Birthday parties for teens: The guide – Pt. 1
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Kids parties aren’t necessarily simple, but there’s definitely a logic to them: baking a cake, playing pin the tail on the donkey, letting them run around in the back yard etc. But once they hit their teen years the logic goes out the window, and many parents are left scratching their heads. Luckily, we’re pulling together a comprehensive guide on how to throw your teen a party they’ll love and you can manage.
For our first installment we’re covering planning, because having a solid plan and starting the process early will save you countless headaches as the party draws closer. Here’s some tips from about.com:
3 Months Before the Teen Birthday Party
Make the basic decisions. How large will the party be? Can you have it at home or do you need a bigger space? Secure the location. What day and time will the party be? What does your teen want? What are the rules? Are guests bringing gifts? Are family going to be a part of this party or is it a friends party with a family get-together at another time? These questions need answered before you plan anything else.
Plan the budget. How much will your teen be allowed to spend totally? Do this job together. Take that figure and split it between the expenses for decorations, food and activities – plus the location if the party is not at home.
Choose a teen birthday party theme. Is your party going to be a spa sleepover or a pool side bash? While a theme isn’t always needed, it can help you and your guests choose what to wear and sets the tone for the teen party.
Invite the guests. After you have confirmed the date and time for the party, your teen will need to get invitations ready. Be sure to make a list of all those invited complete with phone number and column that can be checked off if they are attending or not. If you do not want the guest list to multiply, write on the invitation whether or not guest is allowed to bring a guest. Send out the invitations at least two weeks before the party, but four weeks is best. You can use one of our free printable birthday invitations.
Have the invitation list readily available at your home phone so that anyone can check it off when someone calls. Parents should be ready to answer questions that other parents may ask. You’ll want to keep this list handy at the party too, incase you need the phone numbers.
Check back regularly for more installments in our guide to teen birthday parties. If you have any questions or suggestions, leave a comment and we’ll answer them. Here’s to more sanity for party planners, and many more birthdays.
Kids love them, they make a party a party, but have you ever wondered where they come from? After a bit of digging, it turns out that balloons have a long, interesting history:
It must have been an odd event – 350 people gathered, looked into the camera, and shouted “Briefs!”. The 350 people were employees of Jockey International Inc., and they were celebrating the 75th anniversary of the invention of men’s briefs.
Yes, you read that right, Astrid Thoenig turned 100 with an office party. While so many others her age might be retired or living in a nursing home, Astrid’s still plugging away. And her current job is her favorite, working alongside her son and grandson at the family-owned insurance company. Her son jokes “I’m 67, and one of our jokes is: ‘How can I retire before my mother does?’”
On September 25, 1789 – 220 years ago today – First Federal Congress of the United States proposed to the state legislatures 12 amendments to the Constitution. While the first 2 were not ratified, the rest would go on to be known as the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution containing guarantees of essential rights and liberties.
This weekend, my 12-year old daughter and her friends are hosting a surprise birthday sleepover for one of their friends whose mother lost her very short battle with lung cancer this past July. Each year, her Mom would have a huge sleepover birthday party for her which all the girls looked forward to. This will be the first birthday she will have without her Mom and it will probably be difficult for her and her Dad and brothers.
