Tea for two (plus another 10!)

Luc requested a tea party for some of his friends a few weeks ago. I was a little bemused at the vision of several boys sitting down to sip tea and daintily eat cucumber sandwiches.... like that would ever happen! I put Luc up to the challenge - he had to design an invitation and devise a menu. The menu was a cinch - lemonade (with real lemons) and chocolate cake (but “a big cake, no cupcakes!”)  

I searched for a while to find a ‘real’ tea set that was not too ‘girly’. There is a real dearth of products of a domestic nature that are not pink, nor covered in flowers or butterflies. I know many a mother who has searched high and low for a kitchen set, doll stroller or the like, that is not pink or full-on girly. Little boys, it so happens, spend some time with their mothers... and do (shock horror) see them as a role model. Anyway, I finally found a tea set at Land of Nod. Luc was rapt as it included pieces in his favourite colours: blue and green. 

The day of the tea party finally arrived and Luc acted as a most gracious host - resplendent in a chocolate-covered shirt (that he had allowed Nic to lick) - a result of his decorating his cake. Callan brought along some cupcakes he had made and decorated, and insisted that he needed to bring. I managed to sneak some fruit and sandwiches into the menu, and of course some obligatory scones and iced tea. Luc and the big boys sat at the dining table, while the little brothers sat at a small table with plastic tea set (thank you Nanna). This of course upset the status quo - Nic wanted to sit in his seat at the big table. 

The ability for 3 and 4 year olds to sit and remain focussed on ‘taking tea’ was limited to how much cake, lemonade and strawberry jam they were able to imbibe... and before the sugar started to take effect. The time-frame was somewhat less for the 1 and 2 year olds. It was in a word, mayhem. Luc adored his role as host and was already planning his next tea party (complete with “vanilla cake”) before his guests had even left the house! 

Image: Luc’s invitation for his tea party