Stay at Home Mom Shame

By Catherine Buhler

March 20, 2020

My husband recently went to a few work dinners with colleagues. You know, the kind that involves a certain level of schmoozing with vendors and a good amount of red meat. He also has the opportunity to meet up with work friends during his workday lunches.

Coming home from one particular work dinner, I just couldn’t stand it anymore.

I hadn’t worn a bra all day and I wasn’t able to shower until 3pm. Not by choice. Samantha was sick, I was sick, the house was a mess (to say the least), laundry was needed and our dishes were overflowing out of the sink.

I ended up spending the day deep cleaning bathrooms and trying to keep my toddler entertained while fighting off the urge to turn on Elmo for her.

HUSBAND: “We went to Clifton’s in Downtown LA…They are known for their fried chicken, but I had pork, it was good. The restaurant has a really cool ambiance. Definitely an after-work bar atmosphere.”

ME: “So..what was it like?”

HUSBAND: “What was what like?”

ME: “Having an uninterrupted dinner? Describe the meat for me. Did it melt in your mouth? Did you get a side? What music were they playing? Did you get to have a discussion about the weather? The election? Did you get to eat your meal without someone crawling into your lap and hounding you for another cup of juice, a graham cracker, a cookie, a story, a show, a tissue, a…..I NEED A BREAK!!!!”

Whoa. Catherine has officially lost all her marbles. Seriously. They shot out everywhere and her poor husband didn’t even get a chance to run for cover.

Peyton calmly approached the scene of the massacre…”well why didn’t you say so? I would love to watch Samantha for you when I come home from work. Go get a pedicure. Go to the store alone. Go drive-true McDonalds and get 3 sugar cookies and a diet coke. Do. It.” It was at this time that I truly knew this man loved me (and my addiction to McDonalds sugar cookies. Seriously, have you had them?)

I stepped back and realized that I have been overloading my plate with numerous (and UNNECESSARY errands) like Lowes (for spray paint!) and Joanns (for unneeded craft projects). Don’t even get me started on all the countless trips to HomeGoods to try and find The. Perfect. Bathroom. Rug. (helpful side note- It doesn’t exist.)

So I took up him on the offer. I mean…of course I did. I went to Ralphs. I took my dang sweet time perusing the dairy aisle. Wow, whats this new yogurt? Ohhhh, Halloween candy. You know, all the things that you don’t get to look at when your toddler is running away from you and spilling juice in aisle 10?

It was glorious. I got everything on my list, and a candy bar at check out because I didn’t have to share it with a two year old on my ride home. I was able to find out that they do indeed have Israeli Cous Cous (aisle 5) and the frozen fruit for smoothies is actually next to the frozen pizza, NOT the frozen vegetables, like you would’ve thought.

I came to the realization that I need to do this more often. I need to take a freaking break. I have come to understand that my brain becomes to mush after 5pm. Somewhere in between incentives of chocolate chips for potty training and trying to reason with someone wearing a Rapunzel dress, bad things happen to a good person.

So now, I vow to take a break. Will you? Take a breather. Step back from the messy house and walk (or run) to the nearest mall without feeling SHAMEFUL for being honest with yourself for needing some quiet time.

I can’t do it all. I can’t even do half of it. But one day I will. Not today. But someday. Today I will take a mommy time-out, go get a $1 Diet Coke, and I will be a better person when I come back to Rapunzel. Join me on this adventure. Say it with me, I will not be ASHAMED of my needs for a break!

Okay, thats enough. Peyton is home and I am heading to the library so I can sit uninterrupted for 30 minutes and read a book I can’t put down. Peace Out.

Huge Shout out and fist bumps to the husbands (especially mine) who let us have 2 seconds to ourselves and encourage us to take a break. These men have learned the true value of “happy wife, happy life,” and I adore them for it.

Catherine Buhler

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Hi, i'm Cat! We live in Orlando, Florida where my husband works for Mickey Mouse (no, really). We have two kids, Samantha (5) & Preston (2). I suffer from a chronic illness called Short Bowel Syndrome. My ramblings are dedicated to travel adventures, nap time confessions and my medical journey. Cheers!

Can You Love Yourself into Being a Better Parent?

By Hunter Clarke-Fields

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

February 20, 2020

It was a clear fall day and time for a nap for my two-year-old. I crossed my fingers for an easy naptime because I had work to finish. Unfortunately, I had no such luck. She whined relentlessly. She came downstairs and I brought her back up—again and again. She was clearly exhausted and needed a nap. I needed this naptime. My temper rose. Upstairs, she started to throw things and open the door.

