Just that really. DCs are having a joint birthday party (DS 5 and DD3) during half term. Previously we have just hired a bouncy castle, shoved everyone on it, given them some tea, had a glass of champagne ourselves, allowed the invitees a bit more of a bounce that primed them to be sick in the car on the way home, shut the door with a big sigh of relief, had a sneaky bounce on the bouncy castle ourselves, done the minimum amount of cleaning up to look respectable until our cleaner next came and then lay down in a darkened room with 2 nurofen and the rest of the champagne. Job done until next year.
Well, now it is next year and unfortunately the bouncy castle won't work (too late in the year, children in fancy dress etc etc), so I've reluctantly come to the conclusion I need an entertainer as there are going to be 25+ of the little darlings and I need to keep them roughly in the same place rather than rmpaging through the house and taking everything out of the boxes in the playroom while I sort out the tea.
But where to get one who is not (i) some ultra-annoying failed luvvie; (ii) so annoying that I want to impale with their own balloon concoctions.
PLEASE give me some advice, even if it to say that not all children's entertainers are complete twats.
Price is not exactly the issue, as I am economising in monetary and nervous exhaustion terms by giving them a joint party, but dear God some of them seem to have a higher hourly charge out rate than I do as a lawyer.