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- kim nakahodo - Profile | Pictures | Blog
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I love a great party. I take pride in planning over-the-top bashes. I’m talking about themed, multiple hour bashes with accessories, costumes and DJs.
My last big bash was before we started trying for Niko. I wanted to have a big party before I had to be a good girl – that was over three years ago.
Sooo…. we decided to throw ourselves a house warming kegger this past weekend. Only this time we were now parents. We are at that time in our life that most of our friends have kids as well so it’s time to regroup and rethink the house party.
I have been to many parties with Niko and I spend most of the night following him around making sure he’s not tearing anything up. The homeowners assure me that they kid-proofed their house, but that’s not really the same as damage-proofing the house.
I wanted to make sure that my guests wouldn’t have to do the same thing. I wanted them to be able to have a good time and not worry what their kids are up to while they enjoy an evening with friends.
I also wanted to have a good time… so I hired babysitters for my own party. TWO sitters to be exact.
I created three kid zones for the different age groups and stocked up the rooms with snacks, movies, video games, toys and sitters. I told guest to drop off their kids with the sitters and join me on the deck for drinks.
I must say… it worked PERFECTLY. Worth every penny.
I had friends come from out-of-state because they knew there were babysitters at the party. It know it sounds terrible, but it was like getting a free dinner, drinks and babysitter all in one!
We only have these mega bashes every couple of years, but I plan on hiring THREE sitters next time! I'm anticipating more kids....
Have you guys ever done this? Or am I just a terrible parent who wants to relive her college days?
I am not much of a drinker, not saying that you are or anything, so I am usually the one on kid duty at family get-togethers, which is fine with me. I do think your idea is a good one, until the people have to leave. I know it's possible to drink responsibly and later drive home, but you can't control everyone. Throw kids into the mix, there could be some innocent little passengers in potential danger. I think it would be better if the parents hired own sitters for this reason.My first reaction to this was to (jokingly) ask what trailer park you moved to, but then I realized I didn't want to offend by stereotyping. I think signefreed hit the nail on the head--unless you are providing rides home, I wouldn't mix the kids up with this.We did one better - we had beds for the parents as well. We took keys and did sober checks. This wasn't my first rodeo...Cheers to you Kim! This sounds awesome to me. I think it was very thoughtful of you to enable the parents to enjoy the party while sitters looked after the kids. It doesn't mean that all the moms and dads were drunk or even drinking. It just allowed them to relax and perhaps even have an adult conversation while maintaining eye contact which I find impossible to do while supervising my kids at someone else's house. I may steal this idea from you, I love it and I bet you're friends did too!I think if you are comfortable with doing this, it is a good idea. I know for me part of going out to a party is having a break. But I do think there is a difference between a college party vs. what you are talking about. I think that we just kind of become different characters as we become moms (and dads), for the most part.Huh. When I read this it never occured to me that people were getting rip-roaring drunk just because there was alcohol involved. Only people in trailer parks drink? You're kidding, right? We have get-togethers in our cul-de-sac frequently during the warm weather months and typically at least some of the adults are drinking an adult beverage. Doesn't mean the're drunk. That does sound like stereotyping, maggie, though I doubt if you meant it to. Most adults who do drink do so w/o over-indulging. I like the babysitter idea, though our kids are now at an age that when we go to get-togethers they'd rather hang out w/ the other kids anyway and typically only check in when they're asking for more to eat/drink or if they're wanting to go outside if it's an inside venue or inside someone's house if it's an outdoor venue.Maybe it was just Kim's last comment that set the over all tone for me. And then her further explanation of providing beds for the parents as well--I don't know--that just conjures up images of high school drunken bashes to me. Unless the people on your cul de sac are getting so hammered they can't make it home either, EPV? And I'm still sticking to my original opinion--kids and drinking parties (as opposed to casual get togethers where there might be a drink or two with dinner) just seems kind of tacky.Also, I grew up in Wisconsin, and if you call a party a Keg Party, you mean a party focused on drinking, as opposed to a get together where adult beverages are served, but not the focus. Does that make sense?I didn't even read that last mini-paragraph until just now, but I see what you're saying now even if I don't entirely agree, maggie. I think of a kegger for adults as being more economical if you're having a ton of folks over, but again - I see your point. Honestly, I wouldn't want a bunch of friends and their kids spending the night at my house, but I guess if you're going to anticipate drunkeness, you should provide for it.I guess I am WT, too, because I thought this was a really good idea. All of our friends are having kids now and it seems like half the time one or more of our group can't make it to the party because they don't have a sitter. And when we have a kids-invited party, roughly half of us end up not getting to mingle because we're so busy making sure the little ones (and we most all have just little ones) aren't up to Toddler Trouble. I am absolutely stealing this idea for our Christmas Party. Color me crazy for focusing on the good idea part of this rather than sticking my nose all up in your business about whether you're drinking or not. Gasp.Well, Teeny, maybe you could get her to give you a two-for-one special, and she could work the night of your AA meetings, too. ;-)i think this is a great idea! some of our friends have kids too and it does make it hard for everyone to enjoy themselves if everyone is trying to make sure all the kids are maintained the whole time. And about the drinking thing. . . most responsible couples (and im sure your friends are) decide who's turn it is to drink before you even show up. at least that is what my husband and i do. And all of our friends do this too whether or not they have kids. Call us a bunch of drunks but we've never had any problems. Plus the kids get to socialize w/ other kids and possibly make new friends! Sounds like a win/win situation to me!Oh dear. Let me better explain so I don't get thought of as a "the terrible keg mom who can't let go of her single days." I had a party with sitters so that parents wouldn't have to helicopter over their kids the whole time they were over. There was drinks offered to all the adults and I always offer my extra beds for all guests incase they have too much (parents and non-parents.) I really just wanted BOTH parents to be able to have a good time and not worry if their kids were getting into stuff or bored or not getting along with the other kids. The people who really "enjoyed" themselves at my party were non-parents who spent the night on my extra beds. All the parents of the kids who attended cut themselves off very early. I have been to many "casual dinner parties" where the wine got out of control, it happens. What really counts is how the host/hostess deals with it. I take that job very seriously.Kim- I totally get it, and totally love it :) I like to go to a friend's get-together and relax, have an adult conversation, drink a margarita or two, and not be worried abotu whether the Monkey has destroyed anything. And you're right- more often than not, the parent who is not as close to the friends involved is the one running around after the kids all night. We do something similar for new years eve- our friends across the street co-host a party with us. One family provides the party zone for adults, the other house is the kid zone. Last year we had four sitters, and it went beautifully. The parents danced, talked, played poker, truth or dare jenga (now THAT is a game), had drinks and adult party food, and all was well. cell phones kept us connected (via text). We have friends with new-ish babies who aren't up to the idea of leaving the baby with a sitter while they drive an hour away to a New Years bash... but baby across the cul de sac? Done deal!Wow! Kim, I have to say this is a brilliant idea! Me and my husband are young parents (as many are these days) and getting invited to all our friends gatherings and having to pass time after time due to lack of babysitting or not wanting to ask the in laws gets old quick! I Love this! Life made possible and available! And I'm sure any parent would know their limit when there's little ones in tow, and if it's been a while and they weren't sure....well I'm Sure they would make other arrangements! :)I have to say I liked your idea of having someone to watch the kids so the parents didn't have to hover over them. My husband and I don't drink, but I understand why you had things set up the way you did. I think it would be a great idea, alcohol or no alcohol, so that both adults and kids could enjoy themselves.
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