Finally, I lost it. I went upstairs, shaking with frustration and feeling helpless. I grabbed her arms to put her on the bed—but I was too rough. Her fear was obvious. I felt her little arms beneath my strong hands and I realized, “This is how parents hurt their children. Oh. My. God.” Letting go, I left the room in tears.

As my tears flowed, my critical mind stepped in: “What’s wrong with me? How could I do that? I’m a horrible mother,” and on and on. My thoughts were harsh and bitter; I was saying things to myself that I would never say to another person. Did it help? No. It left me feeling weak, isolated, and incapable. We managed to get through the afternoon and eventually she curled up on the floor for a nap.

Our Inner Voice Matters

How we talk to ourselves after our mistakes can shape whether we shrink or grow from the experience. What we say to ourselves in the privacy of our own thoughts really matters. Why? To borrow a metaphor from best-selling self-help author Wayne Dyer, “If I have an orange, what will come out when I squeeze it? Juice, of course. But what kind of juice will come out? Not pomegranate or kiwi. Orange juice. And like that orange, when we are squeezed, what’s inside is what will come out.”

What comes out of you when you are squeezed? That inner evil stepmother? If your inner voice is harsh and critical, then, unfortunately, that’s what’s likely to come out with your children too.

Negative self-talk and self-shaming don’t make us more effective or more peaceful parents. In fact, it does the reverse. Shame leaves us feeling trapped, powerless and isolated. When we feel like that, we’re not able to bring a kind and compassionate presence to our children.

Shame Doesn’t Help

Researcher Brené Brown has helped us understand the difference between guilt and shame. Shame is a feeling of badness about the self. Guilt is about behavior—a feeling of ‘conscience’ from having done something wrong or against your values. Her research has shown that guilt can be helpful and adaptive, while shame is destructive and doesn’t help us change our behavior. As she puts it, “Shame corrodes the very part of us that believes we are capable of change.” When you feel like a terrible person, it’s almost impossible to empower yourself to make a change.

Furthermore, if we want our children to have self-compassion, we must model it. For example, if I have the habit of self-shaming, they will pick that up. Our kids may not be so great at doing what we say, but they are great at doing what we do. This is how harmful generational patterns are passed down.

The good news is that this harmful way of responding to ourselves is optional. We have a choice. We can choose to bring kindness and self-compassion to our suffering instead.

The Self-Compassion Cure

Imagine if, instead of self-shaming, we could offer ourselves the kindness and understanding of a good friend. How might that change things? Research is showing that this approach helps us grow and learn from our own mistakes better than the old paradigm of condemnation. Kristin Neff, researcher, author, and professor at the University of Texas at Austin, has dedicated her life’s work to the study of compassion and self-compassion.

She writes, “These are not just ‘nice’ ideas. There is an ever-increasing body of research that attests to the motivational power of self-compassion. Self-compassionate people set high standards for themselves, but they aren’t as upset when they don’t meet their goals. Instead, research shows that they’re more likely to set new goals for themselves after failure rather than wallowing in feelings of frustration and disappointment. Self-compassionate people are more likely to take responsibility for their past mistakes while acknowledging them with greater emotional equanimity.”

How to Talk to Yourself

Neff breaks self-compassion down into three elements: kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness. We can start by practicing self-kindness instead of self-judgment. Instead of being your harshest critic, I want you to practice being your own best friend. In those difficult moments when you’ve not lived up to your standards, practice offering yourself kindness.

The second element of self-compassion is recognizing that we are not the only one who makes mistakes. The truth is that we are all mistake-making humans and imperfect parents. Our imperfections are what make us human. As you know, there are certainly moments when I—a “Mindful Mama Mentor” have made mistakes with my children I regret. It’s time to recognize that none of us is alone in this.

Finally, in order to be compassionate with ourselves, we have to recognize, through mindfulness, that we are suffering. Practice noticing the thoughts that arise and remain objective about them. Once we notice these thoughts, we can choose another way—offering ourselves compassion and kindness when we don’t meet our standards. Mindfulness helps us not get caught up in and swept away by our negative reactions.

Cultivating awareness of your inner voice and practicing self-kindness (dare I say love?) can have a deep and lasting impact on your relationship with your child. We are half of the parent-child relationship. It’s time to take responsibility for what we are bringing to the table. Who you are as a person inside counts quite a lot in terms of who you want your children to be.

