Party with a Plan

My daughter’s birthday is in early January. It took the first couple of years for me to realize that if she was going to have a successful party, I would have to plan it before the Christmas holidays. Otherwise, her special day simply crept up on me, and I would spend New Year’s Day frantically trying to pull a party together in a week’s time. Give yourself four to six weeks to plan your party, with invitations being delivered to guests two weeks before the event.


When? “For parties of children one to three, I suggest keeping it simple and doing it early,” author Page Hughes recommends. “Most children are at their best in the early part of the day or just after nap time.”

Who? While one rule of thumb is to have as many guests as the child is years old, Page leaves that up to the party planner. “Young children can get overwhelmed with lots of company, but within boundaries a few guests can be a real joy.”

Where? Many kid-friendly restaurants offer party packages that take a load off a busy mom’s shoulders. However, keep in mind that a warm and welcoming home always makes a great place for a party. “Remember, people are your focus,” insists Page, “not your home or the perfection of every little thing.”

btw, speaking of perfect houses (which mine is definitely not), in my experience, it has really made a lot more sense to clean after the guests come rather than before! LOL!