Ideas for parent day

ashmi99 · #1 01-02-2002, 05:36 AM

Hey, everyone! I am looking for any ideas anyone has for a mother/daughter or daddy/daughter day. What is something fun that you have done in the past? Last year we went to a baseball game with our dads. Any help would be appreciated! Thanx!

~Ashley~

BrownEyedGirl · #2 01-02-2002, 11:27 AM

We don't have Mother/Daughter or Daddy/Daughter weekends, so that's something our chapter does a little differently than y'all's. We actually have two Parents' Weekends...one in the fall (during football season) and one in the spring. The one in the spring is my favorite, and we have a number of activities for parents. This year we're adding a few more as well.

Friday night we're having an informal dinner with our families at a local restaurant, since some parents may still be en route to campus. Saturday morning we have an Open House on the hall (we don't have Greek housing) with breakfast and a tour - gives new members families a chance to see where they'll be living next fall.

That afternoon we take our parents to the Orange and White football game, a spring scrimmage/exposition game. Then in the evening we have a barbeque outdoors at a nice restaurant and then a band. Parents love dancing, so we have a shag (our state dance - very beach music) band for them that plays some favorites we can all enjoy. Last year we had a great band and the parents were dancing ALL night (my non-night owl parents were on the dance floor until midnight!). I think the Flash (photography) people are there at the barbeque (and at the breakfast the next morning) and we get TONS of cute shots!!

The next morning is everyone's favorite. We have a Senior Recognition banquet - a huge breakfast buffet for everyone, with a brochure we hand out to parents highlighting the big achievements of our year so far. Then Dean's and President's list sisters are honored, mothers get their Mother's Pins, and *then* the real fun starts. Each senior submits a baby picture, and we put it up in a slide show. As each picture is shown, the sister and her father walk to the front, and the father reads her a letter about how much she means and all of the meaningful memories they've shared. Never a dry eye! The pictures are hilarious and the letters give dads a chance to share their feelings (something that rarely happens in public!). It's great all around, and all of the letters are bound and given to seniors as a keepsake.

This year we're thinking of adding a golf morning for fathers on Saturday, and a discount at the local Greek Gallery so moms and daughters can shop while the dads are off golfing. We also hope to have a philanthropy afternoon to highlight our service and raise money for it. That may be included in our fall Parent's Weekend, though, where we tailgate before the Homecoming game. That way, parents could participate in our philanthropy before our big event takes place in early spring. We're also hoping to begin a Mother's/Parent's Club this spring!

I'd love any feedback y'all may have about any of this, ideas, what's worked for you, etc. Good luck with yours, ashmi!

dzrose93 · #3 01-02-2002, 11:33 AM

We had a Mothers' Day Tea when I was in school. All the mothers were invited to the DZ house for the afternoon and we gave them a tour and then served light appetizers. It was a great way for the mothers to meet our sisters and other moms.

We also had a Parents' Day cookout where we grilled burgers and hot dogs on the front lawn of our campus. That was a lot of fun also and the parents really enjoyed it!

GammaPhiBabe · #4 01-02-2002, 01:42 PM

I don't like the idea of a father/daughter thing or a mother/daughter thing.... I think it's best to do something where the whole family is included. Some people's parents are divorced or deceased ... for example, my parents are divorced and my father and I don't have a good relationship... if my sorority had held a daddy/daughter day I would have felt very left out.
We used to hold parent's weekend every spring. We would rent out a nice facility close to campus and have a dinner and dancing on Saturday night. Then on Sunday morning, we'd have brunch at the house and have skits and sing our rush songs for the parents... they could also tour the house. I think most of the parents as well as my sisters just wanted to spend time with their families, so we didn't try to plan too many activities.

jess_pom · #5 01-02-2002, 08:05 PM

Last spring, we combined our alumnae day and our parent's day. We just had a picnic at our house and we sent invitations to everyone. We roasted hot dogs and hamburgers and everyone brought a dish to share. This was a lot cheaper and easier than having to go to out or having something catered. Plus, the entire family was invited, and everyone was more relaxed and talked to each other.

Good luck!

ashmi99 · #6 01-03-2002, 05:15 AM

Thanx for all your suggestions!! BrownEyedGirl, your weekend sounds awesome. I'd like to ask you some more questions! Please e-mail me at aradach@u.washington.edu! Thanx!

~Ashley~

AlphaChiGirl · #7 01-03-2002, 11:23 PM

We don't do "parent day", but during our school's Parent's Weekend, we have a Sunday Brunch. Most parents are heading out later on that afternoon, so it's nice to see everyone before they head out to the airport. A nice way to end a busy weekend.

I don't agree with anything more than that for Parent's Weekend activities. A lot of people don't have that great of a relationship w/ their parents, and they feel left out. Also, can't forget the people who can't afford to travel very far to visit their kids during the fall (maybe this is a moot point since most people on here are students/alumni of schools not very far from home). Any more than a brunch would alienate those people a lot.