[Deptheads] Child Care at the Convention

Heather Hughes heather at gibsongirl.net
Mon Feb 11 14:42:03 PST 2008 

Yes Sarah,  I think most parents would be willing to pay for quality child
care for young children, however, not so much when it comes to 12 year
olds.

I still don't understand why we can't enforce the "parent" rule. I have am
REQUIRED to attend all events that my 7 year old is involved in (baseball
practice, soccer practice, science program, cub scout meetings).  Most
parents are familure with this rule of parenting and as a convention due we
really want to contribute to "bad" parenting, by allowing a "drop and run"
policy?

Heather


On 2/11/08, Sarah Harrington <sarah.harrington at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Pasadena!  RPG Ops approves this plan.......  If only 'cause it's where I
> live!
>
> I will say that the area definitely doesn't seem geared towards 'family
> friendly'.  Mostly that's fine 'cause you're in the hotel, but I know /I/
> would never have been allowed to attend a con in that kind of an area when I
> was a teen, not without my folks, and they aren't gamers.
>
> WOuld it be possible to charge a small fee for the child care--to help
> offset the cost--and have some of our volunteers run games in there
> throughout the day?  We'd have to be clear that our volunteers were /not/
> there for child care, but having games running throughout the day for kids
> might me we could could have a 'child badge' or some such.
>
>
>  On 2/11/08, Eric Burgess <erburgess at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Just to add to this: I've had many board gamers say they would come out
> > if the con were in a nicer area. OC has definitely been suggested but even
> > Pasadena isn't bad (Gamex used to be based in the Pasadena Hilton for a
> > while) or perhaps out a ways into the Inland Empire (near Ontario Airport).
> > Not sure what would be best but I've definitely heard this feedback a fair
> > amount.
> >
> > --
> > ...ERB
> >
> > Boardgame Babylon - 2007 Board Game Internet Award winner for Best
> > Podcast/Videocast
> >
> >
> > On Feb 11, 2008 11:42 AM, Norman Carlson <carlsonnorm at yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> > >  I can check with the hotels around Disneyland again, sense i work at
> > > the convention center it will be easy for me.
> > >
> > > Norm
> > >
> > >  ----- Original Message ----
> > > From: Eric M. Aldrich I <ealdrich at penguinlust.org>
> > > To: deptheads at strategicon.net
> > >
> > >  Sent: Monday, February 11, 2008 10:45:15 AM
> > > Subject: Re: [Deptheads] Child Care at the Convention
> > >
> > > The cons actually all started in Orange County -- Orccon was first
> > > held at CSU Fullerton (I think, I wasn't there for this one), Gateway at the
> > > Sheraton Anaheim (next to Disneyland) and Gamex at Chapman College.
> > >
> > > For the sake of those that travel, we'd have to be near John Wayne
> > > airport. The earliest moving is realistic is 2010.
> > >
> > > I'm not opposed to this, but we'd have to plan this out thoroughly.
> > >
> > > Eric
> > >
> > > On Mon, Feb 11, 2008 at 10:33:38AM -0800, DB wrote:
> > > > If we?re truly serious about aiming for families, long term plans
> > > might be
> > > > to move the con to family-friendly Orange County.  I?m just saying
> > > that
> > > > having the con at a hotel near crummy-neighborhood LAX on a street
> > > full of
> > > > strip clubs isn?t exactly a family environment.  Plus, since real
> > > estate in
> > > > Los Angeles urban area is so high, the middle-class family audience
> > > that
> > > > would show up at the con doesn?t live anywhere close.  Plus, if we
> > > were in
> > > > Orange County, we?d be that much more accessible to bedroom
> > > communities in
> > > > san diego, riverside and san bernardino counties.  When the con
> > > started in
> > > > the L.A. Area all those years ago, it was a very different
> > > demographic that
> > > > lived in the city.  We might need to reconsider our location in the
> > > coming
> > > > years and make the jump to where our intended attendees actually
> > > live.
> > > >
> > > >  - Denys
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On 2/11/08 8:24 AM, "Heather Hughes" <heather at gibsongirl.net> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > I have all the information she (Lisa) aquired on that .  I still
