How Quickly Does Albendazole Work?

[Alis girls]

Am I the only one who feels these are getting out of hand. My 13 yr old gets invited to all these parties where parents have forked out for church hall, disco and DJ and food. The latest is a 60's party!! Sadly we cant stretch to this as youre looking at £500 at least. I love a party but they are only 13 for goodness sake!! I am lucky as he doesnt badger too much for extravagant parties. His last one was at a computer suite for 12 kids at £10 a head and I did the food myself. My youngest of 7 wants his next at home!! oh no the mess and endless games of pass the parcel, mess and 2 terrorised cats not to mention a mum on the verge of alcoholism I would love to know other peoples thoughts!!

[Seagazer]

Yikes! I never did parties once they got to 'big' school. My YS (11) hasn't had a party since he was about 8. He used to get a bit stressed out about them (he wasn't the only one ) and now he takes a couple of friends to the cinema or ice skating and then on for a meal. It suits me fine.

 

The last party I had after the magician had finished and the food was gone we played games but some of the kids went off running around the house. Some of them locked themselves into our upstairs bathroom. I caught one girl (supposedly a 'nice' girl) kicking my door in . Wow did I shout. I couldn't believe it. That was the end of kids parties.

 

We had my daughter's 18th here which was a mix of a few of her friends and our family. We are doing the same for our son in April and hopefully it will work out as well.

[laurmurf]

I've got 2 newly-13 year old lads so I know what you're going through! I avoid the ridiculous expenses spent on parties - even if i could afford it, i disapprove (mrs grumpy of York).

 

The last few years we've had outings for the boys they can invite as many as i can fit in a car: we've done Royal Armouries (free), Dalby Forest walk (free), Brimham rocks NT and Whitby Cathedral EH (we're members so free). This year they got a treat to go paint balling (usually wildly expensive but i used my tesco vouchers so it cost about £20 for a car load AND my OH!).

 

They take a 'hot picnic' (jacket potatoes and sausages wrapped up) for the outdoor events. No mess at my house!

 

My 15 yr old girl gets sleepovers with films and frozen pizzas. (tidying up afterwards is part of the original agreement to host!)

My 17 yr old girl has had a few birthdays with several friends in youth hostels (again paid for with tesco vouchers so less than £20 for 6 of them). No mess again....happy mummy!

[Chickvic]

I think the cost of them is a real My kids haven't had a big party for about 2 years. I used to have them at the local swimming pool and it cost about £6 a head - absolute bargain. Hour in the pool and an hour upstairs where they had food and a soft play centre!

Trouble is they soon outgrow it I'm very lucky that my DD decided in October (she turned 11) that she wanted a family day out. We went for a meal and to the pictures (her choice) and it was lovely.

My DS (9 in March) did the swimming party 2 years ago and he invited 5 friends and no-one could make it unfortunately no-one thought to let us know. Luckily we still had the family turn up so it wasn't a complete disaster and he's never wanted one since. I think what put them off is the fact an adult had to stay with them if they couldn't swim

By the way - I would NEVER have the party at home! You're braver than me

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Wow I didn't realise you could use Tesco vouchers for paintballing, must look & see if we can at our "local" one, as DS would love to go for his party. He'll be sharing it with 2 of his classmates so it won't be quite so awful as it could be!

 

I suggested that we have a sleepover for a few boys, followed by an"early morning" bowling session (£1 each child) followed by "kids cinema" next door (£1 per child but no guarantees what to see) and lunch either out or back here. Not sure how that will be received, although the other mums seemed happy! Boys would also have to be happy with dogs (we have 3 & I will not be locking them away!) and chooks, so that may cut the numbers a bit!!!

 

I took DD to Lush for her party, £110 for 1 1/2 hours of them entertaining up to 20 children with nibbles & a party bag thrown in each. I took some nibbles & drinks too, so I knew at least some of what they were getting! Children very impressed & so were the mums who stayed - no mess & HUGE gift box (£95 gold one!!)for DD as a birthday gift! Also because it was after the shop had closed I didn't organise tea for anyone except those staying with us, so less food hassles!

 

HTH

 

Sha x

[poachedegg]

I have always set their expectation for them by discussing with them what they would like/ what is reasonable etc and has always worked out fine.

