DDs birthday - talk me down

[mrlistersgelfbride]

DDs birthday party tomorrow. Early primary school age.

Softplay party. Feels stressful.

I'm worried about different groups of friends coming together with their kids. ILs are coming but they are anti social and hard work and will just sit there and judge me and be no help. I include my partner in this.

Cake looks shit. I have tried but I couldn't afford an expensive one.

Venue won't let me put balloons and banners up in advance so I'll be at the door at the same time as everyone else -its first thing in the morning and they won't open early.

I'm reserved/ a bit socially awkward type of person and don't like things going wrong.

I don't like cliques or people being excluded at these things so have to talk to everyone who has made an effort to come.

Talk me down - I'm an idiot and none of this matters?!

They pay for themselves!

If it’s a party at a soft play place (rather than you hiring soft play equipment to use in a village hall or something), there’s really no need to put balloons and banners up - don’t make extra work for yourself! Most soft play places have a ‘party room’ for the party food and cake part.

Our local soft play takes the cake and party bags, brings the cake with lit candles after the kids have eaten the food, then slices the cake and adds it to bags, which is so helpful - check if your venue does something similar.

Leave unhelpful PIL (and DH, by the sounds of it) to sit at the table and guard presents, coats, shoes etc.

BIL & SIL might be happy to help out if they don’t know anyone.

Parents will chat to each other and feel grateful for a couple of hours where the kids are entertained. Most parents are capable of making small talk with other parents even if they haven’t met before!

Hope it all goes well.