PARTIES AREN’T JUST FOR KIDS

Site Default - 26 Jul 14

After a quick straw poll I’ve found that three months out is the requisite party planning time for the typical girlie birthday celebration for age six.

Considerations include the number of guests (the ENTIRE school class or a sleep over for five?), the type of allergies requiring special catering (nuts, dairy, nuts and dairy) and the theme (Princesses? Pirates?).  Of course there’s also the venue to consider if your house can’t fit the whole class, plus the entertainment, party-bags, etc. It’s all quite a minefield.

One devoted mum I know, with three gorgeous girls under ten years of age all with the same star sign, rolls out three birthday parties of varying size and degrees of effort in December  and January  – as well as Christmas and New Year with her family and the in laws.  One year she dropped five kilos with the stress of it all.

I’m proud of the fact that my own little ladies are fairly fuss free and with some careful planning I can pull off a party that is both fun for them and cost effective for me.

The turning point came when it was time for a party to be about me – my 40th.  I put months into the planning and I invited friends from all the fabulous parts of my life including my days growing up in the country, the friends I made living in London, and of course, the mother’s group.

I chose a fab venue with great catering and an equally great wine list.  I went for a 70s disco theme which was appropriate for a 70s born kid.  I got a fabulous frock tailor made and booked the hair appointment.

IT WAS SO MUCH FUN.  I got the thirst for going out again. So I vowed I wasn’t going to wait for another milestone birthday to dust off the dancing shoes.  The problem was that I didn’t know where to go, what to wear, where I’d know (and like) the music, where I wouldn’t look like some sad old lady or worse, look like fair game for the drunkest men in the venue.

And that’s when the inspiration for PartyParents was born.  I thought I’d set up my own night out, with a DJ I love who is guaranteed not to play Hip Hop and invite my network of like-minded parents and their friends. Basically a room full of friendly faces enjoying a fun night out in a venue happy to have a bunch of thirsty 40-somethings dancing the night away.

I’ve kept tickets an affordable $20, which is how much it cost my little girl to attend a climbing venue the last time she went to a party. After all, why should they have all the fun?

Why partying is good for us:

1. Having a night out makes you happy and a happy mother = happy kids.
2. Dancing is good for your fitness – five hours on the dance floor has got to have some physical benefits, right?
3. Dancing is good for your mental health – especially when no-one is judging your dance moves
4. Getting glammed up is a good thing – we put so much effort into everyone else in our lives it’s great to have an excuse to frock up
5. Re-discover your city – when you’ve been off the scene for years it’s good to get back in touch with where to go.
6. Making new friends who are just like you – PartyParents becomes a big fun networking event for parents and their friends as well as a party
7. Great for your relationship – if you go with your partner, it feels like you’re rekindling those great nights out that are now in the far distant past

https://mumsyandbub.com

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Alli Price runs Motivating Mum in Oz and the UK, has also recently started https://mumsyandbub.com, and - as if that wasn't enough - she runs Mother Jumpers, a charity initiative which involves mums jumping out of planes all around Oz, annually. The event has raised $60 000 over two years. Go Alli! She is mother to Amelie and Freya, the family lives in Melbourne.

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