| Most parents find organizing their child's birthday | | | | your budget? Do you want to spend it on an |
| party a daunting experience you may still feel this | | | | entertainer, expensive food or really upmarket |
| even if you have previously organized parties. For | | | | party bags? To keep spending in control set your |
| your child this is a major and very important | | | | budget before you even start planning. Avoid |
| event in his year. For the first two years of your | | | | giving in to your child's tantrums or sulks and |
| child's life you have been able to organize exactly | | | | spend more than your budget. The amount of fun |
| what you want for his party as he has had no | | | | children have at a party does not necessarily |
| opinion as to what he wanted you to for this | | | | relate to how much money you spend. Aim for |
| event. A third birthday is different; your child will | | | | the FUN factor. |
| express his preference as how the event should | | | | 6. Organize help |
| be organized, what food he wants and where he | | | | Organize friends and other family members to |
| wants it held. This will all be influenced by the | | | | help you. Do this well in advance, making sure you |
| parties he has recently attended. | | | | have extra pairs of hands as someone is bound |
| You have an enormous role to play in this | | | | to be unavailable on the day. Assign jobs to your |
| important celebration. You are the person who | | | | helpers well in advance of the actual party day. |
| has to organize entertainment, food, the guest list | | | | Make sure they understand what you need them |
| and invitations and many other little things. You | | | | to do to help you. |
| don't want other parents to judge your party and | | | | 7. Make the games short |
| not think it is good enough. | | | | Bored children get into more trouble and mischief |
| 1. The Fun Factor. | | | | than entertained ones, watch them and see. |
| What is the point of a party? | | | | Parties are exciting occasions and children's short |
| To celebrate your child's birth and to give him FUN | | | | attention spans can become even shorter, |
| time. This should be your highest priority. It | | | | therefore have short fun games. Children like to |
| doesn't matter if you have an odd cup or party | | | | win so try and make sure that everyone wins |
| bag this will not be remembered for very long. | | | | something. |
| What will be remembered is how much FUN the | | | | 8. Have a quieter activity during the party |
| children had and this is what your planning should | | | | Prepare a craft or other quieter activity that the |
| be centered on. Plan his party with one thought in | | | | children will have FUN being involved in. The best |
| mind "FUN". | | | | time for this activity is before just before eating |
| 2. Don't start too late | | | | or after a noisy game. Children enjoy taking the |
| Start early with your planning and avoid some of | | | | finished article home and will often talk about this |
| the stress that comes with leaving things till the | | | | activity a long time after the party. |
| last minute. Remember entertainers get booked | | | | 9. Keep control and have fun |
| early, some need booking months in advance and | | | | It can be very tempting to loosen your parental |
| if you want a particular one then book early. | | | | control because it's a party. Don't do it. Control |
| 3. Don't be pushed by anyone into having every | | | | and fun are not mutually exclusive; children will |
| child in the class to the party. | | | | have more fun if there are boundaries in place. |
| A teacher at my local preschool informed the | | | | Don't just stand and watch instead have fun by |
| parents that all 25 children in the class should be | | | | joining in the activities; this will also help you keep |
| invited to every party otherwise it would be | | | | control. |
| unfair. Parents were placed under pressure to | | | | 10. Get help cleaning up |
| invite more children than they really wanted to | | | | Cleaning up after a party can be one worst parts |
| the party. You know what finances are available | | | | of the whole event. Organize friends or pay local |
| and how many children you feel happy having. | | | | teenagers to help with this and do it well in |
| Stick to this and don't be pushed by anyone. | | | | advance of the actual party day. Write a list of all |
| 4. Have a set number of guests in mind before | | | | the jobs that you know will need doing and |
| speaking to your child. | | | | allocate these to the people a couple of days |
| Have a number in mind means you are less likely | | | | before the party. Have them written and |
| to be pushed into having more children than you | | | | attached to a surface where they can be clearly |
| really feel comfortable with. Be willing and open to | | | | seen by everyone, this way you won't have |
| a little negotiation. | | | | remember everything once the party is finished. |
| 5. Plan your budget before you begin | | | | Above all a party should be FUN and EVERYONE |
| How do you want to spend the major share of | | | | should enjoy it. |