All parents will know the struggle of having multiple kids under the age of ten. When every kid in every class invites every other child in their class to their birthday, there can be multiple parties to choose from every weekend. It’s a logistical nightmare always to be prepared, but your own conscience wouldn’t allow you to let it slip. If this sounds like you, here are five ways to always ensure you’re ready for the next party, without spending vast amounts of time and money on it.
Keep A Planner
Organization is the key to keeping everything in order, and a wall planner is by far the best way to achieve this. As soon as a new invitation arrives, write it on the planner, and include a to-do list as well as the plans for gifts, transport, and any other necessary arrangements. That way you’re never caught short, and rushing to the store on the way to the party for a card and a gift becomes a thing of the past.
Keep Special Party Outfits
When there’s a party every couple of weekends, you’re going to want to ensure their party dress or suit isn’t in the laundry every time another one comes around. Having a couple of outfits that you rotate between avoids any stress, but also ensures that their everyday clothes aren’t constantly being wrecked by all the fun and games of their party lifestyle.
Bulk Buy Gifts
There is obviously an expectation to turn up to these parties bearing gifts, but it’s not surprising that your imagination, and probably your funds, start to wear thin. If you’ve got the storage space, bulk buying various gifts for the appropriate age group saves you having to wander around the store every time, and might even save you money. Using websites such as Everything 5 Pounds means you can find great gifts, without spending too much money.
Keep a Stash of Cards
Just like your stash of gifts, keeping a stash of birthday cards also allows you to avoid shopping for each individual birthday every time a new invite comes in. Buying them in bulk is also a far more economical approach.
Offer Your Services Regularly
The best way to guarantee support when your own child’s birthday comes around is to offer your services to help out at other birthday parties. It’s impossible to supervise 30 children on your own, so you’re going to want to curry favor with other moms to get some support back. If you’d also like to avoid the responsibility of ferrying your child there and back for every birthday, start a birthday carpool with their classmates who live nearby, that way only you don’t have to make the trip nearly as frequently in future. Remember that every other parent has the same problem with hundreds of parties, so helping each other out is the best way to get through it.
Good planning, stashing cards and presents, and helping other parents out is the best way to get through all of the birthday parties your kid has to go to. Don’t worry, it doesn’t last forever.
