If you want to do games, make sure they are games that require participation for both the child and the parent(team type events). If you want some ideas, order the Family Fun and Games Night package from the School Family Nights section. It has great games that involve the parents and children both. After all isn't that the idea of a parent/child event?!

Our group holds a mother/son father/daughter or mother/daughter father/son banquet each year. The last few involving sons that I have gone to (I only have one child) have been out of control. At last evening's mother/son, the theme was sports and in the gym there were several games the kids could play. Along one wall were some blow-up beach balls and several boys flocked to them and begun wailing the balls at other kids. The balls were hitting smaller children, mothers, and they also wailed the balls at the pro-sports team mascot who was courteous enough to come to our event. The volunteers had a hard time controlling the kids and we finally started taking the balls away to prevent someone from getting hurt. I couldn't believe that the mothers were just standing around chit-chatting with each other, totally oblivious to what their boys were doing. I don't mind being the heavy, and taking away the balls, but it shouldn't have been me, it should've been their parents. I am vice-president this year and will be president next year. I am concerned that if this behavior continues, sooner or later someone will get hurt and the consequences to our PTA could be severe. What suggestions do you have that can help us "encourage" parents to monitor their children better.