It's Party Time!

When organising your child's birthday party, here are a few tips to help make things run smoothly.

1) If you order the cake from a bakery, make sure you don't want it iced and decorated on the day the professional decorator is off sick.
2) Don't give candy as prizes. 12 hyper active children jumping off the furniture is bound to end badly.
3) Don't have carpets
4) Keep the dogs away during the party, but let them back in as soon as the kids have gone. This saves on sweeping up debris, especially if your dog is not particular about what he eats (cake, chips, wrapping paper, balloons)
5) Ask older siblings if they can help, and remember to wake them in plenty of time before the party begins
6) Remember to put a piece of candy in between ALL the layers of pass the parcel
7) If playing musical statues, have the cold compresses and band aids readily at hand.
8) Remember to remove the cat from the house before the arrival of the little boy who is allergic to cats.
9) Don't spend a fortune on party bags. It all goes in the trash when the kids get home anyway
10) A bunch of 5 year olds, pins and blindfolds don't mix well. Try "stick the tail on the donkey" instead
11)Have plenty of beer and wine ready for the grown-ups. (The occasional swig is also acceptable for the frazzled mother of the party girl)
12) After the children have all gone, sit down, put your feet up and have a well earned drink!