This past Saturday my sons and I attended a birthday party for a 6-year-old at a jump & play facility. It’s basically a party place for kids and is filled with several inflatable bounce houses. Each bounce house includes a slide. They have smaller party rooms where the kids eat pizza, drink juice and snack on birthday cake. It’s the all the rage these days, and it was a huge hit for the little ones. But it was a nerve-racking experience for me.

I knew I was in trouble when the jump & play facility made me sign a waiver releasing them from any and all injury liability. I noticed that most other moms had the same worrisome look on their faces that I had. The dads…not so much. Every time I turned around, another kid was crying because he was either jumped on, head-butted or knocked to the floor by an out of control bounce.

The facility had a couple of “referees” if you will, who were supposed to be monitoring the little kangaroos. But they were outnumbered and overwhelmed. So I put on my badge and started policing the place myself. Kids were getting nervous when they saw me heading their way, but someone had to keep these sugar-buzzed maniacs in line. (Oh yeah, cutting in line was HUGE.) Kids this age will disregard as many rules as possible in a fun place like this without a little monitoring.

So as I was comforting another banged up kid, I was wishing for some Excedrin and praying that we (me and my children) would make it out alive. We managed to escape unscathed. And my children can’t wait to go back. I can. I can wait a long time.

Next time, I’ll make the suggestion to my friend that she check out some other party ideas and locations on JustBreatheMom.com that are a little less stressful for moms of younger kids.