This is our busy time of the year for attending birthday parties and it is becoming exhausting as all the children get older. Having just run a gamut of parties for children of various ages we ended up coming up with a few things we would do differently next year, so I thought I would share them.
- Don’t let anyone make you the entertainment
We turned up at one party and my wife was given the task of creating masks for the children. She was given a bunch of paper plates, cardboard, a set of instructions, sticky tape and scissors. Apparently the hostess felt that since my wife was a teacher and an artist she was qualified to entertain the children. That just pissed us off. Don’t let it happen by sticking to tip 2 (see below).
- Don’t plan to stay long
Obviously you should stay for as long as you’re enjoying yourself but you need a get out clause. If you set an expectation with the hosts that you’re not staying long you remain in control of your own time. You can leave early, arrive late, whatever you want without feeling a pang of guilt.
- Eat before you get there
The temptation to take advantage of free food is a strong one but no matter what you do there will be cakes, sweets and lollies available. Children on sugar are hard work, your only hope is to fill them up with healthy food first so that they’re less tempted. It’s good advice for the parents too because you’ve got limited chance of eating anything other tha sugar yourself once you get there.
- Don’t over think the gift
Wandering around a toy store for ages, looking for something useful is pointless. The chances are that this close to Christmas the gifts will be recycled as Christmas presents anyway. Call me cynical but at one of the parties we recently went to the gifts were securely placed out of site, still wrapped and were not opened while we were there. I’m 99% sure that those presents are going back out as Christmas presents this year. I opt for gift vouchers now.
- Don’t take any toys of your own
Unless you want to spend 30 minutes trying to locate your belongings before you can leave take as few as possible. If you take any toys at all they will get blended in amongst all the other kids toys. Anything you take is fair game for all the other children. You will lose stuff. The best option is not to take anything.
So that’s it. My top 5 tips for surviving children’s parties. If you have any of your own feel free to send them.
