The Magic of Other People's Children

Running parties for other people's children has forced me to, well like other people's children. Oh come on, I'm not alone here. How many of you really only tolerate your children's friends? You're saying "but you're a freaking children's party planner! You're supposed to like children!" Save your horror for the morning mirror. It's not that I don't like children, it's that up until I started this whole party business, I didn't quite appreciate the magic of other people's children.

Take little Magnum, for instance. (Yes, I Googled wacky children's names.) When it was time for the treasure hunt, I showed the party guests a shell with a picture of a stove taped inside. The idea was for them to go to the stove and find the next shell with the clue in it. Little Magnum yelled "toilet!" and ran in the opposite direction of the kitchen. Now how bizarre yet cute is that?

Or little Chutney (seriously, someone named their child Chutney) who looked at me with his sad little eyes and said "do I get a pwize?" (He also, bless his brilliant little heart" declared that "this is the best party ever!") These little guys make my head spin with comes out of their mouths. They make me re-adjust my thinking, lose the tunnel vision and really take a second look around me.

I can walk into a party on "Game Day", all control-freakish and organized but kids don't let you stay that way for long. Just when I think I have it all figured out, they remind me that's there's always the need to keep my mind receptive to what's really important to them. Some embrace wearing costumes, doing crafts, sitting still...others have their own plans. You just don't get that with adults. Too bad.