Tuesday, April 27, 2010

For or against?

We are having a party at our house this weekend and a couple of issues have come up ... let's take a poll!

1. Are you for or against plastic playground equipment in your backyard?

I'm not really talking about big swing sets because, a) sometimes you inherit one in a move, or b) they are a much longer term investment. Rather, I'm talking about the plastic forts / slides / playhouses.

I was initially against them and classified them in the 'unnecessary kid gear' category. It seemed to be one of those things you could drop $75-100 on and not get your money's worth. Then, our Girl developed an obsession with slides and thoroughly enjoys the small plastic slides at school and Grammy's house.

Does the novelty wear off if it's in your own back yard? Is it a god-send for play date entertainment?

2. Do you like to attend parties with or without your kids?

We've had a Cinco de Mayo party for several years running. Last year, with a 5-month-old, the party turned into a family affair and our friends were invited to bring their kids. It was a lot of fun and a lot of craziness!

My rationale FOR bringing kids: a) I like to see our friends and I don't want them to have to pay for a sitter to come to our party, and b) It's fun to see all the kids together because it doesn't happen very often.

Now, I'm wondering ... would it be a lot more fun / relaxing to NOT bring kids? Not from my planning standpoint, but from a guest-enjoyment-perspective. Maybe parents are looking for opportunities to get out of the house without their kids? (I know I do sometimes).

What's your vote?

3 comments:

Carrie said...

Big plastic toys are a must. No they won't be life long commitments but trust me you will get every penny out of them.

Such a tough call...it's fun to see everyone's kids but then you spend half the time forcing sharing and trying to avoiding your child hitting, stealing, or any other behavior that is considered less than polite.

My vote is for the host to maybe hire 1-2 extra hands to help entertain the kids so adults can enjoy themselves. they can maybe plan activities or structure play areas based on ages. Genius.

Marie Hooker said...

I vote for the plastic toys- easy to get rid of later, too.
P had a blast at the last party, and I know he'll love this one, too. BUT I could go either way. Maybe every other year? Kids this year, not the next? Then kids again?

Andrea said...

Plastic toys are a must. Nathan still loves his a year later. We get countless hours of entertainment out of the slide.

Right now I could go for some adult-only time, but both are fun.