 

You don't have to spend lots of money to have a good party - some of our best ones have been at home!

 

However once in High School the parties stop, and are replaced with going the cinema etc. DS2 (15 tomorrow ) and his friends are quite civilised and book a table at Pizza Hut etc for birthdays.

 

DS1 for his 16th, had a party in which they were allowed the kitchen, dining room and garden, they had a delivery from the chippy and rolls to eat and all had a fab time!

 

For younger parties at home, children are not allowed upstairs and they are told that from the offset - in the past I have even printed no entry signs and stuck them at the bottoms of the stairs.........it worked.

Edited January 31, 2009 by Guest

[Bantambabe]

My OS has had slimmed down birthdays for the last few years. We got away with this because he wanted to go to a premiership football match one year - so he was allowed to take 1 friend.

The following year (his 11th) he had a joint party with a friend and they took 3 friends each to a place in leics where they get to drive a tank and paintball - it was about £120 between the two families and we took a picnic tea.

Last year was disaster - we teamed up with the same friend and they took 2 friends each to ice skating and pizza hut. One of his friends broke his arm (nasty break that needed surgery) - so won't be doing that again

He hasn't mentioned this year yet, but it's only 7 weeks away so I suppose we should start thinking about it.

YS has had swimming pool/bbq party and also cinema/kfc party (his 9th) - he's walking around looking like a zombie today though. He went to a friends b'day sleepover last night - there were 17 of them. Says he got about 3 hours sleep. I hope he doesn't expect the same for his .

DD has had theatre trip (her 7th) to see Basil Brush live

[Jules.]

As I type Eth is at a pirate -themed party ( he has rebelled & gone as Indiana Jones ) being held at the birthday boy's home

[Karen & co.]

We've had some lovely home parties and a few nightmare moments, with a girl locking herself in YD's bedroom and sulking outside

 

ED (now 15) had a Murder Mystery party last week that I got from freecycle cooked Italian themed food, they all turned up in fancy(ish) dress and to start with I guided them and once they understood what to do, just left them to it

Now I'll freecycle the party and someone else can have a fun evening!

 

Big expense is unfair, and often feels like one-upman ship

 

Karen x

 

PS as they get older they seem to turn any evening into a 'party' I opened the playroom door this morning to find half a dozen 16 year olds half awake, ES asked if some could stay over, but underestimated how many

[Clur]

Parties seem to be getting more and more expensive. It's my DD's b'day tomorrow and DS in three weeks time so we've been dreading it the expense. We've decided we're rebelling and not bowing to peer pressure (that's just us parents ). DD's having a few of her little friends over after school and we'll do pass the parcel etc.

 

With DS we had a chat this morning, he's got 6 or 7 friends he'd want to celebrate with so we've decided between us that we can take them to a local science discovery centre, let them mess about in the adventure playground afterwards and then they can come back here and we'll do some party food. Will cost us about 30 quid for the children, plus our entry fees. Far more reasonable and less pressured I think!

[poachedegg]

DS 2 is 15 tomorrow and next Saturday morning him and approx 6 friends (boys & girls) are off to the Trafford Centre on the bus, will do some shopping and have booked a table at Pizza Express for the afternoon - so not all teenagers feel it necessary to use oneupmanship.

[Egluntyne]

I used to make a point of not doing the dreaded party bags.......the guests didn't like it much, but their parents were always impressed.

 

Once my children reached secondary school level, when asked do you want a party or the money it would cost to host one, they always plumped for the money. Not yorkshire folk for nothing.

 

We always had a family celebration for them, usually with a couple of special friends tagging along.

 

I refused to partake in the contest between some of their friends parents to put on the most lavish, OTT party for youngsters who would have preferred to just hang out with their mates and not be embarrassed by the adults.

 

When stretch limos started creeping in to the equation that was it as far as I was concerned.

[Alis girls]

I am so glad I'm not the only one. A word of warrning on sleepovers, we had 5 12 yr old boys last yr and the noise at 2am in the morning was phenominal. In the end I went down in my nighty (not a pretty site) and read them the riot act and split them up. Got my revenge by serving breakfast at 7am to 5 bleary eyed youngsters who looked like death. I put on a brave face and was extra cheerful as it was lovely seeing them all so tired. Parents all turned up so pick up their darlings for football, music school to be met by an estatic hostess and a miserable bunch of pre teens LOVELY

[Ain't Nobody Here]

We've not had parties for a few years now (boys are now 14 and 16). A few weeks ago though ES went to his 5th year ball. It's been a tradition to have an "after-ball" so we had 2 of his friends staying over after that. It was due to finish at 3am but he called at 1.30 to say they wanted to come home.