> > > have the
> > > > > company info.  In 2007 it was too much of a cost with a new
> > > convention
> > > > > management for us to afford, so we put it on the back burner.  We
> > > can revisit
> > > > > it again at the next meeting if you like.  I will call the service
> > > again in
> > > > > anticpation of a more detailed discussion on their services and
> > > cost for May.
> > > > >
> > > > > Heather
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > On 2/8/08, Norman Carlson <carlsonnorm at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > > >> We need to attract the family to the con, as Patrick stated "The
> > > con is
> > > > >> getting older, and we need it to get younger or our con is dying
> > > a slow
> > > > >> death", we started working on this in 2005, by acquiring a
> > > licensed bonded
> > > > >> company to run a kids room. Lisa was handling this for us and
> > > has a lot of
> > > > >> information that we could probably get from her. If i remember
> > > correctly she
> > > > >> had a company that we where considering in right before the con
> > > was sold.
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Norm
> > > > >>
> > > > >> ----- Original Message ----
> > > > >> From: DB <noldor at gmail.com>
> > > > >> To: deptheads at strategicon.net
> > > > >> Sent: Friday, February 8, 2008 7:54:57 AM
> > > > >> Subject: Re: [Deptheads] Re: Computer Room Tourneys
> > > > >>
> > > > >> I think we should put Rob in charge of day care. I imagine
> > > pursuits
> > > > >> throughout the con like something out of Logan's Run. Carousel!
> > > Carousel!
> > > > >>
> > > > >> - Den
> > > > >>
> > > > >> -----Original Message-----
> > > > >> From: "Karl Kreder" <zeotter at gmail.com>
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2008 07:51:32
> > > > >> To:deptheads at strategicon.net
> > > > >> Subject: Re: [Deptheads] Re: Computer Room Tourneys
> > > > >>
> > > > >>
> > > > >> We have a large family group of 3 families worth of kids (about
> > > 8-10 of them,
> > > > >> ages from around 6 to 13) and 4 adults.  They have come to the
> > > last 3 cons
> > > > >> and say that they bring the kids to get them off the video games
> > > for a
> > > > >> weekend. Just an FYI
> > > > >>
> > > > >> On Feb 7, 2008 10:30 PM, Robert Lionheart <spinachcat at yahoo.com
> > > > >> <mailto:spinachcat at yahoo.com> > wrote: If you truly want to tap
> > > the family
> > > > >> market, you need a fully funded kids room with babysitting / kids
> > > play
> > > > >> volunteers.  Kubla has this and its a huge resource drain, but
> > > they are
> > > > >> betting on the long term idea of a family oriented convention.
> > > An enhanced
> > > > >> video game room is a double-edged situation.  While should bring
> > > the
> > > > >> attention of the younger audience, you run the distinct risk of
> > > such an area
> > > > >> becoming a "kids' area" when the convention is not set up with
> > > personnel to
> > > > >> deal with such an area.    The security issues alone are quite
> > > daunting as
> > > > >> are equipment liabilities.  One time a kid goes missing due to
> > > completely
> > > > >> innocent wandering and you can bet the crap will hit the fan at
> > > high speed.
> > > > >> While this may not have been an issue when only a handful of kids
> > > are
> > > > >> present, try to juggle this problem with five times the number of
> > > young
> > > > >> children.  Also, is ANYONE on our !
> > > > >> staff trained and licensed to monitor children in a commercial
> > > space?
> > > > >> Also, I do not believe we have to aim that young at all.  The
> > > high school /
> > > > >> college crowd / young adult market is very good and the older /
> > > returning
> > > > >> gamer is another choice target.  If the convention wants to focus
> > > on family
> > > > >> entertainment that is quite possible  BUT there would need to be
> > > significant
> > > > >> changes to make that happen.  To make that happen, the convention
> > > would need
> > > > >> a much more mundane family game track.  Stuff that people
> > > recognize.  I
> > > > >> don't mean members of BBG.  I mean people who shop at ToysRus and
> > > never
