Each year we celebrate our birthdays with people we care about. As a parent however, you face a daunting task each year which is planning a birthday party for your kids. Of course it can be as simple as getting your child a birthday cake and celebrating with your immediate family. However, most of the time, as parents we want to make our kids birthday party a memorable experience. Therefore, there is a lot of planning involve when preparing your child’s perfect birthday party. At R.T. Clown, Inc. we have done well over 20,000 + successful kids birthday parties in the 30 plus years in business and we have seen some of the best birthday parties and some of the worst. To make sure your next kid’s birthday party turns out to be a success, be sure to avoid these 3 pitfalls:
1) Plan one event at a time!
Imagine your child is turning 5-years old. It is kind of a big deal because when do you ever get to be five again. So you decide to go big by planning the best birthday party ever like hiring a petting zoo, face painters, magicians, costume characters, catering, and a Ferris wheel! We kid you not, one parent we worked with before had a Ferris wheel for her five-year-old daughter and wondered why she started crying. Simply, do not overwhelm your child at their party with so many activities. Instead, start off small and up the activity one at a time as they get older. For example, 2-year old will be happy with a balloon twister while a 7-year old would enjoy a pool party. Lastly, remember when planning out the party, remember who it is for. Ask yourself: Is the birthday party for you or your child? By answering this question and putting the party into perspective you will be able to plan with a clear focus.
2) Embrace the mess!
Let us break it kindly to you, nothing will go according to plan no matter how much you prepare. By preparing we can minimize the stress but unforeseen things happen all the time. For instance, you have more kid’s shows up to the party than expected, the costume character cannot find your address, or the weather takes an unexpected turn and starts to rain. Our advice every time to our clients who are planning a birthday party is to embrace the mess. If something goes wrong, instead of getting upset and blaming the situation, take it for face value and accept it. Kid parties especially are meant to be chaotic. Be mindful and ask yourself: Are the kids smiling and having fun? If so, then your job is done and move on.
3) Let go of the bone!
Have you ever heard of the expression “Let go of the bone”? Just like a dog who won’t give up their bone to anyone, it applies to people who are fixated on a situation and won’t give up. Simply, it means stop being controlling. This especially applies to parents who hire a party planner and is in control of every aspect of the party. If you hire a party planner, leave it to them as the experts to help you out. That is the reason they were hired in the first place. From first hand, we’ve had parents in the past hire us to make their kids party a smashing success only to have them direct the whole party and end up being wiped out after its all over. Not only is it exhausting, but it builds resentment to do another party in the future. Instead, get support from others, let go of the control, and spend time with your child.
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