Daddy Blogger: The Warning

Daddy Blogger

We all know what it’s like to be unceremoniously ripped out of a party when you feel the fun is just about to begin. Someone yells from the doorway that the taxi’s arrived and it’s time to go. We don’t have time for goodbyes, we don’t have time to thank our hosts, we don’t have time to drink that last drink. We just grab whatever we can remember we brought along and leave. We generally feel a little grumpy at this point. Now, imagine you are a child and a parent comes into your wonderful fantasy world that you and the other kids have spent hours creating and you’re told, “We’re leaving.” This can lead to serious disappointment and major meltdowns … to say the least.

This scenario is all too common and one that I have witnessed time and time again. Children bursting into tears and tantrums when they are told they’re leaving. It is a situation that can easily be avoided. All it takes is a little prior information and a 5 minute warning. If we inform our children before we get to the party that they will be warned when it is time to go, it’s stored in their memory banks. If we come into their party space and with a quiet word into their ear say, “We’ll be leaving in 5 minutes.” Generally, the child will nod (with a minor pout perhaps), carry on playing and when the time comes to leave they will accept it without question. They will feel like that they have been aware of the situation and what is expected of them. It isn’t a shock to their system and they have been given every opportunity to get their minds around what is happening.

This can be a release from serious blow ups as you’re walking out the door and prying your child’s fingers off the nearest handhold. The uncomfortable forced smiles whilst you’re boiling with anger inside and the listening to pitying pleasantries from other parents whose children weren’t so invested in the game they were just playing. Leaving parties or other gatherings is generally our choice as we are more aware of the other 5000 things that need to be done. The child is aware of fun and fun and fun. We have a choice to inform our children of many things and leaving social gatherings is one simple way of avoiding an embarrassing situation. Thanking someone for their beautiful party is quite difficult if you have a blubbering mess contorted around your legs. It may come across as lacking in sincerity for some reason.

We all like to be proud of our children – sometimes a little too much so. We all look at other children’s behaviour and offer our critique. We all want our children to be content and happy people. Each time we go to a party, a family outing, a fete, a movie, anywhere involving lots of bright lights, sugar and sparkly things we should always warn our child before and during the event of the time and behaviour expected when you are about to leave. It can save a lot of pain and anguish. Informed humans tend to act more rationally and children are our best humans.