Annie Gilbar, co-author of The Penny Whistle Birthday Party Book, joins Party at Home host Heidi Bohay to discuss the important factors involved when planning a child's birthday party. Gilbar offers her party planning principles that help parents effectively manage a large number of children in their home and reduce the inevitable stress that comes along with preparing for the special event. She says that if a party is well orchestrated, you will have few surprises and will be able to deal with the ones that might spring up. - Remember that it is worth the effort to plan and create your child's birthday party together. This day will stay in his memory for many years to come.
- Plan and design the party yourself -- resist the urge to hire someone to do it for you. This will allow for quality time with your child as you decide on games and food together, and she will appreciate contributing to her own party.
- Temper your expectations and don't expect too much. Avoid comparisons with other parties your child has been to. This day is not about keeping up with the neighbors. It is about celebrating your child's special day with friends and loved ones.
- Understand that you need to plan for every minute of the party. Annie compares this to the theater: Act 1 begins as all the kids straggle in one by one. Activities should be readily available to keep the kids engaged as all the guests are arriving. Act 2 is the party itself with all the fun games and activities that center on a particular theme. Act 3 is the winding down phase, a time for cake and ice cream and sending the guests home with party favors.
When choosing the theme for a birthday party, be sure to consult your child. This is a great opportunity to create an event together that truly reflects your child's interests. The guest list is entirely up to you. Whether you invite your child's whole class or just a select group of friends, Gilbar assures us that the party will be completely manageable. As long as you have planned for every minute, time will pass quickly and all will fall into place. And you don't have to do it alone. She also suggests enlisting the help of friends, grandparents and siblings. You can even hire teens who enjoy spending time with kids and earning some extra money. With careful planning and fun activities, you can't go wrong!
RESOURCES :
The Penny Whistle Birthday Party Book
Model: 0671737953
Author: Meredith Brokaw and Annie Gilbar
Fireside
Paperback - 256 pages (July 1992)
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