{"id":21295,"date":"2017-12-22T01:16:40","date_gmt":"2017-12-22T06:16:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mommybites.com\/newyork\/?p=21295"},"modified":"2018-02-06T12:35:50","modified_gmt":"2018-02-06T17:35:50","slug":"winter-blahs-have-party","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mommybites.com\/newyork\/winter-blahs-have-party\/","title":{"rendered":"Beat the Winter Blues with A Party!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"parenting<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It has been a long winter. For moms with young kids, this is a unique torture. Snow is decidedly not stroller friendly, and even ambulatory kids have a difficult time navigating the icy terrain, especially when bundled up like the Michelin Man. After exhausting every craft project in your arsenal, (for me, that\u2019s two) watching a grueling number of kid-vids, and baking enough cookies so that even your pjs are getting tight, you need a new plan.<\/p>\n

My solution? Have a party! There\u2019s nothing like an infusion of fresh faces to combat cabin fever. I took this plunge last weekend for dinner and it may well have saved my children from actual bodily harm. We had an impromptu dinner party for a couple of families on our block – they all walked here, so no one had to brave the icy roads or worry about driving home after a festive evening.<\/p>\n

I pulled some bolognese sauce<\/a> out of the freezer for a simple spaghetti dinner and made a Caesar Salad<\/a>. A friend brought brownies and another brought some cheese and crackers.\u00a0 My husband made up a cocktail, which he called a \u201csnowflake\u201d (fresh squeezed lime juice, cilantro, simple syrup and vodka) and gave the kids a non-spiked version. A good time was had by all, and the fiesta gave everyone a much needed break from the intense togetherness that this harsh winter has forced up on us.<\/p>\n

\"cocktail,
Snowflake<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Your \u201cEscape from Cabin Fever\u201d party may take any form that works for you – brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, happy hour or dinner; depending on your schedule, the age of your kids, their napping habits, and your culinary and hosting comfort zone.<\/p>\n

6 tips<\/strong> to execute a gathering that is casualty-free, non-destructive, and fun for all<\/h3>\n

1. Keep the menu simple<\/strong><\/h2>\n

For example, with my Spaghetti Bolognese last week, I set some pasta aside for the \u2018white food only\u2019 eaters. If you make chili, serve plain cheese quesadillas as an accompaniment. Or let guests choose what they ingest. Set up a simple taco bar with shells, meat, cheese, salsa, lettuce, and beans. This can all be easily purchased and does not require chef training. Ditto a sandwich buffet for lunch or a make-your-own-breakfast parfait with yogurt, fruit, nuts, granola, honey\/maple syrup, cinnamon, and raisins.<\/p>\n

2. Be mindful of the mix of kids, and try not to be majorly outnumbered.<\/h2>\n

3. Have access to a sitter, call them<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This makes for a much more relaxed time for the grown-ups and they may offer to split the cost. Alternatively, invite a family with some kids who are almost babysitter age. They can keep an eye on the little ones, and it won\u2019t really matter that they are not CPR certified with a Masters in Early Childhood Education since you are all on the premises and they can shout for help if things go south.<\/p>\n

4. Beware of buffets and small children<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Even if you set up as a \u201cserve yourself\u201d, make sure the kids are seated to eat, unless you want Jackson Pollock type designs on your walls.<\/p>\n

5. Keep your eye on the clock<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Most kids have limited time before they crash, and nothing ruins a party like multiple meltdowns. Don\u2019t be two hours into the soiree before a morsel is served.<\/p>\n

6. Relax<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It is supposed to be fun, right? People are happy to get together. They are grateful for your hospitality and won\u2019t judge you if your sauce is from a jar, your brownies from a mix, your silver isn\u2019t polished or your chandelier isn\u2019t gleaming. And if they do, dump them. You know the old saying, \u2018With friends like that\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

\"keriwhiteheadshot\"Keri White has been blogging about etiquette, parenting, food, and lots of other things <\/span>since 2006. She has served as the Etiquette Correspondent for WTXF-TV in\u00a0<\/span>Philadelphia and has written advice\u00a0and parenting <\/span>columns\u00a0<\/span>for\u00a0<\/span>several newspapers and magazines. Prior to her career in writing and parenting, she was an award-winning seventh grade teacher, which provided her with significant experience correcting other people\u2019s children and telling people what to do. She holds a Master\u2019s Degree in Education and a Bachelor\u2019s Degree in Communications. Keri lives in Philadelphia with her husband Matt, her two children, Cormick and Kelsey and their cat, Gershwin.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog contributor\u2019s. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Writers may have conflicts of interest, and their opinions are their own.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It has been a long winter. For moms with young kids, this is a unique torture. Snow is decidedly not stroller friendly, and even ambulatory kids have a difficult time <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1283,"featured_media":26320,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"schneps_byline":"","schneps_post_style":"","schneps_post_source":"","schneps_syndicated_read_more":"","schneps_post_source_sitename":"","schneps_post_source_shortname":"","schneps_post_source_url":"","schneps_post_source_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[54,41,51,45,42,17],"tags":[46,61,59,249,50],"class_list":["post-21295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-baby","category-big-kid","category-dads","category-moms","category-preschool","category-toddler","tag-activities","tag-eat","tag-entertainment","tag-party-tips","tag-relationships"],"acf":[],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/mommybites.com\/newyork\/winter-blahs-have-party\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Beat the Winter Blues with A Party!","url":"http:\/\/mommybites.com\/newyork\/winter-blahs-have-party\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/mommybites.com\/newyork\/winter-blahs-have-party\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/mommybites.com\/newyork\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/02\/Parents-hosting-a-party-in-winter.-Mom-socializing-with-each-other-.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/mommybites.com\/newyork\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/02\/Parents-hosting-a-party-in-winter.-Mom-socializing-with-each-other-.jpg"},"articleSection":"Baby","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"keriwhite"}],"creator":["keriwhite"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Mommybites New York","logo":""},"keywords":["activities","eat","entertainment","party tips","relationships"],"dateCreated":"2017-12-22T06:16:40Z","datePublished":"2017-12-22T06:16:40Z","dateModified":"2018-02-06T17:35:50Z"},"rendered":"