5 Tips For a Successful Memorial Day Barbeque With Baby
Memorial day weekend is the perfect time to get together with family and friends to commemorate the passing of those who have given their lives in service to our country. As part of your preparations, you may be wondering if it’s possible to throw your annual barbeque while still taking care of your newborn baby. The answer is yes! To help ensure that your Memorial Day barbeque goes off without a hitch, follow these five tips when planning your weekend festivities.
Contents
Things To Remember When Planning A Barbecue
You’ve been looking forward to Memorial Day for what seems like forever. But now that you’re finally here, it turns out that you’ve got quite a bit on your plate – err, hot plate. Once you get everything going, have you planned enough activities for baby? What about nap time and changing diapers? Keep these tips in mind to make sure your Memorial Day celebration is as carefree as possible.
Plan Ahead Of Time
Memorial day barbeques can be stressful enough even without having to worry about entertaining your family and friends with a baby. Before hosting your party, make sure you plan ahead of time how you will entertain your guests and keep an eye on your baby. Make some arrangements ahead of time if you need help caring for baby in case someone needs to step away for any reason. Asking family members to take turns holding or entertaining baby can also go a long way in reducing stress at these parties.
Have A Backup Plan, In Case
One of my favorite things about summertime barbecues is getting together with friends and family. As a mom, however, little kids can throw your best-laid plans out of whack sometimes. Be sure to bring him in an infant carrier, and be sure to read up on newborn carrier tips if you’re planning on wearing baby for the majority of the party. It’s also a good idea to have a stroller with you so you can lay baby down when you need a break from the baby carrier. You don’t want to hold your baby for too long, but being able to rest him against you every once in a while will make for less exhaustion for both of you—and happier guests! Also, consider bringing along one of your Sleepy Panda backpack diaper bags outside just in case something comes up. There’s nothing worse than needing a diaper but not having one handy!
Prepare The Children In Advance
You’ll have a lot to do on Memorial Day and it’s easy to get distracted, which means you may end up leaving your children or your guests unattended for too long. It can be tempting to throw them in front of some cartoons and let them entertain themselves for an hour or two, but you must keep an eye on them. Prepare in advance by setting them up with some Memorial Day activities. If they know they will have fun things to do while the adults mingle, they won’t feel bored or neglected. They will be happy and occupied while you complete your barbeque tasks and serve food to your party guests. Dress them appropriately for the weather. If it’s a hot day, you may want to set up a little pool or some water guns. If you have a newborn and are planning on sitting outside, be sure to keep him in one of these newborn baby onesies under some shade so that he can be comfortable, especially if it’s a hot day.
Have Enough Help At The Party
You may be good at tending to your guests and cooking for them, but add one more thing to that list. If you want people to enjoy themselves at your barbeque party with baby in tow, make sure you have enough help from family or friends. You can’t do it all on your own. Have plenty of drinks available for non-drinkers (try lemonade or iced tea), as well as plenty of food and snacks that are easy to eat without ruining clothing (think fruit plates). Have a children’s area with games, toys, and gates (if you have little toddlers).
Memorial Day is just around the corner, and what better way to kick off summer than with a barbeque party! But wait – you have an infant who will no doubt be more interested in running after butterflies or digging in some dirt than sitting in his high chair for long periods. How can you possibly host your Memorial day barbeque party? Don’t worry! It doesn’t need to be as stressful as it sounds. Follow these simple tips and you both will be having the best time together with friends and family.