Hunter Clarke-Fields

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindfulness mentor, host of the Mindful Mama podcast, creator of the Mindful Parenting membership, and author of Raising Good Humans. She helps parents create more calm and cooperation in their families. Hunter has over twenty years of experience in meditation and has taught mindfulness to thousands worldwide.

Here’s How to Order the New “Orange Drink” from Starbucks’ Secret Menu

by Karly WoodFebruary 11, 2020

With winter underway, most of us are longing for the warmer days of spring and summer. If you can’t wait to feel the sun on your face, you’ll want to get your hands on the newest craze to hit the Starbucks secret menu, the “Orange Drink.”

With a flavor that mirrors peach gummy rings, this perfect for summer beverage has just the right sweet and sour taste. So how do you order one?

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According to Totally The Bomb, start your drink by ordering a Venti with half-sweet Black Tea Lemonade. Add peach tea (or peach juice if your Starbucks doesn’t have peach tea) and a splash of soy milk and serve over ice.

Enjoy!

––Karly Wood

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Southwest Comes to the Rescue in the Most Epic Way for This Little Boy

by Shahrzad WarkentinJanuary 28, 2020

Losing a beloved stuffed animal is every kid’s (and parent’s) worst dream. When one little boy lost his favorite teddy bear on a flight, Southwest Airlines responded in the most awesome way.

Grayson Mulligan was with his family on a Southwest flight to New Orleans when he lost his teddy bear. In a Facebook post which has since gone viral, his mom Chrissy Mulligan, explained how the airline went above and beyond to remedy the situation.

After the flight, Mulligan reached out to the airline to see if the bear had been found, but unfortunately there was no sign of it. Not wanting to disappoint Grayson, the crew members decided to take matters into their own hands and replace his bear.

Not only did they gift Grayson with a brand new bear, but they gave him an incredible back story to go along with it.

Before Grayson’s bear, named Jack, arrived at his new home he took up temporary employment with Southwest.

The crew outfitted him with his own safety vest, headphones and traffic batons before putting him to work helping pilots park planes at the gate, inspecting inside the cockpit and helping get the plane ready for passengers.

After his work was done, complete with plenty of photo-ops, Jack made his way to his new home aboard a flight of his own, ordering a glass of “cran-beary” juice for the ride.

Grayson was understandably delighted with his new bear!

—Shahrzad Warkentin

All photos: Courtesy of Chrissy Mulligan

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Play with Your Food: Spaghetti Games for Kids

by Amber GuetebierDecember 31, 2019

Got some pastafarians in your house? We’ve got some seriously fun and super cheap spaghetti play that will really have them using their noodles. Read on for some awesome 4 ways to make create games they’ll love.

photo courtesy Anna via The Imagination Tree

Spaghetti Race
Put two pieces of uncooked spaghetti side by side on a table (or floor). Be sure it’s a table you can either move around or that isn’t too long. Each person blows on their spaghetti noodle trying to race to the “finish line” at the other end.

Colored Spaghetti
Boil pasta as you ordinarily would, but add a few drops of food coloring to the water along with a dash of salt. The results will vary depending on how many drops (and how much spaghetti you are cooking) but you’ll end up with some pastel noodles that you can eat, or just play with.

Spaghetti Engineering
Use spaghetti noodles (dry) and marshmallows to build a structure. The marshmallows act as joints and supports. See who can build the tallest, the fanciest or the fastest structure in your crew.

Be Board
There’s some serious fun to be had when it comes to spaghetti-themed board games. We’re super fond of Yeti in My Spaghetti, a new board game that has players removing the “spaghetti” one by one without making the Yeti fall.

What’s your favorite creative play with spaghetti? Tells us in the comments below!

—Amber Guetebier

featured photo of messy baby playing with spaghetti, by © Ian Lishman/Juice Images/Corbis

Survey Shows More Than Half of All Parents Don’t Practice This Tradition

by Erica LoopDecember 4, 2019

How do you celebrate holiday time with the fam? The new Juicy Juice Family Occasions Survey sheds light on how parents prepare for the holiday meal.

