Hosting a kid’s birthday nowadays has become a tedious and overwhelming process. Back in my childhood days, all that was needed for our birthdays was inviting a few of our friends from school over to our house in the afternoon and having a cake and some fizzy drinks ready coupled with some cheap mardi gras novelties. We’d also set up a few games in the garden, then say our goodbyes and all the kids went back home happy and satisfied.
However, todays’ kids have come to expect a lot more, and as a parent, it is important to be prepared:
1. Check School Policy
You’ll find that many schools have a policy in place in regard to the handing out of birthday party invites. Thus, you’ll need to find out what the policy entails ahead of time.
For instance, my kids’ school doesn’t allow children to hand out invitations in the classroom, however, they do allow parents to hand them out at the school gate. However, this is much easier if you collect your kids from school since things can get complicated if your kids use the bus or go to after-school.
Also, remember that the situation can get awkward if you are not inviting the entire class, since even parents can be sensitive.
Texting is a more convenient way of sending out the invites, especially if you have the phone numbers of the parents in your child’s class. You can consider collecting them at the beginning of the year. In case there is a class rep, you can request them to put together a list that can be distributed to the parents. This is especially useful if you are planning on holding play-dates too.
2. When to Invite
The best time to send out invitations is 7-10 days ahead of the party.
You should avoid sending them out any earlier as it may lead to confusion. I know a friend who mistakenly dropped off her child at a party house a week early.
Also, remember that children tend to get overly excited over such events and sending out early invites can lead to the headache of constantly explaining that they have to wait 10-20 more days. As a young kid, this can be an incredibly long time to wait.
3. Things to Include on the Invitations
There are a number of elements that make up a good invite:
Date
Venue
Time – Start and End time
Ask the invitees to RSVP and provide number in case you aren’t sending by text.
This next item is highly crucial if you want a safe and successful birthday party. Ask for details about any allergies/intolerances/customs that the children attending may have. For instance, some may not eat pork or beef, or might be vegetarian. Knowing this in advance will help ensure that you cater to the needs of everyone attending.
If the party will have a theme, ensure to include this to help the kids decide on what to wear.
4. Who to Invite to the Party
Knowing who to invite to your kid’s party can be difficult, especially during the first few years when they are changing their BFFs on a daily basis. You also have to consider preschool friends, family members, and neighbors who may want to join in the celebrations.
There are several options available:
Determine the number of school friends that you and your kid are comfortable with, and invite only those. If this number is small enough, you can invite other friends, family members, and neighbors.
If your kid is a junior, and it’s early in the school year, you can forgo the school party and just invite preschool friends, family, and neighbors. But this may not work as your kid grows older.
Your next option is to invite the entire class. While this may sound extreme, it is a particularly great option if you have another parent whose child shares the same birthday who you can split the costs with.
You can also arrange two parties, one for friends from school and another for other friends, family, and neighbors. To minimize on the cost and stress involved, you can do one at home and one out.
5. What To Do
You and your kid will need to decide on whether you want to host the party at home, enlist the services of an entertainer, or book somewhere away from the house.
Here are some things you’ll need to consider:
Size of the group attending – Determine whether your house/garden has enough space to accommodate everyone. If the party will be held at a venue, find out what the cost will be.
Time of year – If the party will be held outdoors, you need to consider what the weather will be like. Find out whether the venue has indoor and outdoor facilities.
Location and time – In case you will be throwing a Friday evening party on the other side of town, it may be difficult for parents to get to and from the venue. If possible, consider choosing a closer venue or when there is no rush hour traffic. Try to avoid holding the party at a time when most parents are working or when it may be difficult for them to get their child to and from the party.
Seek help – If you are not looking to hire an entertainer, or go out to a venue, you will want to determine whether you will be abe to entertain and feed everyone on your own or you will need some help. Remember, it can be quite difficult to manage a big group of children and cater to all their needs. You can get the older children to help with the younger kids or to help set up games and make overs. You can also ask another parent to stay and help. Many parents will be willing to do so, all you have to do is ask.
Other parents – You also have to consider that some parents will want to be close to their children or keep an eye on them the entire time, especially if they are quite young. You will need to put them into consideration. You can have something like tea/coffee and some biscuits for them or find a venue with a cafe or shopping area where they can occupy themselves.
