PARTY ON!

Isurvey the room in despair. Smashed cupcakes on the floor which hours before I painstakingly decorated with tiny hearts, melted ice-cream dribbling down the side of the table waiting for some unsuspecting ants, piles of confetti scattered in every nook and cranny, chairs astrew, lampshades askew, over-worked sound system stuck on Sheeran's ‘Shape of you' playing over and over again…no I haven't been robbed. This is the aftermath of my daughter's birthday party.

With four children at home, it might be prudent to start my own party planning business, with the number of get-togethers I have to put together in a celebratory style. Gone are the simple days of butter cake, cutlet and vegetable sandwiches. We now have themed parties where everything is carefully coordinated down to even the napkin and the juice cup. Whether you opt to have the party at home or at an outside venue, it all requires a bit of nail-biting, hair pulling planning. Of course, at home, parties tend to be quite stressful, and unfortunately when the party is over you cannot simply walk away from the mess either. On site parties do not offer the flexibility of a home party. To make those three hours of birthday fun a phenomenal success requires, beforehand, weeks of careful planning and negotiating. The right decorations to hang up and appropriate food that the kids will enjoy, no point in spending bucket loads of money on caterers when all the children will do is scoff down birthday cakes or cupcakes and guzzle container loads of fizzy drinks whilst smashing the elegantly made swan cheese puffs into the floor.

Here are some useful tips on throwing a successful party:

1. Do your research- When you have kids at home, there are always birthday parties around the corner. We go to one every week. If you like the food, or the party planners, inquire from your friends and keep them in mind when planning your own party.

2. Start Early – Once you have decided to do the party this year, then start booking the magician, caterers, party planners as early as possible so you are not disappointed. If you leave it until the last minute then you tend to have fewer options and you might have to settle for things your child would not like. Trouble!

3. Enlist help- A successful party cannot be accomplished by just one person. Enlist the help of others on the day, in this way you are not harassed with a million decisions you have to make, rope in unsuspecting friends to paint face, serve drinks, or organise games. It takes a village to raise a child.. and to have a successful birthday party!!

4. Make a list and check it twice however boring it sounds or you're not one of those ‘list making' people, forget it, this one time write down all the things you need to do that day, even down to making sure you bought enough paper napkins. Organise your party, give it a schedule, even though this defeats the purpose of a party, kiddies get-to-gethers cannot be allowed to ramble on. Sugar filled kids converging together into a room results in a room full of noise and mayhem that will have you hiding under the table!

5. Have Fun- Most important try and avoid being a perfectionist and remember to have fun. It is after all a party and your beautiful child is turning a year older, an eventful year spent with childhood activities that should be celebrated for once past you will never get back.

So even though it's your child's party, don't cry about it, get out there and do some boogying. Life is meant to be celebrated, especially your child's!