The Things You Should Know Before Attending a Wedding With Your Kids.
For any parents, attending a wedding with your kids may fill you with dread at the thought of keeping your little ones entertained at every changing moment of the day – are we right?! Our top tips will prepare you for every eventuality on the day and give you ideas to help prevent any unexpected tantrums…
This week we are lovingly reminded by the royal family’s visit to Germany of the struggles a young family can encounter in times of important social occasion. Whilst the young Prince George and Princess Charlotte continue to melt the hearts of Brits everywhere (especially in those gorgeous outfits!), we are certain that William and Kate will have numerous child-pleasing ploys to ensure their trip runs as smoothly as possible – as you might expect with any two children under four!
Childcare is on you
Despite nearly all of your family being present at the wedding, enjoying the beautiful day is what they will be thinking about the most and not necessarily looking after your children. If the thought of this task fills you with anxiety as a parent, if you can bag an extra plus one, why not rope in some back up and invite someone along to take on this supporting role. this will ease you and/or your partner’s stress and enable you both to enjoy the day.
Younger Children won’t understand
Think back to when you were small. None of us probably understood what was going on at a wedding, let alone how and when to behave. Be aware that your littlest munchkins definitely won’t be aware of this. And, if they are of an age where they can understand, it wouldn’t hurt to educate them about what to expect at Auntie Sarah’s wedding. If nothing else, let them know when they will need to be quiet!
Be aware of exits
Having a plan B is essential. Make yourself aware of quick exits on the day for a potential pre-tantrum escape during the ceremony or reception speeches. Make this even easier by sitting closer to the back – especially if you have a buggy or pram to manoeuvre, too.
Be prepared with entertainment back-ups
This will be your absolute saviour and one you will thank us for afterwards – we promise! Whether it’s toys, small books, games, sweeties, colouring and activities, start the day armed with enough entertainment to keep your little ones entertained and avoid boredom. And if you want to enjoy the wedding breakfast in peace, why not wrap their favourite toys and new ideas up as gifts for your kids to open? Every hour they can have the excitement and distraction of a new present to keep them happy and your patience intact!
Find out about the menu AND the timings
Make it your mission to find out what the menu might look like AND the planned timings for the day. Often, the length time from arrival to sitting down to the wedding breakfast is long enough to make the wedding guests grouchy, let alone small children. Pack a bag of more snacks than you think you’ll need – waiting around is tricky enough for children to cope with, let alone when they’re waiting and hungry.
Don’t steal the limelight
While we all love a blue-eyed angel dressed in a floaty pink tutu or mini Tweed waistcoat for a special occasion, if your little one is stealing all the ‘awws’, the bride and groom are going to get fed up at some point. No matter how much you adore your own children, it’s the couple’s day, so try to be respectful of that. Plus, dressed in their finery, the odds are that your kids will get uncomfortable and want to take it off at some point. Be prepared with a change of clothes – they’ll no doubt let you know when they are unhappy in their outfit!
Looking for the best child-pleasing games and ideas to entertain yours with at weddings? We share 10 top ways to keep your kids happy for hours!
