If you’re a parent right now, that reference probably really makes sense to you. Ah, the nineties and aughts, what a time to be alive and not yet have created your own people. But, maybe you did have a young child in 1999, and now they’re finally old enough to get out of dodge for the weekend. Perhaps they’re on Spring Break. Maybe they’ve planned an epic camping trip with friends. No matter why they’re out of the house, they are out of the house – time to celebrate! 

Of course, you’re going to miss them and worry about how they’re doing while they’re away from you, but what better way to distract from that worry than by throwing a get-together with your friends and loved ones? So, start googling “DJs near me,” and let us get this party started quickly, right?

How To Plan The Party Of The Century When The Kids Are Away

If the kids going out of town didn’t leave you with a ton of notice, absolutely throw caution to the wind and send a group text invite to all your favorite people – make haste! Forget a theme. Forget a dress code and a menu. Now is the time to seize the day! So, order a bunch of pizza, run to the ABC store and the grocery store, and create the charcuterie board of the century. As far as music goes, you can go with a premade playlist from any streaming service like Apple Music or Spotify, and you should be good to go. And, when it comes to the decorations, you could fill some helium balloons for a pop of color.

Maybe though, you had some time to plan; if that’s the case, the sky (or your budget) is the limit. When planning parties, it’s always a great idea to have a theme in mind; that way, when your guests get their invites, they have a general idea of what to expect they’re walking into when they arrive at this kid-free party. If you want to do something black tie, you could even go so far as to hire caterers and servers for the event – and never forget the bartender. They set the mood in more ways than one. 

Consider The Venue 

Maybe you don’t want to deal with the hassle of cleaning up and restoring your home to its pre-kid vacation state before the kids get back. After all, the whole point is enjoying your time to relax and unwind with loved ones without your usual responsibilities hanging over your head. If this sounds appealing to you, consider renting a venue. The choice is yours – hotel event hall, a club you fancy, a beach, it’s entirely up to you. The main bonus here is (with the exception of the beach) you don’t have to worry about cleaning up afterward, and it’s often worth the cost to have someone do that for you, so you can enjoy the party as much as your guests do!

Feeding Frenzy 

Let’s face it – we’re all adults here – one of the most exciting things about walking into an adult event is the promise of delicious food that keeps us somewhat sober while we’re mingling and dancing the party away. So, whether you decide to hire a caterer, order off of Grubhub or turn it into a potluck, everyone gets to enjoy Janice’s famous spinach & artichoke dip. Make sure you’ve got plenty of food for everyone attending. Let’s include drinks in this section too. Make sure you’ve got several options of drinks for everyone in attendance; this goes without saying. Additionally, there may be (and likely will be) several people in attendance that live a sober lifestyle, so accommodate them as well with flavored waters, sodas, and anything else you think they’d like. 

Music Matters (A Lot)

We may not be as cool as we thought we were in our twenties, but now that we’re parents, we know what we like, and we like it a lot! Let loose with some seriously good music. Music sets the tone for everything at your epic party – so think such amazing nineties throwbacks all the way to the newest Justin Bieber or Drake album. Everyone loves to let loose when they’re spending time away from their children, and not only is dancing incredibly fun, it’s also a great way to stay in shape, so it’s a win-win for everyone!

Just like they told you to “sleep when the baby sleeps” when you became a parent, I’m telling you now to “play while the kids play.” So, if you’re lucky enough to get an entire weekend or even just the night, take advantage of it and throw whatever version of a “rager” is to you. You won’t regret it, and most importantly, you deserve it!