According to the survey of more than 1,000 U.S. parents, the days of the “kids’ table” are long gone. Sixty-one percent of moms and dads surveyed said they make room for the littles at the main table instead of setting a smaller one.

photo: Cottonbro via Pexels

Ilene Bergenfeld, chief marketing officer at Harvest Hill Beverage Company, said in a press release, “Families today are busier than ever, especially this time of year, so finding ways to spend more time together is important to parents and that includes holiday dinners.”

Even though parents want to spend more together-time with the family, that doesn’t mean every adult is ready to give up cooking their own meals. The Juicy Juice survey revealed that 43 percent of parents prepare all the holiday meals and 51 percent prep at least some of it.

When it comes to a holiday meal at someone else’s house, parents still dive in and plan their own goodies to bring. So what are the top choices for parents to bring along? Forty-one percent of adults surveyed prefer to prep dessert, 36 percent choose a savory dip or appetizer and 23 percent bring a beverage.

Meal prep isn’t the only part of holiday planning on parents’ to-do lists. The survey also found that 90 percent of families deck the halls with festive decorations for the holidays!

—Erica Loop

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Disneyland Is Hosting a Ghoulish Tea Party to Celebrate Haunted Mansion’s 50th Anniversary

by Shahrzad WarkentinSeptember 19, 2019

You’re invited to a very special tea party celebrating the happy haunts who have been residing in Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion for the last 50 years!

For the month of October you can book a seat at the Disneyland Hotel’s Haunted Mansion 50th Anniversary Tea. Guests of all ages are invited to celebrate the special occasion. The menu includes tea sandwiches, scones, desserts and a selection of teas including a special seasonal gingerbread flavor infused with dashes of cinnamon and allspice. Guests can also order aperitifs, wines by the glass, ports and cordials for an additional fee.

https://twitter.com/DisneylandToday/status/1171921369061298177

There are three types tea parties you can choose from starting with the Classic Tea Party and the Premium Tea Party, which includes sparkling wine, salads and a goodbye truffle in addition to the regular menu. The third option is the Kids Tea Party, which offers herbal infusions, hot chocolate and juice instead of tea.

The special event takes place every Fri. through Sun. now through Nov. 3, as well as every Thu. in October from noon to 3pm. Tickets are $35 for the Kids Tea Party, $55 for the Classic and $70 for the Premium. Reservations are highly recommended and can be made online here.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Strangegirl81 via Instagram

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Halloween Is Taking Over Disneyland’s Starbucks with 2 New Drinks

by Erica LoopSeptember 9, 2019

It’s time for some spooky Starbucks fun, courtesy of Disneyland! The magical theme park is celebrating Halloween with two new Sbucks’ menu items, and you won’t want to miss either one.

Forget about the Unicorn or Tie Dye Frappuccino. Disney has a Maleficent version that’s purple and green whipped cream-topped goodness. If you’re not into the sweet, sweet taste of this Starbucks soon-to-be fave, park-goers can cool down with the chai iced tea and lemonade layered Dr. Facilier Elixir.

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Maleficent and frapp fans can sip on the vanilla bean créme-based drink and if you’re wondering where the purplish-blue color comes from, it’s the vanilla bean that’s blended with blueberry juice and diced dragronfruit. The gooey green topping is a tuft of matcha whipped cream!

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The drinks are available for a limited time at Disneyland’s Market House on Main Street U.S.A. and Fiddler, Fifer and Practical Cafe on Buena Vista Street in California Adventure Starbucks locations.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Disneyland Food via Instagram

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Expert Tips to Help Fuel Kids for Back to School

By Mitzi Dulan

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

August 27, 2019

Photo: Pragyan Bezbaruah from Pexels

This time of year, whether families are preparing to go back to school or already in the swing of a new school year, parents can always use a little help making sure they send their kids off for the best year yet. Juggling your kids’ busy schedules with your own can easily build up, from meetings to practice to homework all while getting dinner on the table each night, but that doesn’t mean parents have to revert to shortcuts when it comes to nutrition. There are plenty of better-for-you snack and meal options that can help families build healthy habits and provide the required nutrients.

As a working mom of two, I’m always looking for simple solutions like these to not only make the back to school transition easier on my own busy schedule, but to make sure I provide my kids with the proper snacks, meals and beverages that they like to eat and that will keep them fueled during all school activities from academics to athletics.

Now that my girls are teens, I’ve been doing the back to school routine for a while now, and like to think I’ve mastered the system – for the most part. The following tips have helped me along the way, so I’m sharing them in hopes that they will help other parents with kids of all ages feel confident that their kids are happy, healthy and ready to embark on their best school year yet.

