions, because i dont know how others feel about it. So please no more rude comments.

Answer 1

Before I had my son (5 months old) I would have said yes. Now I wouldn't feel that bad. But my son is pretty quite. Not sure how your child behaves in public

Answer 2

I think it is rude to take a loud 1 yr old to the library, with one exception. Most libraries have storytimes, so that is an acceptable time to take a one-year-old.

It's quite possible that someone could be distracted from schoolwork, with negative effects. People go to the library for quiet so they can study and concentrate. How long you are there or how often is kind of irrelevant, because it's quite likely one of the people studying is there when you are, and that person is not there all day every day. If he went to the library to get some schoolwork done in about three hours, the thirty minutes of interruptions is a significant chunk of the time he set aside for uninterrupted study. Also, because the way a lot of libraries are built, accoustics make loud noise seem louder, especially in contrast to the otherwise peaceful silence. Your baby making loud, short, random sounds can be quite jarring and distracting.

If you don't know anyone who could babysit, could you ask a friend or someone else you trust if they have any referrals of good babysitters they've used? As you ably pointed out, it's only 30 minutes every two weeks. A referred trusted sitter twice a month for an hour at a time would be alright.

But if you're unwilling to do that, I think you should either stop going to the library or go at times when there are few people there, like first thing in the morning after they open, or later in the evening, not long before they close. The other library visitors have the right to enjoy the quietness they expect in the library.

Answer 3

I have never felt out of place at our local library with my 2 children. We do go to the toddler time there, so probably other people around on those days realize that there will be children there. My children love the library and love reading and being read to. I would check if your library has some sort of story time for young children. Then go for that and either do what you want to do before or after it. Don't let other people put you off doing something you obviously enjoy and also trying to encourage your child to love books. I also can't go anywhere without my children so I know how hard it is!
By the way, my now 2-1/2 year old had her first public tantrum in the library, now that was embarrassing and I got out of there quickly, but I'm still going back!!!

Answer 4

Yes, it's rude. I think you can find ways to go to the library without her causing a scene though.

Ask in the children's section if they have a toddler reading group. There will be lots of little ones there so her laughter and yelling won't be such a big deal. Also, if she goes to these kinds of events, she'll learn about acceptable library behavior. I know, at 1 year old she's not going to get it, but over time she'll learn. :)

Don't stop going to the library though. Try and get a sitter for an hour if you can. If you HAVE to take her, go when she's the least energetic but not too tired. OR, if you can get her on a schedule... Try feeding her lunch, then playing with her a bit. Then put her in the stroller and lay her down (assuming you have one of those kinds of strollers). Take a walk near the library. Once she has fallen asleep, take the stroller into the library and browse away! It's nice and quiet in there so she'll be able to have a peaceful little nap while you browse. Don't stay too long, of course. Find something and check it out, then walk to a shaded area and start reading while your daughter continues her nap. Sounds like a wonderful day to me, actually! :)

Good luck! :)

Answer 5

When a child is that young, it's irresponsible to take them to the library and not have a care or plan to redirect them when they yell and carry on. Your question was "Is it rude?" so the simple answer is "Yes."

However, I believe that it is also irresponsible to not take the child to the library until you can be confident that they will be quiet at all times when left unsupervised. How old will they be then? Twenty Five?

As a librarian and a father, I can tell you that people LOVE the babies that behave and forgive the parents who try their best to teach their babies when to play wild and when to play quietly. And, it's a sign of the times, that people will rush to call CPS or 911 when a parent abandons a todler in the children's room while they're off on My Space for two hours.

I'm right there with them.

Take your baby to the library. Stay with her. Be ready to leave when your baby becomes unmanageable. I've walked up to moms and said, "Hi Mam, if you leave me your card and your books, you can take your baby outside, and I will check them out for you." Take me up on it and people will think you - and I - are great.

Answer 6

Absolutely.

