Parenting: Birthday Parties for Tweens and Teens

How do you throw a birthday party for kids (say, 8 or 9 up to 13-14 years old) without spending a fortune or wrecking your house?

Don’t do it!

Don’t host a party for your teens or tweens at your home! That is, unless you have live in cleaning staff and a budget that includes a clean up crew, a set up crew, and a catering crew. And for those of you who do — can I come to the party?

The best advice I give to parents faced with birthdays for their kids is — if you can at all afford it — host your child’s party OUT OF THE HOUSE!

WAYS TO DO IT RIGHT:

* Limit the guest list to cut expenses

* Consider taking the kids:
- bowling
- ice skating
- movies
- a show that’s in town
- a theme park

* Consider venues that give you a party planner who runs the party — for younger kids, say 8/9 at places like kid-gyms or dance studios.

* If you’re taking the kids yourself, enlist at least one other adult with a car and seat belts for each child in the car.

* Consider having guests dropped off and picked up at the venue — EVEN BETTER than your transporting them.

* Chaperones should be one adult to every five kids.