Take your kid to the grocery store with you at the beginning of the school year and allow them to choose 2-3 of their favorite fruits for their lunches or have as a snack after school. Fruit is important for kids to properly fuel up and making kids part of the decision making process is a great way to create healthy habits and try new foods!
Try incorporating protein into your kid’s lunch and snacks. Protein is important to a child’s diet to help them grow, build muscle and keep their immune system strong. I recommend new Juicy Juice + Protein, one of the first juice-protein blends on the market for kids, it’s perfect for snack time or between meals, throughout their busy days.
Make sure you include a variety of quality carbs, healthy fats, protein and fiber into your child’s after-school snacks for optimal fueling. One of my favorites for kids—my teens love it too—are peanut butter (or almond butter) and banana sandwiches with honey on whole wheat bread. Pro Tip: it’s also delicious toasted!
Lower sugar juice options are ideal to avoid consuming too much sugar while also hydrating in a tasty way. A favorite of my two girls is new Juicy Juice Fruitifuls Organic, which is made with 45% less sugar than the leading juice while still providing half a cup of fruit in each 8 oz serving. It works well paired with nutritious meals before, during or after the school day.

Mitzi Dulan

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Mitzi is a nationally recognized nutrition and fitness expert, mom of two, author, influencer and sought after trusted source of information who has inspired millions to get fit. She lives in Kansas City with her husband and two daughters.

Inside a Trolls The Experience Birthday Party: Best Day Ever!

by Mimi O'ConnorJuly 24, 2019

Got a kid with a special birthday coming up? (Of course they’re all special, but you know…) If your child has a thing for those colorful, positive vibe-loving Trolls—are there any who don’t?—we’ve got a suggestion. Midtown Manhattan’s Trolls the Experience, an interactive journey featuring Queen Poppy and friends, hosts birthday parties, and we were invited to celebrate the Big 7 there. Trolls the Experience solo? Super fun. Trolls the Experience with your snack pack? Best. Day. Ever. Read on for a play-by-play!

photo: Mimi O’Connor

They Deserve It, But So Do You
If you’re like us, your ability and inclination to plan and throw a kid’s birthday party waxes and wanes from year to year. Some years you can whip up a disco dance party in the park (done it), others, not so much. Which is why sometimes you need someone else to do all the planning, work, and entertaining. (Also: a turn-key party with someone else as host gives you the chance to actually enjoy your child’s birthday party—what a novel concept!)

When we say the Trolls the Experience has it “handled”, we mean it. What’s included with your party will vary depending on the package you select (more on that later) but thanks to a decorated private party room, top-notch party help, the Trolls Experience itself, cupcakes, and a personalize souvenir, you really don’t have to do a thing. (We brought a cake and added some doo-dads to a goodie bag, but don’t really need to.)

photo: Mimi O’Connor

Where’s the party at?
Aside from the Experience itself, one of the best things about a Trolls the Experience birthday party is the party room. This festive, roomy private space is not only decked out with balloon towers and lots of party decorations, it serves as a gathering point (all guests are sent up to the third floor prior to embarking on the Experience), home base for your stuff, and, if needed, a spot for parents or kids to take a breather if they need to.

Once our guests had all arrived, our two party hosts (total pros who did an amazing job) briefed the kids on the party’s events. (We hosted 15 kids total, ranging in age from about four to nine, and that seemed to be the sweet spot in terms of age appropriateness.) Since the kids travel as a group through the Experience, they’re taught the phrase “No Troll Left Behind” to make sure they stick together, and are shown a wand that indicates where the group is. It was clear throughout the journey that our guides were mindful of keeping everyone on track and accounted for.

photo: Mimi O’Connor

First stop: Troll-tastic transformation with Glitter Gurus
When it Trollville, get Trolled-up. Kids saddle up to makeup stations for a Troll Transformation from “Glitter Gurus”, with cheeks, eyebrows and the nose getting painted. They can also choose some Troll “hair”—cardboard donned with the use of a rubber band a la a birthday hat—in the style of Trolls like Poppy, Guy Diamond, etc. When they’re done, they can check themselves out in mirrors both normal and “goofy.” (For an extra special treat for the birthday kid, you can opt for the VIP Hair We Go Experience, complete with full facepaint and take-home deluxe Trolls wig!) And then, they’re ready to rumble!

photo: Mimi O’Connor

Follow the Rainbow Path
The loose narrative of Trolls the Experience is visitors complete tasks as they move along a rainbow path in search of Poppy’s Best Day Ever Celebration. At each stop along the way, kids get a sticker badge when they complete the activity found there.

