As an event planner by
profession and fellow mom, of course my head is always spinning with new event
ideas and ways for the kids to have a fun time. Recently I had to plan to
party which would have many children ages 0-6 years. I must have been
stuck in some type of time warp the last few years, because what apparently the
things we all grew up with at birthday parties as children (and still likely do
in our homes and experience when we go to other birthday parties) are now not
considered "safe". In fact, they are FORBIDDDEN in many places.
I am sharing this
information with all you fellow parents and "party planners" out
there in case you, like me, had no idea. And please don't feel bad
about it! Because I totally beat myself up (and likely still am, hence
this blog rant post) because I felt like "I should have known
better" or that I was a "bad mother" or "bad event
planner" because of it. The fact of the matter is that
information changes all the time and sometimes we don't even realize such
things until we become a parent and experience it hands on to learn about
it. Of course we all want the best for our children and when caring for
other children we especially want to ensure their safety as well. So although
you (like me) may find some of these things a little "extreme"; after
thinking about it some more you may see that they do in fact make sense.
Just be aware of these recommendations and decide what to do in your own home
for your own parties and with your own children - and don't be surprised like I
was if a 3rd party place you chose to host a party at will absolutely just not
allow certain things in their facility.
Allow me to elaborate on just some the dangers:
Thankfully we could sing
happy birthday and have a candle for me to blow for the event I had
planned. (I suppose it wasn't unreasonable for me to ask if cutting a
cake with a knife or having an "open flame" was an issue after my
other new findings? (--> insert sarcasm here ;) ........ Good
thing this was allowed *phew* cause my birthday party plans would have
turned into just another day of chaos but with 30 unoccupied kids to entertain
and equally frazzled moms.
Allow me to elaborate on just some the dangers:
1. Balloons. Apparently now HUGELY
forbidden. I had some that I was going to blow up for decoration at a party but
apparently they are a huge choking hazard for children (both un-inflated and
inflated). I must have been naive to think that birthday parties
generally have balloons? The last dozen of parties I've been to
with my son recently have had balloons? I never thought twice about
it. But yes, it's true (see links below to Canadian Red
Cross). Balloons are totally a thing of parties past.
2. Most Candy & Chocolate. It's not challenging enough
(but at least it's very common knowledge now) that we need to be extremely
careful when it comes to Nut Free treats. This is generally an accepted
principal across the board now and "common knowledge". However
in going through my Piñata recently almost 100% of what was in there proposed
some type of danger per the resource links provided. Whether it be a
dangerous due to a "stick" (i.e. lolly pops), too hard of candy, too
chewy of candy, the shape, the size, etc. -- the fact is that most candy you
can get today is just NOT RECOMMENDED. So scrap the piñata all together I
suppose?
3. Popcorn. Yup! They serve it as
part of the kids meals at movie theatre and will sell it to you at any
children's show (I just bought some for my son at Disney On Ice), but also
extremely not advisable. With its sharp edges and kernel flakes, popcorn is one
of those foods that can even get caught in an adult's throat, causing gagging
and choking.
Thank You,
Connie Berenguer
Founder / Director
Newmarket Goober Gang Play Group
See
the following resources for further information:
Canadian
Red Cross http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=6884&tid=021
