What's up with the Swanks?: Chuck E. Cheese

Chuck E. Cheese is one of those places that has a Love-Hate relationship with all parents I know. No adult really enjoys going there. It's loud. It's chaotic. No adult really enjoys the food (except my father-in-law). We come home with some sort of junk that we have to sneak and throw away when our kids aren't looking. And we're all a little creeped out ever since Law and Order (or CSI or some other crime drama) did an episode about abducting a kid from a similar place. But our kids LOVE it. There are games they both like. They get instant gratification by earning tickets to buy some trinket from the store. There is a tunnel and slide up high to play in (Cole's favorite part). They even like the little red car getting their picture taken with statue Chucky.

Needless to say that Makaila has wanted to have her birthday party there ever since she went to our friends bday party there about 2 years ago. Originally she just wanted the medal that Christopher got, but she convinced me that it wasn't the only reason. When she told us she wanted to have her birthday party there, we resisted. I was worried she was getting a little old for it and it would be "uncool". Chad just isn't fond of their food and didn't want to go there. We researched and gave her 3 choices with 1 being Chuck E. Cheese as she as requested. She went for it of course.

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. It was way better than I thought. She wasn't too old (other 7-yr old and 9-yr old parties going on too). Her friends were excited to come to Chuck E. Cheese (definitely not "uncool" yet). And they really made Makaila feel special with a sticker, singing, shaking Chucky's hand, going into the ticket booth, etc. She left loaded up with a large Mylar balloon, piggy bank with tokens, blow up crown with more tokens and of course the ever coveted medal (actually good weight to it). And we didn't really have to do much of anything. They took care of the timing of food, singing, lighting candles, serving cake, and clean up. And it made our daughter really happy. Hmmm. Maybe it's not such a bad place after all.