Family Fun Night Recap

A couple of weeks ago, I had planned a Family Fun Night for my daugher's school.  The event was CRAZY.  Beware of Rant to follow:

 I volunteered to chair the Family Fun Night committee.  Which by chair, I mean do everything myself.  I was told to plan on 100 people coming.  Actual attendance? Over 200 people. I had 160 total of juice boxes and bottled water and we ran out of those after 45 minutes.

There were tons of sports related items: A giant football, giant volleyball, giant beach ball, jump ropes, hula hoops, ring toss games, bean bag toss games.  Just a ton of stuff for kids to do, even a dj.  Not more than 5 minutes after families' started to arrive all the games were torn apart.  Kids were taking the giant bowling pins from the inflatable bowling set and chasing each other with them.  I saw boys body slamming some of the inflatables to make them pop.  I had to stop kids from running around behind the curtains on the stage and from climbing the bleachers.  I had 100 sports related toys so that each child could have a toy to take home and 100 glow bracelets.  We ran out of toys and bracelets after about 30 minutes.

My dum dum tree that I made to do a sports gift basket raffle at the end of the party was found by someone.  Not sure how it was found as it was in a box with a bag over it and under a table that had a table cloth partially concealing the box.  But someone found it and decided to set it out on a table and the dum dums were gone before I knew it.  Only 1 girl actually thought to check her sucker stick and claim her prize.

My most major complaints (as if I haven't already done enough complaining):
1. I was told some parents volunteered to come early and set up.  That night we had horrible drenching rain and not one person showed up to help me set up. 
2. Even though the PTO reimbursed me for everything that I purchased for the party, it would have been nice to have been given some recognition.  Every announcement just stated the PTO was putting together this function.  Not once did it name me.

Highlights of the night:
1. Seeing how excited and proud my daughter was for the party and knowing that her mom put it together for her and her friends.
2. Seeing my daughter's principal out on the dance floor doing the Macarena and Cha Cha slide with the kids.  I don't remember my elementary school principal.  It amazes me to see how the kids interact with the principal at my daughter's school.  All the kids seem to really like him.  And most important, he seems to really enjoy himself playing with the kids.

My husband told me not to volunteer again next year.  But I probably will.  I know now not to try to have games or rely on other people to bring stuff.  My idea for next year is dj, glow bracelets and necklaces and tons of balloons and beach balls that the kids can throw around. 

I didn't do it for the school, I did it for my daughter.  She was so excited and proud that her mom was planning this party, so it was worth it.