Personally, I'll take one child with me - especially when they're young - but not more. (At least that's the ideal, a couple of times I took newborn and toddler, but it was to sisters who had children the same age. Still felt guilty though.)
I really prefer not to, but part of the challenge is it takes a long while to feel comfortable asking friends to take the kids for a few hours. I'd gotten to the point I could do it easily in my previous ward... and then we moved. I don't know why it's hard asking for that favor, but I agonize over things like doctor appointments because of it.
On the flip side, I don't think twice when my vt's bring their children. It's that strange phenomenon of "I-don't-notice-how-clean-your-house-is-but-I-sure-notice-my-own."
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They might not look it, but bunnies can really take care of themselves.
Ok, so besides bacon, I do have a little bit to add to the discussion.
In my previous area, we were strongly encouraged to get babysitters when going visiting teaching. (Not that you couldn't take your kids ever, but to try to mostly get a sitter... especially if your children might be an inconvenience or distraction. A lot of us traded babysitting for this purpose.) So, it was a bit of a shock when my VTs here showed up with half a dozen kids between them. Here, it seems that it isn't encouraged not to take kids.
I still try to not take my children, though I can relate to Dianoia that it's harder to do that in a new place.
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"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
I generally try to go VT when one of the oldest kids are home from school in the afternoon and can watch the little ones. One sister I visit has 7 kids and I've taken a kid or two there with me before, if I've asked her on the phone first. Another sister has two little kids but I haven't taken any of mine there before because they are so little, they'd just be in our face the whole time. Last sister is older and kids are grown and home is like a museum, so no. No kids there. Half the time I don't feel like I should be in there.
My VT brings her one preschooler age kid when she comes and it's no biggie to me.
I don't recall anything ever being said in any ward I've been in on the subject.
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
I took Mr. Boo when he was a baby. Now he's a toddler and more distracting. I'm trying to trade babysitting for VT appts with some other moms who have toddler's Mr. Boo's age. They say 'yes,' but then they never ask me to reciprocate, so I wonder if I'm imposing.
One lady we visit likes us to bring our kids. She's a grandma, and would rather see little kids than us.
And I don't mind if one toddler kid shows up at my house. I don't know how I'd feel about a crowd - no one has ever brought more than one small child.
I generally go while my kindergartner is in school, and I just have the preschooler and the baby, who both stay stuck to me like glue. I used to take all 3 though, and they all stayed stuck to me. My VT's bring their kids unless their husbands happen to be home, and then they welcome the break. I don't mind as long as they don't let the kids run wild and trash my house.
(Home teaching is a whole different thing, and you've gone and mucked up my poll. GOSH! )
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"There is order in the way the Lord reveals His will to mankind. . .we cannot receive revelation for someone else's stewardship." L. Tom Perry
I love when my VTers bring their kids so my kids will go play with them instead of trying to show off for the adults.
When I go... one sister, both my partner and I bring our kids for the same reason as above; one sister is a little uptight about her house and her kids are waay mild, so we leave all the kids except the baby home; one sister doesn't have kids yet, so we leave the kids home since they'd be bored with no toys to play with; and one sister (who just moved) doesn't have kids but worked evenings, so she came over to my house or my partner's house and the kids would play there while we visited.
Before I can comment I have to point out my general dislike for VTing.
I dislike setting an appointment for two sisters from the ward to come and have a conversation with each other in my living room.
I dislike setting appointments to go sit in another sisters living room knowing they are, like me, just wanting to get it over with.
And I really dislike setting appointments for a mother to bring her kid over, get out 5 or 6 boxes of toys, determine the kid doesn't like any of them then leave.
But, that's just me.
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"My days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle."
My wife takes our little girl with her 89 year old companion.
I take my wife HT most of the time.
Sometimes I take one of my priest or teacher aged sons.
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no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing... the truth of God will go forth till it has penetrated every website, sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done
My mom had a partner for years who wasn't able to make it to any of the appointments, so she would take my sister and I. I hated going, unless there were kids my age there, but my sister loved to go because one of the ladies had kittens.
I still haven't gotten the hang of going visiting teaching, especially since it's impossible to get a hold of my companion, but I never minded if mine brought their kids, but they were embarrassed most of the time.
One time my mom took me when I was in high school so I could watch the kids of the lady she was visiting. They became one of my favorite babysitting families! And they were able to have visiting teaching without the constant distraction of kids.
We were always afraid of my mom's visiting teachers, so we'd stay locked up in our rooms.
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Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you.
— Oscar Wilde
My wife has complained at times about the visiting teachers bringing their kids. It's not that they bring them per se that bothers her, but their unwillingness to do anything to keep them from destroying things.
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