Tips for Stress-Free Children's Birthday Parties
First, you'll want to consider your invitation list. Do you know of a neighborhood troublemaker who has caused problems at other birthday parties? Talk to neighbors and friends and make sure the party invitation list is filled with real friends of the child, and not hangers-on. You'll find that being careful about who you invite can reduce stress substantially. You'll also want to be clear about who is invited and who isn't. Generally, try to select kids that your child knows and is friends with, and who are around their age. Trying to keep the age group limited can also help tremendously.
For how many kids to invite, consider the old adage of "age plus one". This basically means that if your child is turning 7, then you can invite 8 kids.
For the decorations, you can go to the dollar store and find a surprising amount of items you can use. Yet, even at the dollar store, the costs can add up. So, you might consider getting a few items at the dollar store and making a few decorations yourself. You can browse sites like Pinterest to find many fun and easy ideas for birthday party decorations.
If you are having a first birthday party, consider keeping it simple. Remember that the party is really for the adults, and your child will not remember it. Keep it simple with the cake, decorations and activities.
If you are booking entertainment for the party, such as a clown or bouncy castle, make sure to do your research on the entertainer. Only select entertainers who have plenty of reviews and feedback, hopefully with feedback from someone you know.
With so many children having allergies or diet restrictions, it's critical to keep that in mind when you are selecting the foods. Be wary of any peanut based foods, and be careful of other types of foods as well. Communicate with the parent's of children attending to reduce the risk of possible issues.
Also on the topic of allergies and diet, you can lessen stress by giving out tangible items as party favors instead of food or candy. Choose a bag filled with activity books, crayons, puzzles, books and art supplies.
Also, try to avoid opening the gifts at the party. This way you can avoid jealous children and also an inevitable negative reaction to a certain present that might offend another parent or child.
Lastly, relax and have fun, remember that it's a children's party and won't last for more than a couple hours.
