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Children’s birthday parties are special. Not only do the kids get to spend time with their favorite friends and relatives, but they get to be the center of attention. If the guest of honor is especially lucky, she’s been participating in the planning of the event and can take ownership of the fabulous results. Even young children can participate by expressing their preferences.
However, sharing her preferences does not mean she will be running the show. Few small children are able to understand the concept of sticking to a budget or schedule, so cooperation between the parents and children is integral for pulling together a successful party. Here are some suggestions to help you meet your child’s wishes without overextending your resources.
Handmade Invitations
Grownups often get caught up on silly details. If every single card has the time, date and location of the party, then what difference does it make if all of the cards look the same? Spend an afternoon with a box of crayons, a pad of colored paper and envelopes and challenge your child to decorate the cards to match the people who will be receiving them. Put pawprints all over the card for the Aunt who volunteers at the dog shelter or draw fancy clothes on the card for the cousin who works in a dress shop on Fifth Avenue. The only limits are imposed by your child’s imagination.
Decorate Like a Child
If you ask your child how she would like to have her party decorated, it is very likely that her ideas will have very little resemblance to your ideas. Attempt to honor her wishes and leave those decisions up to her. Decorations may not necessarily fit in with the theme as an adult would see it. Decorations with clashing colors or recycled from another event will not cause you to be seen as a bad parent. Relax and let go.
When it is not possible to meet your child’s wishes, there are often compromises that can give your children the feeling that their wishes are being taken seriously. It certainly it isn’t going to be possible to have her favorite Disney princess come to the party. Perhaps you can decorate your home to look like a royal castle and provide accessories so the children can dress up like princesses and princes.
Try to Stick to the Budget
Rather than visiting your local party supply store, take a few side trips to thrift shops, discount stores and wholesale liquidator shops. For the same amount of money that you would spend on fancy disposable plates and napkins decorated with the character of your daughter’s choice, you can pick up heavier weight plastic ware that often can be reused at parties in the future.
Delegate, Delegate, Delegate
Invite a guest to your child’s party and he may or may not come. Inviting him to help to make the party a success by involving him in pot luck meal planning and asking for help with setting up or breaking down the party or participating in any activities, and you will have a partner in crime. Once the other guests begin to take responsibility for the events at that party, more adults will be working to turn the party into a success. There is not only no need for you to do it all, but also, a jointly run affair will always be more successful and fun.
This mindset carries over to menu planning. If your Aunt Stella is coming and you know that she’s the Queen of Meatballs, don’t hesitate to ask her to make up a batch using her best
home meat grinder to make her favorite niece’s party a success. You’ll save a few dollars and some effort, Aunt Stella will get to feel pride at helping her favorite niece’s party be a success and your daughter gets her favorite meatballs to share with her friends. How is this anything short of a perfect all around winning situation? For friends and family who don’t cook, asking them to bring simple items such as drinks or napkins will permit them to contribute with minimal stress.
Don’t let the Jones’ make you think that you need to compete with them in order to have an enjoyable party for your kids. As long as your kids have some friends to play with and an environment conducive to spontaneous interactions. the chances are likely that everybody will have a good time. Certainly food is an enjoyable part of the event, but most kids would rather have room to run around and an arts and crafts set to use with their friends than any structured activity. Lowering your own expectations for yourself is likely to make the party a more enjoyable experience for everybody involved.
Liz Krause writes on a variety of topics from cooking tips to budgeting and healthy living. She enjoys spending time in the kitchen and
sharing her experiences online. She writes reviews on various kitchenware products
such as which is the best
food processor for making fresh Italian dough, or meat
slicer reviews for which is the best for home use.
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