The first stop is “Branch’s Musical Mashup” where kids activate the critters of Trollville to create a music track for the big celebration. It’s a light- and sound- filled sensory experience, with kids activating different character elements in the space.

photo: Mimi O’Connor

Caterbus Fun
Next stop—one of our favorites—is a “ride” on the Caterbus, a giant caterpillar filled with paper “gems” that must be collected for the party. One catch: a fan blows them everywhere and kids have to grab as many as they can as they fly around like confetti.

photo: Mimi O’Connor

Critter Creek
Party-goers then move on to Critter Creek, where they play virtual tag on a giant screen, “splash” in a virtual creek filled with gems, and climb a tree trunk just because.

photo: Mimi O’Connor

The Big Event
Finally, the group makes it to Poppy’s Best Day Ever Bash. But first, they don special glasses, because this isn’t just any ordinary party—it’s a 3D dance party!

Party-goers are led into a big, colorfully-lit room resembling Troll Village that has a large screen/stage area at the front. With Trolls the Experience party hosts leading the crowd, the soundtrack includes some of the greatest Trolls hits, including, of course, “Best Day Ever” and the finale, “Can’t Stop the Feeling.”

All the while, a 3D video featuring all of the Trolls and friends doing their particular thing plays on the jumbo screen. (Guy Diamond, of course, makes an appearance to fart glitter, and everyone does the floss together, as it should be.)

photo: Mimi O’Connor

Don’t Forget the After-party!
From there, your party is led down to an area for a group selfie (another highlight), and kids create their own memento of the experience by scrapbooking it. (This is where the badges they got along the Rainbow Path are used, and everyone gets a copy of the group photo. Staffers are on hand to help with scrapbooking as well.)

Our party hosts were particularly determined to make sure everyone could be seen in our photo, and that it was a good one. It was much appreciated.

photo: Mimi O’Connor

A Special Meet & Greet
It wouldn’t be a visit to Troll Village without an appearance from Queen Poppy herself. Following the scrapbooking, she comes out to present a special gift to the guest of honor, hug each of the attendees, and pose for a group photo.

Let Them Eat Cake!—and pizza
And then, it’s time to eat. It’s back up to the party room for pizza, juice and water, and cake.

Again, our party helpers took care of everything, from serving to cutting the cake, to stuffing the goodie bags, which everyone got on their way out.

photo: Mimi O’Connor

Trolls the Experience Birthday Party Basics
If you can’t tell, our guest of honor gives the Trolls the Experience Birthday Party two thumbs up. We do, too, and were particularly impressed by how well the event was run. We were told to expect and hour for the experience, and an hour for pizza and cake, and the timing was almost exact.

As stated, our party hosts had things well in hand, and kept the kids entertained and in line—an impressive feat!

We had some jitters from a couple kids and parents (would it be too overwhelming?) and let kids know if at any point they wanted to come back to the party room and relax, they could. No one took us up on it, and every kid really seemed yo enjoy themselves. (We received positive feedback from several parents unprompted. One younger sibling wasn’t feeling well, and took a time out in a separate “family room”, which was much appreciated and a great thing to have as an option.

FYI: There’s stroller parking on the main floor if needed.

Troll the Experience Party Packages
Interested in holding a Trolls the Experience birthday party? You have several options. Choose from the Classic Trolltastic Party ($1,200), the Deluxe Trolltastic Party ($1,350), and the Ultimate Trolltastic Party ($1,650). Basic party packages include the Experience, electronic invites, private room, decor, cupcakes, water and juice, setup and cleanup, Poppy meet and greet, and two party hosts. The pricier options include some or all of the following: pizza, sandwiches, goodie bags, and the Hair We Go transformation for guests and birthday boy or girl. You can download a full party brochure with all the details here.

Parties are for 12 people, a combined number for adults and kids; a 5:1 ratio of kids to adults is required. Because of space constraints, this is largely a drop-off party. Parties larger than 12 can be accommodated for additional cost.

Trolls the Experience
218 W. 57th St.
Midtown
1-833-266-5122
Online: trollstheexperience.com

—Mimi O’Connor

We were guests of Trolls the Experience, but all opinions expressed here belong to the writer.

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