The following is a guest post from Kate who can be found blogging at www.greenaroundtheedges.net.
Little People in Grown-Up Land: Five Tips for Successful Holiday Visits When Yours Are the Only Kids
Once you have kids, your brain switches forever into “parent mode.” You think nothing of talking about bodily functions at the dinner table, become completely used to navigating an ever-present obstacle course of children’s toys in your living room, and begin to believe that everyone travels with a spare set of crayons in their purse.
Not everyone lives this way.
If you will be spending time this holiday season in the homes of people without children – be they friends or family – it’s good to come prepared so that you, your kiddos, and your hosts all survive (and even enjoy) the visit!
Strategize Before You Arrive
If you’re going to be staying in someone’s home, don’t be afraid to talk with them beforehand about how to make the trip go smoothly. Before arriving at my aunt’s house for Thanksgiving this year with my newly-bipedal one-year-old, my aunt and I had a conversation about baby-proofing. We agreed that moving fragile items out of reach was a no-brainer, that outlet covers would be a quick and worthwhile safety precaution, and that baby latches on the cupboards in the kitchen were probably unnecessary.
Having that conversation before we arrived meant that I didn’t have to spend the weekend desperately grabbing knickknacks out of my son’s hands and shooing him away from light sockets.
If You Need Special Food, Bring It
If your eight-year-old eats nothing but buttered noodles and vanilla yogurt , that’s fine but you shouldn’t expect your host to bend over backwards to accommodate your offspring’s eating habits.
Bring along a supply of favorite snacks and a few packages of Easy Mac and you’ll be prepared if your host serves butternut squash soup with Brussels sprouts for dinner. If you have food allergies or dietary restrictions, you’ll want to talk about those in your strategy session – your hosts will feel bad if they accidently make something your family can’t eat!
Plan a Few Multi-Generational Activities
One good way to bridge the generational divide is to plan (and bring supplies for) an activity that appeals to any age. Decorating gingerbread houses is a great project that kids and grown-ups alike can embrace. The adults can practice constructing faux roof tiles from sliced gum drops while the younger set goes wild with the icing and the sprinkles.
Allow for Grown-Up Time
As insightful and witty as you find your three-year-old, it’s good to keep in mind that if the rest of the holiday guests are adults, they’re going to want some “grown up time.”
If your kids still take naps, keep that schedule in place. Or ask for directions to the nearest park and take your kids out for an hour to blow off some steam and let the uncles debate politics without censoring their language.
Give Your Hosts Some Credit
At the end of the day, if you were invited to someone’s house, it’s because they want to spend time with you – and your family. Don’t let worrying about your kids stress you out! Spills can be cleaned, super glue can fix just about anything, and crayon really does wash off of walls.
Kate Snyder lives in Pittsburgh with her husband, two children, and a slightly deranged Labrador. She blogs at www.greenaroundtheedges.net, pondering food, family, and hugging the occasional tree.
Kate @ Green Around the Edges says
Krysten — Yikes. That’s a tough situation. I’d definitely suggest bringing plenty of your own toys so that you can unobtrusively hide the box of yucky ones and still keep your little guy busy!
Kate @ Green Around the Edges says
Jennifer — Great idea on the painters tape. I’m definitely adding that to my arsenal.
Krysten says
Any advice for taking a 2-yr-old boy to visit a grandma who takes every suggestion as a personal affront, never cleans her house, and always gets out a beat-up, dust bunny-covered cardboard box full of filthy toys for your child to play with as soon as you arrive? =P
Jennifer L says
I learned early on that my diaper bag needs to have a roll of blue painters tape. It’s a SUPER EASY way to baby proof electrical outlets in a pinch. (plus it’s easy for the homeowners to see and remove after you leave.) And worst case, you can give the kid a piece to play with since kids like to play with the sticky side. 🙂
Ashley Pichea says
This will be the first year that my kids AREN’T the only ones at Christmas gatherings… but since the rest of the kids are still babies, it’s still a challenge in the “non-kid-proof” homes. Bringing our own toys to play with is a must for some gatherings!
G'Mom says
This works – I was there! Of course, I’m the grandmother of the wee children who inspired the post, so perhaps I’m not entirely unbiased.