Party Hearty?

I’ve been to several children’s birthday parties in my day, and in the past five years, I’ve even thrown a couple of fairly good ones. I think certain criteria must be met for a party to be labeled “successful” yet I seldom see an attempt to come close. I have a friend who has four children ranging in age from 18 months to 12 years and she set the bar very high with regards to kids’ birthday parties. She made a teapot cake, for Pete’s sake!!



This woman has talent!!



When the Pie was born, I looked forward to years of planning and throwing parties that were fun and memorable, keeping in mind the standard set years before by my lovely friend. First Birthday was small and intimate, with close friends and family in attendance and no real theme, save decorations of her birth month flower. Second birthday brought out a little more of the party planner in me and I went with a color coordinating motif of brown and pink. It was a rainy day so we had to move the party into my (at the time) very small house but everyone had a great time. I got into the zone for the Third Birthday, with a Teddy Bear’s Picnic theme at the park where we went on a bear hunt; Fourth Birthday was a Circus in a gazebo filled with food and games. This year we had a Rodeo Round Up of little cowgirls and cowboys in our backyard. When I pick a theme, I do it up right! Don’t think any different!!

I’ve been to parties where it’s just cake and ice cream and presents…those are fine by me - less time for kids to get bored and cranky. The activity parties are pretty nifty, too…either at a bowling alley, a roller skating rink, an arcade…something that all the kids can do all at once.

Pool parties make nervous.

And let me tell you why…

It is our nature as humans to socialize and enjoy each other when we get together, especially if the only time we adults gather is for a kid’s party! Most of the time, the adults’ attention is not on the pool, where it should be, but on the other adults in attendance. I am just as guilty as the next parent, chatting away while a kid is up to some form of malfeasance, or a toddler without floaties jumps into the deep end. Thankfully, there is a levelheaded person who can come to the rescue at some point, but what about those who just plain want to have their own fun? Yeah, there’s one in every crowd. Most recently, there were three.

At a Luau Pool party for a girl turning seven, I was stunned by the behavior of three men. With little regard to their own child’s safety, they wrestled and dunked each other, splashed little ones in the area, and challenged each other to crazy stunts. I spent the majority of the time watching the pool because most of the other adults were inside the pool house. My kid nearly drowned on two previous occasions; I don’t need another close call. I’m all for having a good time, but horseplay can quickly turn dangerous. Notice in the picture below how close children are to these oblivious men.

Adults should be allowed to have fun at childrens' birthday parties...just not at the expense of their children.