I, too, used to LOVE going to the circus when I was a child. It was a chance to see animals I loved, up close.

However, when I got older and wiser, I realized how appalling circuses are. When my son was young, I would only take him to circuses and carnivals that did NOT have animals. And I indeed told all my friends why I would not go with them to circuses with animals, and some of them refused to go as well, then.