Fall is a great time for HBCU grads because it’s homecoming season. Every year, Aggies, Bison, Rattlers, Pirates, and more return to their respective alma maters for what can be likened to an annual family reunion, but it’s chosen family. Homecoming is a time for people to catch up with friends, reminisce, and kick back for a weekend of fun, celebration, and culture, but there are levels to it.
The homecoming experience varies depending on what people want to do, and a decent amount of strategy may be required. There are recent grads who are still young and full of energy, graduates who may be introducing significant others who aren’t familiar with HBCU culture to the fray. These older grads have to strategize disco naps, and then there are the parents.
If you decide to take your child to homecoming with you, go in with a plan so you don’t stress too much amid the fun. Here are things to keep in mind if you’re a parent taking your offspring to homecoming.
Think About What You Want out of Homecoming
Now, of course, the easiest option is not to bring your kids at all, if you have the luxury of childcare. Still, the parents need to decide what kind of homecoming they want. If you haven’t been back to your school in a while, or are returning for an anniversary year, that’s when you really want to turn up, celebrate life, and mix and mingle with your former classmates. Anniversary years are much more special, more fun, and usually have more events, so again, you may not want to have to cater to children that weekend.
Have a Game Plan
Now that the most obvious option is out of the way, let’s discuss what to do when you bring them. When you bring them, if you can’t find a local sitter, you already know that you likely won’t be attending any soirees, and that’s fine; there will be lots of day parties and daytime events that are kid-friendly. However, make sure they are kid-friendly because some day parties do have age restrictions. Other than that, you can bring kids to the big game, the homecoming parade, the bazaar, tailgates, and there are other events that aren’t parties like step shows, fashion shows, brunches, dinners, pageants and more that allow you to soak up memories of your alma mater, and expose your child to tradition.
Link With Other Parents
Put out some feelers to see if other parents are bringing their children, and see if you can connect with parents whose children are around the same age. That would be a great way to catch up with friends and also to introduce your children to new ones. It’s a win for everyone.
Put Your Partner On Child Care Duty
This may be controversial, but if you have a partner who didn’t go to your alma mater, see if they’d be interested in making homecoming weekend a family affair. That way, if you do want to hit up some nighttime soirees or age-restricted events, your partner might not mind letting you frolic childfree while they watch the kids.
Have Fun
Traveling with kids can be fun, and going to homecoming is a time, especially because you get to show them things about yourself from another life. Teach them how to swag surf, explain all the regional dances they’ll see from the perculator to beating feet, and make the best of your time on campus.