Party Planning Made Easy

I don’t do a lot of advice-type posts around here. No “5 ways to get your kids to do chores” or things of that nature. That’s partly because I don’t feel that people are coming here for that sort of thing, and mainly because I can’t get my kids to do chores and really don’t feel qualified to say much more about parenting than “do your best and cross your fingers.”

That’s not to say that I don’t have knowledge to impart, lessons that I’ve learned and want to share or helpful, unsolicited suggestions. I have plenty of those.

Today’s helpful tip involves planning  for your small child’s birthday party. The one thing that you can do to minimize your stress and preparation while at the same time keeping the children happy and occupied. Just as important, it will help ease the awkwardness of the parents of your child’s classmates.

Give birth during the warm weather months.

This past weekend I accompanied Alaina to a birthday party for one of her new classmates. The parents were very kind and welcoming but my first hour was still spent standing against a wall, trying my best to stay out of the way and exchanging nervous smiles with the other parents on their respective walls. As a dozen five year olds chased each other around and engaged in a living room battle royal over the remaining balloons I wondered how many others in the room were thinking back to the twenty man battle at the end of 1986’s Wrestlemania 2. I decided probably not very many.

Assuming that it wasn’t my place to referee but growing increasingly anxious about the combatants proximity to the flat screen, I made my way to the food table and apparently sat there devouring wings for much longer than I intended.  When I finally made my way back to the living area everybody had disappeared.

Perhaps sharing my fears about the future of their television, the birthday boy’s parents had decided that it was warm enough to throw everybody out into the yard. Not only were the kids fine with this development, immediately turning their attentions to destroying these poor people’s attempts at leaf piles, but I was relieved. My remaining time there was spent kicking around a soccer ball, throwing batting practice, and monitoring the line for the bungee swing.

Photo by Jeremy Barnes

I realize that conception can be a long, trying process for many. An accidental process for many others. If you do happen to have a winter baby we’ll probably still come to your parties. If my kid needs anything and you can’t find me, I’ll be the guy outside building the snow fort.

Unless it’s a Sunday during football season. We have plans for that day.

Photo by Jeremy Barnes

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This post was previously published on Thirsty Daddy.

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