DS wants to have house party for 16th

[Tex111]

Advice please from anyone who has hosted a teen house party. DS and a friend would like to have a joint party at ours to celebrate their 16th birthdays and the end of GCSEs. I'm thinking a marquee in the garden, limited access to the house (conservatory and kitchen only). One friend recommended porta-loos so no one needs to come in to use the loo. Any other tips please!

No experience of hosting, but if you're having a marquee and portaloo, I'd have no access to the house.

How many people would they be anticipating? If it's sold as end of gcse's you could end up with half the year group.

And what is going to be your alcohol policy?
We had a party for our son's 16th. Rule was no spirits and that I and his Dad could walk through the party at any time.
It all went really well.
Good luck if you do decide to go ahead with it!

At the moment the boys are saying 60 people. I've said no open invites on social media but I suspect if they invite 60 we'd end up with a few more than that.

We thought cider and beer but no spirits and yes, we'll have the same rule about being there.

What about things like food and decorations? I thought carbs to line stomachs so maybe pizzas? Would a big birthday cake be naff?

60!

Yes, you always seem to get the 'Can friend x bring his friend/girlfriend y along?'

Pizza is a good option, though we put loads of sausages and chicken wings in the oven and served with rolls.
I did a donut tower in place of a cake. They all seemed to get eaten so it couldn't have been that uncool!

60 is more than we had - think we had about 35.

Ooooo, I love the donut tower idea!

Do you mind your house being wrecked. I've heard some pretty awful stories from kids I teach about what happens at these parties.

I second pizza and donuts for those carbs . Krispy Creme perfect. Also provided cheap supermarket bucks fizz. No real alchohol but they loved the cork popping. Enjoy.

Brace yourself! You may not allow spirits but they will be there!

Oh dear. My friend did this for her dd and roped me into helping. Never again! There was drunkenness, makes ups, breaks ups, tears, puking and a visit from the police. Good luck OP .

Two words.

NEVER AGAIN.

HTH

Lady in the local press about her house getting trashed during her DD's house party at the weekend (and an open Facebook invite!)! I can feel her anger......

Sounds like your thinking this through...... How close are your neighbours?

Lol giggling at the never again posts.......
I think 60 teens has ALOT of potential to get out of hand. Hire a bouncer? Or two?

Hire a bouncer? Or two?

Ask the head of year to attend - job done

I hosted a party last month for my ds and his friends joint 16 birthday.
It was amazing - my ds and his friend were so grateful that I’d allowed it.
It was inside as it was February, downstairs only. They bought their own drink - mainly cider and beer for the boys and cocktail type drinks for the girls although after the party I found an empty bottle of vodka.
I had pizza delivered half way through and provided a couple of trays of doughnuts plus Pringles and sweets.
The music was loud and I stayed upstairs but popped down at random times.
I had my ds warn the neighbours beforehand.
When the guests left they all thanked me for a great party and for the pizza.
I ended up with one broken bar stool and a lot of empty bottles to recycle!
My advice would be to go for it but stick to your rules and keep talking to your ds about the boundaries.

Wonder why the 'never again's were so awful?
I know plenty of people who have had party's for 15 year olds and 16 year olds recently, and they were fine.

Good luck. I've heard some horror stories from my teens. I'm very reluctant to host one now!

I have had many house parties for teenagers. Only one got out of control, all the others lovely with some slightly tipsy teenagers being funny.

I had 30, I probably only knew half of them and allowed all to stay over. What can get out of hand: -

I had boundaries regarding alcohol but I knew some would be sneaked in. However - at one point my house was what some would say trashed (although it wasn't - downstairs not carpeted and completely cleared out, easily rectified with a mop). I found 3 bottles of empty vodka, at least 6 bottles of empty wine. Contacted 2 parents to pick up exceptionally drunk children who could not stand up. Sick everywhere in downstairs loo, several times. One girl sick through the night, - only allowed her to stay because her friends were known to me, sensible and stayed up with her, getting me up when she was sick , as told to during the 2 hours I tried to sleep. Weed was smoked (at least they took it outside). Condoms found in the nearby field next day when we cleared the rubbish.

On reflection I went wrong in not knowing them all (or insisting on contact details) and letting them all stay over - it was this I was most nervous about and rightly so - teenagers act very differently when they are not being picked up by parents.

I fed them pizza - just gave them more energy to continue partying through the night. Fed them bacon butties and croissants in the morning! Some of the boys went to play football and rugby!

That is my experience. Only you know your son & friends circle but don't think the ones you don't know will be like those lovely ones you do. 60 I think is huge, mine went wrong with 30. I think you also have the end of GCSE fever to contend with which will make them more hyper. Have a plan for what to do if it goes wrong. I know one Mum who threw out all boys at 10pm as they trashed her house, carpeted throughout in lovely cream carpet.

I will have more parties but I will take more care to know exactly WHO is coming, with a midnight end for most and only the select few I know can stay-over. DS knows it can't happen again - wasn't his fault but has to take some responsibility for ensuring it doesn't happen again.

Slightly older but my DS had three parties last year for various reasons with the final being his 18th in August at which I think there were about 50. No major dramas. We had strict rules on the guest list. No last minute +1's and keep access points restricted so no smuggling in extras. No one upstairs although some flexibility on this when the queue for downstairs toilet became too much. A portaloo is a fab idea. Many of ours were 18 so impossible to limit spirits (and there was lots!) Provide lots of soft drinks for mixers and for those more sensible kids. Lots of food - also gives you a good reason to be around. Pizzas were being cooked at intervals right the way to midnight. A parental/adult presence is important. Have plenty of large containers around the house/garden for depositing bottles and cans - made the clear up easier at the end of the night. Finally don't be tempted to have a drink yourself - every time I've ended up dropping a few home!

I never would let my kids have a party, It's just an excuse for a shag in your backgarden over half a can of cider. One of the parties my dd went to i couldnt believe what I heard from her. Highly disturbed |: |

Excellent tips! Thank you!

I was thinking about it today and thought we would make access to the party through the side gate, so no reason to enter the house at all.

I think my biggest concern is that DS and his friend are at different schools so, while I may know all of DS's friends I won't know many of the other boy's friends. I'm going to make sure at least one of his parents stay here for the party with us to prepare food and just help oversee things. Hopefully they'll know most of the other kids.

I thought we'd aim for an 11.00 finish. I'm sure there will be dawdling but that way they'll all be gone by midnight. Hopefully.

Good point about me not drinking. I'm sure I'll be providing transport for at least a few of the kids.