The Party

So the after all the planning and agonising the party has been and gone.  Overall it was a great success and my son enjoyed himself.  There were a few unexpected surprises though!

First is the help girl.  This was a six year old girl who wanted to help with everything rather than participate in the party.  Every time I turned around there she was smiling up at me asking what she can do.  I am slightly ashamed to admit that all I wanted was for someone to take this bloody child away and let me get on with being hostess.

Then there was the runaway.  I actually felt really sorry for him but still my son's enjoyment was my priority and he was making it hard.  He was dropped off by a boy of about 12 who left no contact details in case of a problem.  Every other parent that dropped a child off gave us their details.  The problem was he kept running away, I mean out of the hall and down the road!  My husband chased after him numerous times and even spent half an hour trying to walk this boy home!  He was eventually picked up by the same boy that dropped him off.

These are the things that no one tells you about otherwise no child would ever have a birthday party.  My husband has made it clear to our daughter that she is not having one until she is six.  She will be four in July.

There is also the stress of being the best hostess ever to all the school gate mums that I detest so much.  If you have read previous posts you will understand why!  There was no way I was giving them anything to moan about.  As I thrust the rather overloaded party box into each child’s hand at the end all I could think was beat that!  So childish but I can't help it.

As far as my son was concerned it was the best party ever so I consider that a job well done.  I am not going to do it again for a few years though!

Party Games

As you will know I am planning my son's sixth birthday party and I need to draw on your experience regarding a few things.  Here are my questions:

1. Is it true that every layer on the Pass The Parcel now has to have a treat in?  This didn't happen in my day.
2. Is Musical Chairs too dangerous for 5/6 year olds?  It wasn't in my day.
3. Does the party food have to be healthy?  In my day the whole point of party food was that it was unhealthy stuff otherwise where is the fun?
4. Am I being delusional thinking that the disco man will run the party while I sit back and enjoy?
5. Is it true that I can't be biased when judging musical bumps?  Not in so far as ensuring my children win - that would be too obvious!
6. Do I have to feed the parents that decide to stay?  They didn't stay in my day, couldn't wait to get away in fact!
7. Does Sleeping Lions really not exist?  I was kind of counting on this as a potential game for obvious reasons.

So thanks in advance for you illuminating answers.  Just so you are aware, I already know what I want the answers to be I just don't know what the actual answers are!