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Every parent has been faced with that decision. You've got some kind of formal event coming up, whether it's a party or a wedding, and you're unable to find a babysitter. If the event says that kids are welcome, then it shouldn't be a big deal, and yet a lot of parents still have a degree of anxiety over the idea of bringing their little ones to any kind of fancy event. Your mind is filled with images of mess, embarrassment, and disaster. So is it actually possible to take your little ones along to a formal event? Well, the short answer is of course it is! You've just got to be aware of the kind of things that could happen when you have kids at any kind of event. If you're still feeling a little nervous, here are some simple things that you can do to make life just a little bit easier.
Dress to impress
Of course, if you're going to any kind of formal event then you and your kids are going to need to look the part. Whether you decide to go all the way with a suit from Armani for kids or you just put them on their best shirt or dress, getting dressed up is actually a great way to help your kids understand the way in which they should behave during the party. You can almost treat it like a game and that their formal clothes are a costume. Of course, kids aren't always going to behave the way you want, but it's a good way to give them a little reminder of how to behave.
Set the rules early on
A big mistake that a lot of parents make is that they wait until their kids are behaving badly to tell them what they should be doing. Remember, kids need boundaries in order to know how to behave so set those boundaries out well in advance. Before you even leave the house let them know what you expect of them. Let them know the kinds of things that they will be allowed to do as well as what they're not allowed to do, that way they don't feel stifled or frustrated. You might even want to set up some a reward of some kind for them. Perhaps if they behave well, then they can have a treat afterward.
Relax
Here's the thing, no matter what you do, kids are always going to be kids, there's no much you can really do about that. So don't worry too much. If the event that you're going to says that kids are welcome, then the host is going to be expecting kids to behave a certain way. As long as they're not causing any damage or bother people too much, there's nothing wrong with letting them run around, make noise and just generally enjoy themselves. You might feel a little embarrassed by it but if you look around you're likely to find that the other guests at the party are finding your little ones endlessly entertaining!
