Kids Birthday Parties

It's a fierce war out there in playland. And it's called "having a childrens birthday party".

Tiers, tantrums, sugar highs, goodie bags - and that's just the parents. Parents dream of having the perfect birthday party for their child.

Trouble is, "dream" needs to be turned into reality. The pressure is really on.

You've got to remember dietary needs: who has peanut allergies, who has already recycled "tommy the clown", or the cute little sparkly invitations with balloons, which parents will insist on staying the whole time, whose child will need an insulin injection and which children will be left standing long after bedtime, and who is likely to have spread the word to the univited!

A couple of hundred of your nearest and dearest gatecrashers isn't just the realm of adolescents these days. Kiddie crashers are on the move!

I've witnessed some spectacular dust ups and not too many outstanding successes. Words of wisdom for the jaded, unitiated and wise - the next generation of social networking sites will be your salvation. Trust me. I've been there, am doing that and learnt fast.

If you want your little Johnnie/annabel to have the party that everyone talks about (in the best possible way)- and all the mothers want to know how you did it; then turn to "click here" solution.

You can save on time, paper, phone calls, missed messages, texts -if you do it all online. By using one of the free social networking resources like www.eventslisted.com you can set up a dedicated website page that everyone can log on to - get the invite, rsvp, upload piccies, keep track of catering, pressies, which parents expect to attend, which don't.

Are you including an excursion? Then post all the details and checklists. Bliss. Then there are the parents who expect a full 3 course buffet for adults as well? What used to be a simple case of jellies and pass the parcel has turned into a fully fledged major event.

One of the big advantages of using a dedicated webpage for planning your birthday is it makes it much easier to include specific requests about the event. For instance: you want them off the premises by 5 and no alcohol provided for the parents. Just put it up there.

Better still - you'll have a constant resource. Every year - a snapshot of who was there, how they've grown, what you did, who came, (who didn't) who shouldn't have.... what you did, the design of invitations.

Now you're the clever Mom ; you'll use the webpage to party proof your child's special day - Set up a parent roster for contributing to adult catering, collecting and returning the little darlings - the possibilities are endless.

Every single aspect of planning a children's birthday party from issuing invitations, rsvps, photo albums, catering, budget, entertainment, special needs can be simply organised and managed. Sites like events listed are free and incredibly easy to use.

Tips for Kids Birthday Parties

Mother's groups are a bountiful source of great tips on planning birthday parties:

* Timing: be very clear about start and finish times. Make sure each child/parent has a clear pick up arrangement.

* Diet and Medical requirements: Include a section on the webpage for this and make sure those children have a parent present.

* "quiet" activities are a must and enlist the help of older siblings as party leaders.

* Goodie bags are given out as leaving. Not on arrival. Better still, incorporate making the gifts as part of the party activities.

* Spare presents organised for any other children in the family, so they do not feel left out and worse; decide to hijack the gifts. Keep a couple of"spares" for any guest who has forgotten theirs.

* Sugar = hyper = tears and tantrums. Look for special low sugar recipes

* Other parents - make it clear on the planner whether parents are welcome to stay or not.

* Highlight event: Schedule this before eating.

* Plan B: always have one! (or more) You're intending to have a beach picnic and then it rains? Hey Momma: what ya gonna do????

* Household insurance policy - check it's valid and has public indemnity insurance. Better safe than sorry.

Happy planning!