“No Kids Allowed” – A Source of Quarrel or a Simple Logistics Planning Request?

We love children. We all do, right? But sometimes, kids can be so… urrgh!

Have you noticed that during holidays, many parents are always praying that schools should quickly resume? Some parents will ensure that they organize holiday lessons for their kids so they can be preoccupied and tired at the end of the day. Some will even bundle them to grandpa and grandma’s house to spend the holidays. All these are just for them to be kept busy and not destroy the leather chairs or television – or even terrorize their parents – before the end of the holiday. ?

You never can truly tell what kids are up to at home. You (sometimes) never know when your toddler might put that scissors in his/her mouth, or when your kid will turn on the running water until the whole house is filled with water and your favorite properties soak in water.

Kids do the darndest things and, to be honest, it can get very difficult to keep up with them. Now imagine how it’ll be when you have to take them to an event – or party – that is crowded with so many people and filled with so many activities and side attractions. Also, imagine if they are more than two and they are very troublesome kids?.

If we don’t want to get emotional about this, we’ll all admit that it can get very stressful when you have to take your children to a party you have been invited to. From trying to monitor their movements to ensuring they don’t play with sharp objects or disturb the other guests, it’s just so much work. In the end, many parents don’t truly enjoy the event because they were busy putting their kids in check.

Should we then have a no-kids event? Absolutely!

Or what do you think?

To start with, a lot of parents need to take a break from parenting. Now, this doesn’t mean throwing your kids away or that parenting is something that can be turned off and on at will. But sometimes, parents need that we-time; a time to have fun without having to worry about what the kids are up to – and this is what a no-kids event offers.

Having – or attending – a no-kids event also means that your kids will be well monitored. So we’re sure that if you are to go for a party without your kids, you will put certain things in place to ensure they are safe and well monitored, right? So for the few hours you will spend at the event, you can get a babysitter (if you don’t have a nanny) to take care of them. You can also send them off to their grandparent’s home. That way, you will be assured of their safety while sipping champagne and dancing at the party. Please don’t drop them with neighbours or friends if they are not good with kids.

In many cases, you can control what your child watches or sees at home. You can’t do that at an adult party. You can’t ask them to close their eyes when people kiss or tell them to look the other way when someone wears something very revealing. Adult parties or events are exactly what they are – for adults.

Besides, isn’t it a little rude to bring your kids to an event when they are not invited? It is very ‘Nigerian’ to assume that when you are invited for an event, then you can automatically bring in your whole family, but it’s not always so. To start with, the host might not want the screams and noise that children make while the event is going on. Some children cry a lot and this might disturb other guests. It will also be an extra burden on the host to make provisions for your kids if that wasn’t their intention.

While we agree that having a no-kids event can be good, on the other hand, what if you have no one to step in for you and take care of the kids for a few hours? What do you do? Will you attend the event like that or decide to sit back home?

Well, in this situation, it is best to alert the host – or whoever invited you – that you will be bringing your kids because there’s no one else to take care of them. That way, they are not caught unawares.

Many times, you see parents – especially mothers – struggling to keep their kids under ‘control’ by trying to shut them up at parties, holding their arms so they don’t run off, or trying to monitor what they eat. But in such gatherings, kids are always overexcited and hyperactive, which automatically puts more pressure on the parents.

So, yes, maybe it’s time we start considering a no-kids event – after all, they also have their own birthday parties and events for kiddies ?.

Anyway, do you attend events or parties with your kids? How do you handle them? Would you say Yay or Nay to a no-kids event? Why and why not?