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by Emilia Bak

Your child looks forward to it all year. You, on the other hand, start to breathe faster with thoughts of balloons, cake, entertainment and location running through your head. Not this year. With some words of advice from party professionals, you’ll learn how to stay sane and organized while planning (and carrying out) your child’s birthday party.

Pre-Party

So much to do, such little time!

• Don’t try to plan the party in your head. Write everything down and keep your list somewhere accessible, like your date book. You don’t want to be out shopping for the party, forget that you have 11 guests instead of 10, and have to go back out again.
• Seems obvious, but keep your kid involved. Party planner Nicole Seymour of Nicola’s Events says, “Decide a theme by what your child likes. That makes it easier to decide what to do for the party.”
• Sit down with your child and determine the basics: date, time and location. Invites need to be mailed at least three weeks in advance, and two to three hours is a good party length for grade-schoolers. Whether or not the party is at your home, the size of the party space is a factor in determining the number of guests – kids aren’t likely to sit still, so be sure to keep that in mind when choosing a location.
• Set the guest list. Planners and parents are divided on the magic number for guests. Some match the number of invites to the number of candles on the cake. Others suggest inviting the whole class. Party planner Leah McClellan of PartyPlease! Atlanta advises, like any good athlete, to “know your limitations. Limiting the size of guests at your party may be tough, but each child will have more fun if the number is kept reasonable. What is reasonable depends on your specific situation.”
• Pick a budget, and then stick with it. Seymour says this “alleviates some stress.” Whether you’re going all out or have a basic budget, determining how much money you’ll spend ahead of time keeps you organized and sets limits.
• As you draw up the menu, find out about any food allergies, especially if you’re serving something other than the usual pizza, chips, cake and ice cream. Don’t be afraid to let food be part of the party. Try a sundae bar for a summer birthday or gingerbread house building in December.
• If it’s in your budget, consider enlisting a planner. “Planners can help you get organized and still be hands-on,” Seymour points out. “They can save you money and time. You end up spending around the same as if you do it yourself because [planners] have contacts that work within the budgets our clients set.” 
• If your child’s party is outdoors, make sure you have an indoor alternative for all activities. Planning a pool party? Have a backup facility or your home ready in case it rains, plus a list of games or activities for the “Plan B” locale.
• Make a detailed schedule of how you want the party to run in 20-minute increments. That way you aren’t cramming in gifts or cake at the end. “Over-plan, if you really want your day to go smoothly,” McClellan says. “Walk yourself through each activity. This will keep you from having an in-party anxiety attack when you realize that the chairs you’re using for ‘hot potato’ need to be moved into the kitchen for snack time.”
• Don’t freak out if you don’t follow the schedule exactly. “You need to be flexible with older kids,” McClellan says. “Be prepared to go with the flow.” Planning age-appropriate activities helps keep kids of all ages captivated.
• The week before, call anyone who hasn’t RSVP-ed, so you know how many to expect.

The Big Day

You’ve planned. You’ve prepped.Now you can glide through the last-minute details. Then, relax and enjoy the day!

• Set up everything with plenty of time to spare. McClellan says your day will go more “smoothly by setting up ahead of time. Set your table an hour or two before guests are supposed to arrive.” If your child’s party is not at home, make sure you know what time you’re allowed into the venue for setup.
• According to Sabrina’s Gifts and Balloons in Decatur, the day of your child’s party is the best day to purchase balloons. Latex balloons only last 24 hours, and in hot Atlanta weather they may only last 12. If you absolutely can’t pick up balloons the day of, go for Mylar balloons. They can last up to three days.
• Not everybody loves animals, and even Snuggles the lovable puppy might get irritable with 20 kids running circles around him. Put pets away in a safe, pre-determined place before guests arrive.
• Kid-proof the party areas one last time. Did you leave out scissors from decorating? The Lysol from last-minute cleaning?
• Snap a few pictures before the party. It won’t look like this again!
• Have an activity ready for kids when they arrive. You don’t want them to get antsy while waiting for everyone so the fun can begin. For younger kids, McClellan recommends having “some coloring books and crayons for kids who may be dropped off early.”
• Get a phone number of where parents can be reached as kids are being dropped off. That way you will have the right number, just in case.
• Kids will spill something, anything. Keep a stash of rags or towels somewhere easy to reach for when spills happen, because they will. Also, cut down on cleanup with well placed, clearly marked areas for trash.

The After Party
The party went off without a hitch, now what?

• No matter how clearly the invitation states the party’s end time, someone will always be a little late picking up a child. Have a favorite movie on hand or another calm activity for children to do while you start the cleanup.
• While your party memories are fresh, write down what worked well and which ideas or activities were less than stellar. Store your notes somewhere you will remember so you can pull them out when you start planning next year’s party.
• Don’t forget to send thank you notes. A few days after the party, sit down with your child and help him or her write thank you notes for gifts. Send your own to anyone who helped with your child’s party, like the baby sitter who lent you her board games or your neighbor who helped with the setup.