Remember tea parties? Seriously. Do you remember choosing your stuffed animals carefully because there wasn't enough room, or snacks for that matter, for all of them at the table you had meticulously set? Never had one? Well, maybe you remember reading about them. The idea of tea parties invites a memory of such a nostalgic era of play. But I believe that tea parties should most certainly be a part of our play in the current day as well, for having tea parties with my children has proven to not only be a time to focus on skills often overlooked today (such as etiquette), but also has become one of my most cherished memories that I will hold dear to my heart now and especially when my children are grown and gone.
I began having tea parties with my two/three year old daughter when my son first started preschool. By the time we drove him there and returned home, we only had about an hour and a half before it was time to leave to pick him up again. I wanted to create something special for the two of us during this time we had alone together. My daughter began her tea serving days with the typical purple and pink tea set, with the cute pot that sings and makes pouring noises. After watching Beauty and the Beast, she had the perfect scheme for such imaginative play, and I, having dreams of being a professional party planner, happened to have lots of party ware.
For these first parties, we would set up our kiddie table in the hall, pick special napkins and plates, and even use my fanciest cake platter. We would handcraft party invitations to deliver to the animals/dolls of choice for that day's party, and then set up the snacks. My daughter would then invite the "guests" and help them into their seats. After dining and practicing our etiquette, we would follow up with dancing and spinning; the image of my daughter's hair blowing out behind her while her little eyes and grin stared up at me from below is forever ingrained in my memory.
At our parties, we work on serving others and nurturing them. Do they need more sugar? More cookies? We work on inviting guests properly, and of course saying please, thank you, and no thank you. Afterwards, we work on cleaning our messes, and mostly, we work on loving each other. Do you have any old gala, prom, or holiday dresses in your closet? At some of our most memorable parties, I have pinned my hair up quickly and donned one of these dresses, let her pick out some of her fanciest mismatched duds, and danced an hour away.
Our parties during the school year and since I began working again have become quicker, and sometimes just take the place of afternoon snack. Most of the time, brother is now invited too and the party consists of a livelier bunch of guests. We have a new tea set now that was a paint your own set gifted to our daughter at Christmas and she and I have picked out several random China pieces at a local antique store for a couple bucks. Though our parties are fewer now than they were a year ago, it is still one of my most favorite ways to spend time with my littles, hopefully creating lifelong memories for them and for me!