Try to find yourself a sitter for the hour or two so you can go by yourself. I KNOW that's hard, trust me. I'm not paying anybody, like there is $$ for that anyway!! I don't trust anyone, and my parent/siblings aren't in the same state to come and watch the boys & I can't overuse my mother-in law. She has a life too.

You might try to explain to her how the library works. (people go there to study, read, it is a quiet place)
She might not get that since she is one. Maybe turn it into a game for her, a quiet one. Let's see how long you can be quiet baby... reward--if you are quiet for the hour mommy wants to be in the library you can pick an extra book for bedtime???? or you have to bring something to occupy her, so she is quiet. (snacks, quiet toy, her own books) You could try to make this trip during her naptime.
It might suck for you, but if she gets loud, you have to leave. See if there is a reading group for younger children offered at the library. She can be in there, you might be able to browse. Even if you're in the group with her, maybe at the least she'll learn she has to be a little quieter in the library, if she is listening to someone read a story & not the one doing the talking.
I went just the other day, my kids are older & like to talk too, but I let them pick out a couple books first, then they sat and looked through them while I found some for myself. I totally get just needing to get out of the house for a minute. whew.

My library is online, I can browse online and reserve books. The librarian will get them and they will be waiting for you for pickup at the desk. If you know what books you want, you may be able to do that, so you can just pop in & pick them up.

But she is just a baby. You need to get out & if you have to take her, what can you do?? The best you can do is find something to occupy her while you are there or make your trip shorter than you would like.

Answer 7

Yes, it is.

As a parent of two I am quite aware that babies don't come with a remote control or a "mute" button. However, you know your babies personality and that she is likely to be disruptive. This means that until she reaches a point where whe can act appropriately for the venue taking her to the library with you is a problem.

The good news is that librarians are usually quite helpful. If you use the card catalog on line and have the librarian pull the books for you before hand the time your baby will spend in the actual library is the time it takes you to go to the counter and pick up your books. You can then take them to a local park (or wherever) to read.

Answer 8

They way I see it is if ppl cant understand the characteristics of a toddler then they need a wake up call! Most likely everyone at the library has had kids or has been around kids. I would just make the trip short and sweet but I would definitely not avoid the library! Its not a court room, it's a great place for kids and parents to be!

Answer 9

If your daughter is too young to understand about "inside voices" (and she is) then please be considerate and leave your child with a sitter. People come to the library with the reasonable expectation of peace and tranquility. I'm not surprised you are getting dirty looks. I am surprised that you wonder about it. As a regular at the library you must appreciate the pleasure of a quiet place to read.

I am sure there is a rule against loud behavior at the library if nothing else -- the librarian is entitled to ask you to leave if your child is too loud.

Answer 10

What if everyone took their noisy children to the library? Some people really need to be at the library for their education etc so i personaly would say it was unfair to take your kid to the library if she is going to be particularly noisy.

Another way to look at it herhaps if say in 14-15 years when your child is taking exams and needs to do research etc at the library but is not doing well and failing because she cannot concentrate there due to a noisy child how would you feel?

Sorry just my take on it.

Answer 11

yes it could be rude. i would scope out the library and take the child when there seems to be fewer people or when there is more children. those who are particular about reading in quite will be less likely to go to the library if children are expected to be there. also our library has events for children ask the librarian if/ when there will be children events and schedule your library time for those dates/times

good luck

i read through the comments and as a mother w/a particularly loud child (who loves to read/and deserves to explore reading) i have found ways of taking her w/out interrupting others. most libraries (especially when school is out for the summer) have programs for children and young children as well. don't avoid the library b/c of others simply avoid the times in which it is less appropriate. i found library visits to be a wonderful tool for beginning reading. it helps my daughter to appreciate books as well as encourages her to read more often. the library is a public place and publicly funded, which allows them to be able to have programs for all needs (even needs for the youngest readers). don't let these post discourage you. simply talk to a librarian or visit your libraries website. i'm not at all suggesting you disturb others i'm just pointing out that it is public use and most likely will be able to cater to noisy children