If I Were in Charge of Concerts...

A year or two ago, Jaycee and I were invited to a Christian concert. I bravely accepted the invitation, but I had reservations.

This was Jaycee's first real concert in a place that she had never been to. That was two reasons to be concerned that Jaycee may have a problem with the event. I get nervous taking Jaycee anywhere new for the first time but especially if it involves darkness, loudness, and flashing lights.

Fortunately, Jaycee did well. In fact, she loved it! She danced, sang, and signed the night away even if she didn't know the songs. That positive experience has led us to try other concerts too. We are grateful, she has had a good response.

Still, it got me thinking. If mothers of children with special needs ran concerts, things would be different. They would be "safe" for our children. Here's how it would go:

1.   There would be ample warning before the show to signal when it would start. There would be a five minute warning and a three minute warning given. At 1 minute to go, a countdown would appear on a large screen showing the concert is about to begin. (And obviously, it would start on time too!)

2.   When the time warnings are given, there would also be an announcement prior to the show to prepare the child for what is coming. It may be something like this, “The concert will begin soon. The lights will be turned off. It will be dark. The music will be loud, but it will be fun." 

3.   The seat would not be the type that flip up when you stand up. The chair would be safe so that the child could stand up and sit down without having to struggle with a seat that has folded up automatically.

4.   There would be no strobe lights. Am I the only one who worries about seizures triggering when they see strobe lights?    Just me?

5.   There would be empty seats in the back for any child who needs to be positioned farther away from the action or who get too overwhelmed.

6.   The music would start out at a reasonable loudness and would gradually get louder through the first song or two- allowing the kids to adjust to the increase in decibels in an easier manner.

The kids meeting Christian artist Jordan Feliz after Elijah's first concert

      If I were in charge of concerts, I wouldn't have to worry about a potential problem with my child. I could anticipate a night full of dancing and fun instead of trying to prepare for possible issues. Of course, not everyone would enjoy this concert, but I know my kid would. Wouldn't it be nice too if every child could meet a member of the band after the concert as a reward for surviving the experience?

And, yes, these are the things I think about in my spare time.