Parties are meant to be enjoyable, right? Well, that’s not the case if it’s a kiddie party and you’re the parent of the child.
Following a recent study conducted by a soap company, some parents don’t like their child’s birthday party, with the majority of them believing they need to make an impression on other parents. Almost a third feel some sort of pressure from other parents, and nearly an identical number say they didn’t have the heart to disappoint their kid with a sub-par birthday party.
They discovered that most mums begin preparing for the big function at least one month prior, while a few confess to making preparations six months in advance.
On the upside, the majority of the 1,000 mums questioned said the main reason for hosting a large birthday party was just to see their kid happy – though at the same time, they confessed attempting to provide their daughter or son with the delights of a bash they never got to experience.
These days, most kids look forward to action-packed birthdays at the bowling alley, local entertainment center, or hiring a bouncy castle, and the expenses can go up to hundreds of dollars.
But regardless if your budget is $30 or $300, you can still provide your kid with a party filled with pleasant memories.
Party Plan Like A Pro
Mother-of-three Rachel, a professional party planner, believes that the key to having a successful children’s party is to consider inviting close friends.
“A successful party doesn’t need to have a lot of siblings and guests where the birthday kid is engulfed in the crowd and feeling overwhelmed,” she says. “Don’t stress about being the parent who doesn’t host a party for the entire class. This is an indication that you are brave enough to constrict the number of persons in the birthday to children your kid actually likes and has fun sharing moments.”
She also advises that parents should only prepare food for a percentage of the guests, saying: “Children don’t consume a lot – only cover 75% of the visitors to make sure that you don’t eat egg sandwiches for the entire coming week.”
She continues to say that themed parties are extremely popular, with children coming princesses dresses, pirates etc., and the key to having a successful party is preparing, keeping stuff simple, and ensuring the atmosphere of the birthday is special.
It’s good for parents not to be anxious when the birthday comes – most of the time, when parents arrange a party themselves, they are usually very busy, they don’t get the opportunity to talk to other parents, make conversation, take pictures etc.
Some parents can get very hysterical about the entire situation.
Having a checklist can also assist and will ensure you don’t forget some things.
Guest list
- Make a booking and pay for the space if not hosting the party at the house
- Select party theme
- Plan entertainment
- Distribute invitations
- Arrange party music
- Purchase decorations like balloons, banners, etc, and sticky tape/ Blue Tac
- Make/buy party bags
- Make/Buy birthday cake, napkins, candles etc
- purchase party ware including tablecloths/ food boxes/plates/cups / bowls/ napkins / straws/ cutlery/ blowers / party hats/ blowers etc.
- Purchase drinks, snacks and food
- Video camera / Camera
- Acquire refreshments for adults, such as sodas, coffee and nibbles
- Get the numbers of parents not remaining for the party.
- Bin bags
It’s In The Bag
Another apparently integral modern birthday party component is the party bag, and most parents feel under pressure when the subject of party bags arises.
Modern-day party bags are more personalized. At times, they may come containing gift vouchers or a toy in addition to the all-essential sweets and cake. Rachel advises that you not include loud blowy stuff since they will rip the party bag before they even leave your place and there will be a lot of crying that ensues. Play it simple and put a couple of nice things inside. You can get hold of dozens of different types of LED guns.
One thing to keep in mind is that most kids invited to a birthday party are content with ‘back to basics’ celebrations – close friends coming to play, a birthday cake, or an outing to the cinema.
When birthdays come, parents shouldn’t be obliged to prove that they are good parents by making the day memorable. It will be a massive relief when adults stop thinking in this chain of thought.