 

I was the hostess with the mostest offering them juice, toast etc - they declined & one of them particularly was very quiet . I said good night & went to bed. A short time later, I heard delightful barfing sounds coming from the downstairs loo . ES doesn't drink (yet ) so thankfully not him.

 

It got worse. Once they'd left I discovered some of the bedding in the washing machine (wasn't aware ES knew we had one ). Eventually ascertained that vomit boy had not only vomited but had wet the sleeping bag too .

 

Teenagers .

[Guest]

I like to have James' parites here - in the garden and then I can invite the WHOLE class plus some family and friends whilst keeping the costs down. I do the food (ham, jam & cheese sandwich each, cup cake, bag of crisps and a drink) in food boxes rather than see them grabbing and wasting. I do the party bags with a few cheapy bits off of Ebay. Last year we hired a Fire Limo, the year before a bouncy castle. After James' party we have all our family and friends come over for an adult party.

 

This year I wanted to hire one of those assault course bouncy castles. BUT he wants to go to Partyman world - why?? Because the birthday child gets a Partyman World T Shirt!!!! This will cost me £12.99 A HEAD!!! I'll not get away with less than 15 kids so that's £200 - I could do much better than this at home AND invite three times as many kids! I've even offered to make him a T shirt but he's having none of it.

[missuscluck]

I have a real issues with big flashy kids partys.

 

We have done lots of varying partys with ours. We have done the 'playbarn type' a couple of times when they were smaller. I think it was about £4.99 a head then. Not sure how much they charge now. I would guess a lot more

 

We have had lots of partys at home of the good old 'jelly and ice cream' sort with games and the like. Now my youngest is 11 we tend to just have a few of her closest friends over for a 'wake - over'!! The home partys have always been the most fun. I would agree with packing it all in when they are high school age. A trip the the cinema with a pal or two would be as far as I would go.

 

We live in a small village attatched to quite an affluent 'Golf-course location' housing estate. The children from this estate often have ridiculously flash partys with stretch limos, non alcohlic cocktail bars etc. I think its just sometimes a case of upmanship on the parents part. My daughter chooses her friends well I think and dosent tend to go round with the girls who have this style of party. She was asked to go on one when she was 8 or so and I suggested maybe she shouldnt go as she often said she didnt really like the girl whos party it was as she found her spoilt. She agreed with me and declined her invitation.

 

It begs the question of Limo's at 8 what the heck do you do for the little darlings 18th????

[Snowy]

We don't do the big, expensive parties either. I just hate the wasteful expense I'm afraid. We've got away with joint parties until last year as they are 3 weeks apart and had a lot of friends in common (mainly the children of my friends, so I just invited them round - 5 women with 17 children between them ) - picnic in the garden, sandpit freshly filled, paddling pool if weather still nice. If not, making and baking own pizzas and decorating own biscuits. Last year they had a party each, but it was 4 friends only, at home, with food and games. One year we did a Bob the Builder themed party so each child got a hard hat, fluorescent vest and a bag of tools (doubled as their party bag!) and they just played in the garden for the duration. The 17 year old hasn't had a party for the last few years - instead I treat him to a concert ticket followed by pizza

[BarbaraJ]

we have had various parties over the years, my 2 girls birthdays are in the winter and i have used halls, mind you the hall was 12.50 for 3 hrs about 6 years ago. Sometimes with a bouncy castle, sometimes just games (which they loved) and a cheap disco once. No big parties after 11 (except special ones). son's birthday is July so we had garden parties. pirate parties with themed food or bouncy castle parties with games. none were expensive and i always used food boxes to reduce waste food. Theres always 1 kid at least who grabs handfuls of food and eats nothing

 

 

whats a fire limo???

[Guest]

A fire limo is a fire engine that has been turned into a limosine. Actually the guys we hired our from are working firemen! You can hire it to use as a limo OR for a kiddies party they take the kids out for rides AND get the hose out! Man that was fun.