> > > > >> heard of Catan.  I am taking Chutes & Ladders and games where
> > > families can
> > > > >> play as a whole with other families.  You would have to
> > > Disneyesque things
> > > > >> to a great degree.  There would have to be MUCH more focus aimed
> > > at
> > > > >> entertaining the 6-10 year old and their parents at the same
> > > event.    If
> > > > >> you look at family marketing, you will see that the family
> > > focused event
> > > > >> marketing has a maj!
> > > > >> or keystone - they market the idea that only people there are
> > > other fa
> > > > >> milies.  Families view this as an important factor in the
> > > assumption of fun
> > > > >> and safety.  Go view advertisements for zoos, Legoland, Whatever
> > > on Ice and
> > > > >> other family focused events.  They do NOT include single males in
> > > their
> > > > >> marketing.  In fact, these people do not exist in Family
> > > Marketing World.
> > > > >> Last time I checked, males attending without kids is our main
> > > demographic.
> > > > >> Otherwise, just saying "sure, bring your kids" is not enough to
> > > draw anyone.
> > > > >> Currently, there is NO reason to bring your family to the
> > > convention if you
> > > > >> have 6-11 year old children.  We have ZERO focus on their needs
> > > and we do
> > > > >> NOT have a child secure atmosphere.
> > > > >>
> > > > >>  - Robert
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Patrick Havert <patrickhavert at sbcglobal.net
> > > > >> <mailto:patrickhavert at sbcglobal.net> > wrote:  Robert,  As head
> > > of marketing
> > > > >> do you think Teen parents may look at the website?  Come on and
> > > grow up,
> > > > >> unless we do something that younger kids can attend they have no
> > > reason to go
> > > > >> to the con and neither do their families.  If we eliminate that
> > > group for a
> > > > >> few years, do you think they'll really come back?  The con is
> > > getting older,
> > > > >> and we need it to get younger or our con is dying a slow death.
> > > I admit that
> > > > >> teens are better, but we want people to be able to bring their
> > > families, if
> > > > >> we don't let's just put up signs on the website that say 12+
> > > years old only
> > > > >> so we can eliminate any family groups with younger kids.  If you
> > > can explain
> > > > >> why lounge is better than Zone for teens, I'd love to hear it.
> > > You seem
> > > > >> pretty jaded for someone trying to get people to attend the con,
> > > maybe we
> > > > >> should call it one of your names to really lower expectations.
> > > -Patrick
> > > > >> ----- Original Message -----  F!
> > > > >> rom: Robert Lionheart <mailto:spinachcat at yahoo.com>    To:
> > > > >> deptheads at strategicon.net <mailto:deptheads at strategicon.net>
> > > Sent:
> > > > >> Thursday, February 07, 2008 5:14 PM  Subject: Re: [Deptheads] Re:
> > > Computer
> > > > >> Room Tourneys
> > > > >> Oh gods Patrick, are we doing it "for the children"?    That's
> > > it!  We're
> > > > >> going with Video Game Bordello!  Halo Orgy starts at noon!  I
> > > like the
> > > > >> non-family connotation of Lounge because we do not want the Video
> > > Game Space
> > > > >> become the Babysitter Zone.  We do not want parents using the con
> > > as a dump
> > > > >> zone for their rugrats.  I am quite sure Janice isn't signing up
> > > for
> > > > >> Strategicon Day Care, aka Dungeons & Diapers.    We want teens,
> > > not kids, as
> > > > >> attendees.  Kids are walking liabilities.  Teens are walking
> > > wallets and
> > > > >> awesome impule buyers for the dealer's room.  Kids are a resource
> > > drain while
> > > > >> Teens are networking gold.  The 12+ crowd is far far far more
> > > desirable than
> > > > >> the 6-11 range.  - Robert
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Patrick Havert <patrickhavert at sbcglobal.net
> > > > >> <mailto:patrickhavert at sbcglobal.net> > wrote: I agree with Janice
> > > in that
> > > > >> Lounge has a kind of non-family connotation associated with it,
> > > that we do
> > > > >> not want to foster.  How about Video Game Zone, Video Games Live,
> > > or
> > > > >> Interactive Gaming?
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> Sarah "Piper" Harrington
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