Low key one of the most stressful things I’ve ever done. And we’re taking the easy way out and having a softplay party.
There’s still so much to do. Invites, gift bags, food and dietary requirements, cake! And then you’ve got all the other worries…what if no one turns up, what if everyone has a bad time? What if my kid locks up and spends the entire time crying and/or not wanting to play?
It’s going to be okay right???
As a friend was taking his son and his friends to a retro video game arcade today to celebrate his 13th birthday - I helpful related this story:
My brother took his son and friends to one of those big trampoline places. As lead dad for the day he’d envisioned every disaster (knee to the nose, elbow to the temple, getting trapped between trampolines, etc) so he was very nervous but it all went swimmingly, not even a bruise. So outside someone suggested a kick-about. The first kick of the ball hit one kid square in the face, he went down like a felled oak, bounced his head off the floor,.got knocked spark out and had to go straight to hospital to be checked over. He was fine but a bit sore.
Not sure what the moral of that story is: quite whilst you are ahead? You can plan for disasters but something can come at you from left field? You got away with it if no-one suffers a lasting brain injury? Duck?
Men plan, god laughs.
We actually looked at one of those trampoline places. Issue was that I’d feel very unsure about having my toddler running around with Gen-pop (because they want you to buy the entire place out if you want a ‘private’ party. Maybe when he’s older…
A number of them seem to have “toddler” mornings. Basically it’s cheap for a preschool child and adult to go in. Free bounce time starts later. Basically you get an hour or so without older kids, if you’re willing to turn up early.
My daughter is now as school, but loved going to trampolining. We’ve apparently also created a dare devil, willing to take on anything.
Yeah, I think renting a the whole place is the way to go if you have the numbers - a few big, unruly teenage lads would be like wrecking balls amongst smaller kids.