This is how to survive a children's party

Last year I had my first children's party.

There seems to be a kind of invitation policy where you invite as many children as the number of years your child is turning plus 1. No idea which Einstein came up with this formula, but I decided to ignore it. Just invite a lot of kids, darling, I heard myself say confidently.

When all the mothers brought their children to me, they all said I was so brave to let the party last four hours. “Usually after three hours the fun is over and they start fighting,” said the experienced mothers. There was a ‘good luck’, a pat on the back, and off they went.

Meanwhile, three boys were already running over the table and it was so loud that I predict a fantastic career as an F-side supporter for some of them. Oh, and did I mention I had voice problems that day? So I couldn't really talk, just whisper.

At the cake it went well, but then came the question: “What are we going to do?” “Where are we going?” and the kicker: “You did arrange a carriage, right?”

My answer that we were going to do apple bobbing, nail hammering, and sack racing didn't really go down well. The youth from Haarlem turned up their powdered noses at that. This year will be different. Voilà, my survival guide for birthday parties.

Book help

Throwing a party, providing drinks and snacks for 8 kids, and explaining games is not something you do with just two people. At least not us. So I hired two girls from across the street.

Invite the same gender

If you have a daughter, stick to girls. And vice versa. Boys and girls really like different things and it's impossible to keep them in the same rhythm. I certainly haven't succeeded and I'm not going to try again. Boys can come back in when she turns 16. Or something.

Do something

We found an afternoon of games still super exciting, this generation wants to be entertained. Go to the theater, to the riding school, or to a beauty salon. They surely have a fun program that keeps them all busy and happy. You can just take photos and have a good time.

Be careful with social media

Parents love to see what their child is doing. You're really thoughtful if you create a WhatsApp group with the parents of the children at the party and send some photos throughout the afternoon. I wouldn't post them on Facebook or Instagram, not everyone appreciates that.

Keep some drinks nearby

Last year my partner handed me a cardboard cup of chardonnay when it all became a bit too much, and I can tell you that this was the best glass of wine ever. Of course, you need to stay sharp, but such a small sip really takes the rough edge off your day.

Keep it short

Or as short as possible. Three hours is the standard for a party. I won't manage that, but within four hours everyone is neatly delivered back. And I open the champagne.

Tip

You can also book online scavenger hunts. In the end, you're still playing games, but it has a theme and kids like that. Diploma at the end and you are the hero.