For the past couple of weeks, the brat and I have been on birthday aprty overdrive. While it would be positively nice had one been invited to an average of one birthday party a month, it does get positively hectic when it has, like in the past couple of weeks been an average of a birthday party every alternate day. There have been the good parties and the bad parties, and the last I attended, the party from hell.
Anyway, I should be flattered and honoured that kind folks actually take time out to invite me and the brat for their parties, and sad state of wallet apart, I should pull on my best togs and show up with all my pearly whites on display.
Just a few pointers on little nigglings which have come to my attention over the past few parties:
Invite as many children as you can handle. If you cannot handle them, hire a larger venue and invite the parents too, so each parent will handle their own child. Children these days are ruffians who need the riot act read out to them every few minutes when they can be reliably found dismembering each other.
Donot waste money on balloons for decorations. The first half of the party goes in the kids climbing on every available surface and pulling down the balloons to pop them to the horror of my long suffering ear drums. And that goes for whistles too. And other implements of aural torture.
If games are to be conducted, have them conducted quickly and efficiently. Dont wallow around waiting for more kids to join up because by the time the crowd builds up, the kids would have got into more fist fights than the Fight Club members and some bloodied noses and wails will add to the atmosphere at the party.
Do remember to have some snacks floating around. Kids get hungry. Dont reserve all the food until after the cake cutting. Bowls of wafers and popcorn should suffice.
If you must serve soft drinks, lay off the ice.
No, the kids are not interested in seeing you, your husband and your entire family hitting the floor in a performance especially choreographed to wish your son a happy birthday. If there's any dancing to be done, everyone will do it.
Ensure safety. The last party I attended had the glass doors of the party hall open straight out to an uncordoned off swimming pool. Needless to say I sat for the entire duration of the party at the door.
If you must get the food catered, do opt for a reliable caterer. Ensure that you order enough for every child to get seconds if they want, and that food doesnt run out in the midst of serving. Also, that the quality of food is impeccable. The brat got the runs, and so did I, the moment we reached home from the last party we attended, as did some other folks who attended.
If you are planning to have a dinner party, hold it on a Friday or a Saturday so that the kids can go to bed late. Keeping a party on a weekday and not cutting the cake till 9.30 pm is unforgivable in my books. The kids are hungry, they have school the next day.
And finally, do teach your children to be graceful about the gifts given. Discussing the flaws of the gifts given in front of the birthday child and having him come and repeat what was said verbatim to the gift giver is so not done.
7 opinions:
Yaa what you have written is so true...totally agree to everything...especially not cutting the cake on time on a weekday..and overdose of children..whats the point of inviting 100 kids and not being able to manage them...no one enjoys and there is total chaos!
Oh yes, even we've been deluged by b'day invites, have deliberately skipped some, coz I can't handle the sugar overload ;) So glad you did this post...been meaning to post some rants abt parties myself, will link back when I do.
I spent 4 hours on a sunny terrace 18 floors up, freaking out whenever my son got near a wall...I mean, WTF? And sent hubby to a neighbours party requesting them to keep the balcony and front doors closed. Kids have actually liften my daughter teasingly and threatened to throw her over corridor or balcony railings more than once. Where do they learn that from? Their parents? TV? And how can host parents not be concerned about guest kids' safety??
Oh, my god! Totally know what you mean. Parties in game arcades where the kids are so over stimulated and come home whirring like tops....and the drop off, pick ups, inane conversation. I know my attitude needs to change, but man, I wish my kids would not get invited to the parties. Managed to keep it down in their pre-primary days but the past few months have been horrific...errr...busy!
All very, VERY valid points!! I heartily agree!
Wow, the last one surely takes the cake!
The last party we went to started with games, moved to fights and plain howling from hunger.... and ended with a 4 year old falling asleep into his pizza.... But fortunately, such parties are more the exception than the norm in our case!
Been reading a while. Delurked to say love reading about your son and thank you for the laughter therapy.
we just had ours for anush and u would have given me almost full marks i think...
except the balloons without which i cannot think of a party
but i have never had rough kids
this time i must say except one kid no one wanted to burst balloons and when i asked her why do u wish to hurt something so pretty- even that kid stopped!!
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