What You Don’t Need at Your Child’s Birthday Party
Birthdays: Children dream about them, and parents are often afraid of them. Before the advent of social media, parents had nothing to compare to their kids ‘parties other than a quick glimpse of friends’ activities during drop-off and drop-off. Not to get into nostalgia, some of my favorite birthdays were at the local McDonald’s.
Every lifestyle blogger these days has put together a gorgeous essay about their child’s underwater birthday party, where all young guests must bring homemade finger-painted terracotta pacifier coasters. This can be tricky.
I went crazy when my first child was one year old, spent a large amount of money in a craft store, and then spent a lot of time creating decorations for a party that my daughter would not remember. I learned my lesson, and now, five years later, I know that you can have a successful children’s party while keeping your sanity. You just need to know what you don’t need. Here’s a list:
Huge guest list
To invite the whole class or not to invite the whole class is the question. This is a difficult question, but I say no . There are many kids in your son’s or daughter’s class that they don’t really know and never play with. Don’t project your fear of offending someone on their side. Instead, ask your child to help put together a list of five, seven, or ten closest friends to invite. Better yet, set a rule that your child can invite as many friends as he or she is performing to keep the party controlled.
More than 2 hours
Michelle Scrimgeour-Brown, a mom of three, tells me about her house parties: “We spend all the time. The trick has three steps: craft / activity / play when kids arrive, then food (pizza and vegetables), then cake and gifts. Bam, two hours there and back. Trust me, two hours may not sound like an invitation, but when you accept 10 children, it feels like an eternity .
Full lunch
Taking short breaks between meals can also reduce stress. If your child is of school age, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. is ideal, but if you have a toddler or preschooler who still needs an afternoon nap, a mid-morning or afternoon party is fine. Think 10 or 15 o’clock – the start time is far enough away from the meal that the parents don’t get confused. This leaves you with a few snacks such as popcorn and vegetable chips, as well as cake. Plus, while using paper plates and disposable cutlery can make you feel guilty, after the party frenzy is over, the last thing you need to do is wash the dishes.
Goody Bags
If you’re trying to keep trash to a minimum, you can avoid loot bags altogether, which can save you the hassle of staying up until 4am the night before being “creative.” One idea that seems to be gaining traction is to send the kids home with a gift card for a bookstore or frozen yogurt store. Writer and mother Mandy Castle agrees: “No gift bags. Is always. I pay for the child to have fun, eat cake, and sometimes pizza. I don’t have to send him home with a bag full of junk that his mom would end up throwing away while cleaning in a rage. ”
Present opening time
Another thing that makes life easier is not opening gifts while guests are still there. It can be annoying to schedule a side event at a time when the current opening might take place, but it’s a relief for those of us who hate the awkward moments of the present unfolding.
Your own home
Hosting a party at home can seem cozy and special, but the consequences can make you cry. If money is not an issue and you are planning your party ahead of time, many parents will advise you to go out and celebrate. An indoor playground, bowling alley, farm or even Chuck E. Cheese’s can feel like heaven because you don’t have to clean up at the end. An important point regarding your choice of location for booking: do not wait until the last minute to contact the institution of your choice. If this is a good place, you will probably need to book it a month or more in advance. Learn from my mistake.
For me, the key to arranging for my daughter’s last birthday was on my side to hire someone to come and entertain the children – in this case, a face painter and a balloon painter. It was much cheaper than going anywhere and the kids were busy most of the party. Likewise, you can rent an event or entertainment to appear in your home, be it a scientist, a bouncy castle, or a reptile show.
After all, you are either one of those parents who live for these things, or tolerate them out of love and pure necessity. As my friend Kim Bongiorno, a writer and mother of two, told me, “Remember this is for your child, and children are often the simplest things.” She’s absolutely right. Sugar and games with friends. Who could ask for anything else?