The advantages and disadvantages to taking a 5 year old to a product show

Ok, so tonight John and I went out for an adventure. I had approached him this morning about coming with me to the Construction Specification Institute product show going on today/tonight at the Crowne Plaza hotel. He wasn't really interested in seeing materials used in buildings (what sort of architect is he going to be with that attitude?) but I sort of enticed him (bribed) by saying that there would probably be toys and such that they would be giving away and if he was good I would let him pick something out of the treat box. Ooh that got him going. He was so excited he had to check out the treat box before school to see what the options were.

So, we get there and he is on sensory overload and wants to talk to everyone. He knows there is a ticket that needs to be turned in but he thinks it is the drink ticket we got at the check in. Don't worry, I didn't drink and I didn't let him get a drink either. So after a while of milling around and saying hi to a few people he wants to leave but remembers the ticket. I explain to him that the ticket is the card we received that needs 6 different colored stickers on it from different booths before you can turn it in. Oh man, I lit the spark under him then. It was a mission!

I told him he could just go up and ask the people at the booth if they had a sticker of "whatever" color and he went right to it. He was more unabashedly bold than I could have ever been. After much searching for the elusive "light blue" and "yellow" stickers he was complete. I almost turned it in without filling in the contact information but remembered at the last minute. If we won something tonight it is all John's doing.

I didn't get to see as many products as I would have liked but I did get to be entertained by John which worked too. He did score a visor, a hat, a stuffed armadillo, a drink mug, some sonic magnetic rocks (which were cool enough that I asked for a set too) and some cookies and candy. And, on top of it all, a treat out of the treat box. All in all, he fared well. I don't think I would recommend to other people to take your small child if you actually want to learn something.

Jacene