Author: MrGoodfriend

How do you plan a children’s birthday party… and still remain sane?

Published October 11, 2012 / by MrGoodfriend

Magic show for kids in DallasRelax, don’t panic and keep it as simple as possible is the answer.

The cleanliness of the room is seldom of any concern to the kids.  Take a moment and think about this. Most kids will turn the best kept rooms into tornado ravaged areas within mere minutes of their entrance. Seldom do they care about matching plasticware or what time it is! Their concern is playing games, having fun and eating food!

What’s the best way to ensure that your child’s birthday party is one to remember? (at least until the next party invitation arrives!)

First, take a little time to think about the children’s birthday party theme. Will it be an outing to the local burger house, a trip to an amusement park or will you have a theme party at home.  With sufficient forward planning, you won’t be losing any sleep worrying about the party.

Make a list of who is coming to the party. What most people will do is to invite as many guests as you want to feed.

Ask the birthday child what they would like to do. Don’t be tempted to pressure them into having the sort of party YOU would like. After all, it is their big day! Once you have decided on a theme, then the party activities to keep the kids happy become a priority. Many traditional games can be adapted to fit just about any party theme.

If the party is to at the local restaurant, go along and speak to the manager to agree the food menu and leave the rest to them. If the party is to be at home, then selecting a theme can be fun. Whether it’s Pirates, Finding Nemo or Dora the Explorer, this is your opportunity to get creative!

Such a large variety of characters makes choosing party goods rather simple.  If you’re planning to hold the party outdoors, it would be a good idea to have at least one room inside your home decorated, so that if it rains, you still have a place to party. Make sure the fun and games stay in a pre-designated party areas (as much as possible), so you are able to relax and enjoy the party without worrying about the mess being made.

Don’t forget to keep your birthday kid involved whenever possible.Get them to suggest party game ideas.  Then let them choose the decorations and food together. Are you feeling better? Hope so, because organizing a children’s birthday party should be fun for everyone!

Allocate a budget for the party. Decide whether you hire a professional entertainer or enlist the help of friends and neighbors. Enlist a friend or two for clean-up duty, run a game or two and even take the some party videos.

Set a time for the party. Two or three hours should be plenty of time. If the children are under 5 years old, then one and half hours should be time enough.  One great tip is to hold a toddler party during the morning since youngsters tend to get a bit “cranky” when they get tired!

Plan your party games in 15-20 minute intervals.  If you find the kids are happy playing a particular game let them carry on… why spoil their fun? On the other hand plan more activities than you think you will need. Some games may be greeted with a “groan” and you may well need to play another game sooner than you expected.

Send out your children’s birthday party invitations 2 to 3 weeks in advance of the party date, then make a follow-up confirmation phone calls after about a week. Hectic schedules make most everyone very busy nowadays and a small invitation can get easily forgotten, usually under a mountain of junk-mail!

Don’t spend more time or energy than necessary on things that don’t really matter. Get the bakers to make a completely finished themed birthday cake!

Finally, the big day has arrived and your first guest arrives for your child’s birthday party.  Stay calm, keep a good sense of humor and enjoy the precious party time with your guests. Now it’s time to let the party take shape. Make sure to keep the jazzelope away from those that are allergic.
You will look back afterwards, when flicking through your fabulous party images, with the immortal words… ”that was the best party ever”!

About the Author

Danler Lerel is a corporate technology adviser. You can find more information at www.mybigshow.us.

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The Family That Eats Together Stays Healthy Together

Published May 8, 2012 / by MrGoodfriend

Recent studies demonstrate that children desire to sit down at the dinner table and have a meal with their parents. Consequently, they are more likely to eat a well-balanced, nutritious meal when they have a family dinner. Many pediatric dieticians theorize that having a meal as a family is an important piece of preventing childhood obesity puzzle. However with the hectic lives parent and children seem to lead these days, assembling the family all together in the same place at the same time can be a insurmountable chore. Between work schedules, after-school activities, errands, and the like, it seems there are not enough hours in the day.   However with a few innovative ideas and some arrangement, meal time can be an enjoyable and treasured family time.
Allocate no less than one night per week to have a sit-down meal with your family.  Sunday nights are often a good choice for this event because you have more time to relax and the weekend projects have been completed. Next, the parents should design unique things to spruce up the family meal.
Tell an Amazing Story About Dogs Night. Suggest it a few of days ahead of time, so everyone will have time to prepare. A couple of game rules: Everyone gets to present their story uninterrupted. And each person thanks the person who was before him or her.
Pretend We’re at a Restaurant Night. Use our indoor voices, and eat in a sophisticated manner and act polite.
Tell Something Good About Carrots Night. You don’t have to eat it, you just have to look it up and present to the rest of the family one good thing about it.
Make Believe We’re on an Island Where There’s Nothing to Eat but Vegetables Night. Be sure to take requests.
Incorporate your children in choosing the meal and preparation.  This gives them a strong sense of self and the groundwork for a life of healthy meal planning and preparation.
Avoid outside interruptions. Make sure the television is off, and establish that all phone calls go to voice mail or the answering machine during the meal.  Use this time to visit with one another and delight in the family’s presence.  This is a good time to reestablish and find out what events occured this week.  Don’t rush through eating, and teach your children how to do the same in the process.  Slowly eating is a healthy habit.  Don’t jump up and start clearing dishes and putting things away until all are finished eating and talking.
Doing your meals in this manner at least once a week will provide a terrific foundation for healthy diet and healthy living for you and your family.

About the Author

Derrel Allen is a father of five, information technology adviser and professional entertainer. Read more about kids party entertainment at his website http://www.omagic.com/magicianindallas.htm

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