In just over a month, my eldest turns a grand 3 years old. I thought this might be a good opportunity to have a "little friends" party for the first time. I've got the invitations ready, the party theme (Cars, of course), and the guest list. But I'm beginning to wonder if the whole thing is such a good idea.
Parents used to be able to be insensitive to the needs of the young guests (and their parents) in previous years. The party fare consisted of artificially coloured and preserved confectionery of various sorts, guaranteed to produce hyperactivity followed by hyper-crankiness. Games included whacking papier mache creations with large sticks, using sharp objects to pin fake tails on fake donkeys, dunking heads in large buckets of water to try and find apples, eating donuts hung from clotheslines, or careening around dangerously blindfolded. The list goes on. Every party I went to as a child resulted in enormous sugar headaches and sulky behaviour before bedtime. But they were also great fun.
We live in a less innocent, more aware time, now.
Looking at the guest list, there are several that have equal and opposing food sensitivities. I can't be irresponsible or unfeeling and say "they'll just have to miss out". That would have been my worst nightmare as a child; never being able to eat party food. It also frustrates parents who feel they can't take their children anywhere, or face the consequences. I have to find a balance between "fun" and "helpful". Chocolate is out. Artificial colours and preservatives are out. Dairy is out. Gluten seems OK at the moment, but peanuts and anything resembling them have been banished to the farthest corners of the universe. Which basically means that I can't be lazy and just pick up a bunch of packages from the supermarket lolly aisle. What on earth do I put in the loot bags??? I can't put those little party favours: they all contain small items that constitute a choking hazard.
Then there are the games. Pass the parcel is fine. A pinata is just asking for trouble (preschoolers with blindfolds and large sticks = very, very, very bad idea). I'll look up some preschool games lists and find other safe, non-violent activities. Hopefully one or two of them should be fun.
The main problem is that running around outside in June is a reeeeeeally bad idea in our particular climate. Yet another way to frustrate parents is to force sickness upon their children while they visit your house. So I'm volunteering the interior of my house for destruction.
I always have loved a challenge! :)
3 comments:
What about honey cornflake chews? Can't remember the proportions, but you mix honey and melted butter with cornflakes (look for the organic ones with no preservatives etc), and dollop into patty cake pans. Refrigerate and they're as popular as chocolate crackles.
There are some good snack items in the health food aisle at Woollies.
Or do fruit skewers - three little chopped up bits on a toothpick. Yummy.
Good luck!
Thanks! I might just try those ones - though the fruit skewers might be dangerous with some of the violent tendencies of some "little friends".
Sorry - got the recipe wrong for the cornflake chews. Here it is:
Melt 100g butter, 1 tbsp honey and 1/4 cup caster sugar over heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil. Then pour over 4 cups of cornflakes, pop in patty cake pans and bake 10 mins in a moderate oven.
If you're no dairy, you could probably use nuttelex (although I give my no dairy kids butter anyway - my advice is it's better than margarine by a long shot)
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