 

The kids just played in the garden when it wasn't their turn for a ride and then at the end we all queued up and soaked my drive! One one of the rides they even stopped to fill the fire engine up with the water which was another bit of excitement.

 

It was about £150 but well worth it in the entertainment value.

 

Another great buy was a few packs of modelling balloons - kept all the dads amused for the whole party!

[Shirl]

E was at a party yesterday at a softplay centre and next week has one at a community hall. I know the mum has booked entertainment. Last week it was a gymnastics based party. E's last party was a swimming party. It cost £10 a head and I had to supply the cake and party bags. I don't like party bags so gave all the children 2 books each instead. I don't mind spending a few hundred £s on a party because I have the money and whilst I have why not? I think even a "simple" home party can work out expensive and like most parents would rather not have the mess at home. I am alreday dreading Es next party though and it's 7 months away!

[jlo]

I have gone along with Egluntines approach. Ie : This is what I will fork out for a party, do you want one or the money instead. DS is more than happy with foregoing a party, DD wants it all but has learned that she's not going to get it all!!

 

DD doesn't get invited to too many girls' parties. The trouble is that she has loads of boyfriends and goes along as the only girl to them (although I drew the line at a sleepover with six other lads - she is eleven now and it just didn't seem right ) She has had football, paintball and this year she wants a go kart party and she wants to invite her boyfriends again! And then she wonders why she is not that popular with the girls at school!!

[..lay a little egg for me]

I tell my DS how much I am willing to spend on his birthday and he can choose to have lots of people at an inexpensive venue or a few people at an expensive venue (he went quad biking one year and to Legoland another and just had 5 friends) or he can have a friend round for tea and have a more expensive present. That way I don't have to spend a huge amount of money and he is happy with the result as he got to choose what to do. It also teaches him about money and how you can only spend it once!

[Sunshine]

Its my sisters 11th birthday at the start of March and she is thinking about what she wants to do for it. In the past she has been out for tea and then had a sleepover, been bowling then sleepover and been to waterworld and then a sleepover. The most expensive party she had was going to a dry ski slope and having a lesson with a few friends. My other sister (aged 12) has done similar parties (going out somewhere first and then having a sleepover). However for her last party she decided on a Hawaiian theme so we decorated our kitchen and play room all hawaiian and all her friends came dressed up. Then they just entertained themselves apart from when they went to blockbuster in their Hawaiian outfits!

 

So we are now all thinking what my nearly 11 year old sister can do for her party. Any ideas? She wanted to take her friends ice skating but my mum ruled that out straight away and said she would take my sisters by themselves.

 

Emma

[Old Speckled Hen]

I did the parties till my daughter was in secondary school. It did get a little out of hand and although I tried not to succumb, the one-upmanship on occasion was glorious to behold.

I always tried to keep the numbers down to ten or so.

The first party Cat had was a "Punch and Judy"( she had seen an old fashioned show at a craft fair and fell in love with it) and I had a couple of complaints about traumatised children

Next year I took some of her friends to Chessington and again two were sick on the rides

The next we went to Laser Quest and the party were hijacked and beaten soundly by a rival party of older BOYS the year after that they all went swimming and one of them got really upset by the wave machine thingy I was beginning to get a reputation by now and the number of parents willing to let their children participate were dwindling.

On her last year at junior school I took her and five friends Go-Karting and strangely for a higher risk affair "Ooops, word censored!"ody got hurt

BUT the damage was done and when she asked to take her new friends at senior school paintballing I finally put my foot down.

I gave her a budget, dropped her and friends off at Pizza express and let them get on with it.

That was the biggest hit

The few years after that till she was 18 that's what she did although horror the restaurants got increasingly more "sophisticated" and expensive.

[laurmurf]

I've got away with our birthday approach so far - as I said in my earlier post, it even worked last year for my ED. But her 18th is coming up in July and we're in a quandry.

 

Do we go down the party line (Year 13 do birthdays BIG STYLE - the whole 6th form is invited to every party ), give her cash (we've never done the 'cash as present thing' before), give her a plane ticket to Oregon to visit her uncle (and his chickens ), or give her a nice piece of jewellery to remember the occasion?

 

I've tried talking to her in a round about way but she's quite happy with any option (but wants it to be a surprise )