A Party for kids. Sometimes there really is pressure to throw the best one!
Helen wrote a post last week about the pressure of throwing a party for toddlers. It reminded me of wedding planning; a minefield of organisation and worry about your guests being happy. If I was a man I’d describe it as a ballache. Where do you have it? Do you hire somewhere? What food do you buy; party rings or hummus and dip? Cake? Party bags but what do you put in? Some people don’t want their children having sweeties (me). Are cheap toys too crap? It starts to become a bit of a nightmare and it is easy to lose sight of what the party is about; getting family and friends around to celebrate another year of this amazing little person being on the planet.
This week in the news I read a little girl had been thrown a Disney Princess Party for her third birthday. Great idea. Sounds amazing. No. This party cost $50,000. You read that right. My wedding was cheaper. How about, crazy people, just going to Disney Land for a holiday? Less money and less mess. This is of course an extreme example but the pressure to throw your little darling a cool party seems to be mounting.
This becomes worse if your child has a group of friends, who all have parties around the same time and your little one is invited to them all. It must start to feel like a competition. Most original theme. Best party game. Making sure everyone is invited who should be. And presents! This is another post in itself.
You worry you will be judged.Your kids will remember (they won’t). What if they see the photos of a boring party with their Nan nursing the Savignon Blanc in the corner with a squashed party hat on their head (they might)?
From going to Alfie’s party at the weekend I learnt a few things from the simple, yet well thought out party Helen threw:
- Although it may be busy, the house is a lovely place to throw a party. It is homely. There are toys and the birthday toddler will feel safe and secure in their own environment. They may be a whole load of mess to clear up afterwards but I’d left by them….ahem.
- Toddlers quite honestly don’t give a crap about fancy games and organised fun. If they have their friends, their toys and somewhere to run about, they are happy. In fact they are downright ecstatic.
- A buffet with finger foods and your typical party foods is really effective. Don’t bother with a BBQ (from personal experience it is way too time consuming and messy). A chicken nugget is completely yummy dipped in hummus anyway.
- As long as there is cake, any cake, toddlers are in their element. As long as there is alcohol the adults are too (not me as I was being good and driving).
- A party bag could contain a hair grip and my daughter would be happy for at least 10 minutes trying to put it in her hair. Bottom line, it really doesn’t matter. Cake and a party hat; sorted.
