Weddings are always a fun occasion. So, if you want to make sure that your whole family has a great time at the wedding, it’s important that you prepare your young kids accordingly. Kids will be kids and it’s only natural that they find the whole day with ceremony and reception a bit boring and uncomfortable. If you want to avoid all the possible problems, take a look at the following tips.

Have an open conversation

Don’t shy away from open conversation with your kids. If they are old enough to understand why they shouldn’t play with electricity or cross the street without looking both ways, they can understand wedding Bon Ton as well. This doesn’t mean that talking about the general rules and explaining the whole process of the ceremony will be enough. However, a good talk is definitely a great way to prepare kids for this day especially if they’ve never been to a wedding before.

Reward approach

Even adults can get bored at the wedding sometimes, let alone kids who don’t know how to hide their boredom. In that respect, you need to show how understanding you are even before the day comes. Use your talks to tackle the question of boredom as well. This may be the right time to openly express your concern but also the feeling of gratitude if the kids manage to behave well during the whole wedding day. You can also offer them a reward (a toy that they want for example) if they manage to behave nicely.

Notify your babysitter

If you worry that your kids will get really cranky during the wedding you should definitely call your babysitter in advance and explain the whole situation. That way, if your kids get in a really bad mood in the middle of the day, you can call your babysitter to pick them up without making a fuss and disturbing anyone else at the wedding.

Bring your “survival kit”

You won’t be the first parents to bring their kids to a wedding and there’s nothing strange in bringing your kids’ favorite toys and even colored pencils to keep them entertained. Actually, this is the essential part of your survival kit if your kids get really bored. Also, having the snacks that they like ready can save you a lot of embarrassing moments since you can’t predict when your kids will get hungry. Finally, an extra set of clothes, if your kids get dirty during the proceedings. Keep in mind that professional photographers from Perfect Moment Photography, can fix up and retouch any stain, that will take you weeks to get out of your kids clothes. But if you don’t want them to spend the entire wedding stained, an additional set of clothes is a must.

Let the kids play

There will definitely be other kids at the wedding and, in some cases, the happy couple prepares a separate table for the youngsters as well. So, if you want to relax and have your kids entertained, don’t make them sit by your side all the time. Let them play with other kids so that they can have their own fun during the wedding.

Follow the routine

Just because you’ll be attending a wedding doesn’t mean that your kids have to deal with a disrupted routine at home. It’s essential that they get a good night’s rest before the occasion . Moreover, even though there will be plenty of food served at the wedding, don’t make your kids skip their usual meals. It’s better that they can’t eat a lot at the wedding than having them get hungry and cranky as soon as you arrive.

You never know what can happen and even with all the preparation you may still have to face some problems at the wedding. So, if your kids are ready to throw a tantrum, it’s important to stay calm about this. Find a private area so that you can talk, and under no circumstances should you yell or get really angry at your children. This can only make the whole situation worse. Patience, love and kindness work the best in this case.