Organising and Surviving an 18th Birthday Party

It’s the occasion that elicits a collective shudder from parents all over the country: the dreaded 18th birthday party. Though our better judgment as parents is ringing in our ears, we inevitably cave to the persistent begging of our soon-to-be adult offspring and host the party anyway. Alas, the gift of choice from your child’s 18-year-old friends is rarely a coffee maker or a Westinghouse fridge, but, more often than not, it’s booze. And lots of it.

To avoid your home becoming a reenactment of the green bile scene in the exorcist, with teens running around out of control, there are a few tips and tricks you can use for controlling the party without seeming like a killjoy. Here goes…and good luck!

Serve Food. Lots of It.
Besides the fact that teenagers eat a lot, you’re going to want to have enough nosh on offer to line your guest’s stomachs before the inevitable consumption of a lot of alcohol. Choose starchy options like potato wedges and mini-pies, and keep it on hand for easy picking.

Put an Alcohol Limit On
Make a compromise that there will only be beer and wine available. If you’re providing the alcohol, buy light beer so that people don’t get too out of control. Also, make sure there are plenty of non-alcoholic options there for kids who might want them. If you control the alcohol you can try to avoid the messier outcomes of hard liquor and keep things civil for a bit longer.

Warn the Neighbours
It’s a good idea to let the neighbours know that you’ll be having a party. The decibel level of teenage girls in particular never ceases to amaze, and it’s better they know it’s a one-off. If you’re friendly with the neighbours, invite them over to share a drink with you—the more adults present, the better!

Have a Time Limit
These days, a lot of kids want to head off to the clubs to kick on, and in actual fact, this is a total blessing for you. Set a time limit for the party (11:00pm is a good time, seeing as it’ll give you time to get everyone out before the noise complaints start) and spring for a few taxis to take everyone out to the pub/club.

Ask For Help
An 18th birthday is something you’re going to want to ask for help with. Not only is it an emotional time for many parents, seeing their children take that official step into adulthood, but it is also a lot of hard work trying to contain a bunch of hormone-driven, alcohol fuelled teens! If for no other reason than for some adult company, ask some friends or family around to help you celebrate.

Another form of help you could take advantage of is a party hires company. Not only will they have experience hosting 18th birthday parties and be able to give you advice and reassurance, but they’ll also be there the next day to help clean up!

18th birthday parties are rarely a lot of fun for the parents involved, but at the end of the night, knowing that you’ve made your new adult happy makes it all worth it. (Well, that, and knowing they’re never going to turn 18 again!).
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Personality Issue

"Let Me Down!" "Let me sleep on your lap for hours..."

Some cats just don't like to be held and some others are lap cats. Iput –my late cat- always sits and sometimes sleeps on my lap. You can cuddle her everytime. Thinker –my nephew’s cat- hates it. Well, it’s just about personality and preferences!

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10 Easy-to-Play Baby Shower Games

Make sure your baby shower is awesome by not only having all those essential party supplies, but also by including a good selection of games. If you’re stuck for baby shower ideas, the following will make sure that your baby shower is one of the best your guests have been to.

How Big is That Tummy?
This is a fun way to celebrate that big belly in the room, as well as find out just how big it actually is. If the mum-to-be feels self-conscious about her size, maybe skip this game, but otherwise it can be a fun way to get everyone involved, and is obviously best with a prize for the right answer.

Baby Names
Hand out pens and paper to everyone and then allow 30 seconds to see how many baby names they can come up with that meet certain requirements, such as starting with T, or rhyming with ‘ocean’. This can often be one of the more fun games played at a baby shower, and can also give you ideas for names if you haven’t yet decided on one.

Pin the Sperm on the Egg
The same idea as Pin the Tail on the Donkey, this version is a little more relevant to the current situation. It can be fun having some simple fun with an adult theme; though if there are children around, be prepared to explain exactly what it all means.

Baby Trivia
Come up with a list of baby trivia questions and research the answers online, then play baby trivia Q and A, with simple prizes for the correct answers. You’ll get to see how much your friends know, as well as get some answers to those questions you’ve been worried about.

Guess Whose Baby
Cut out pictures from magazines and newspapers of famous people’s babies, as well as including some pictures of babies of people that you know. Write who each baby is on the back of the photo and then go through one at a time and see who can guess whose child it is. You’ll be surprised how often babies that you know will be mistaken for those of famous people!

Diaper Changing Races
Have someone bring a life sized doll and some diapers and find out who is the diaper changing wizard in your gang. This will also be a good way for you to start getting a little bit of much-needed practice.

Pass the Parcel
This classic game is a fun one to prank the party, as instead of there being a fabulous prize inside, you should put a diaper that has had some chocolate melted into it, providing a messy and disgusting-looking surprise.

Baby Themed Karaoke
Gather a collection of songs that have ‘baby’ in them, such as ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’, ‘Ice Ice Baby’ and ‘My Baby Just Cares For Me’, and then put everyone’s names in a hat. The person whose name gets pulled out has to sing that particular song in front of everyone. This is a great game for a more extroverted crowd.

Don’t Say Baby
See who can go the whole party without saying the word baby, with a prize at the end for anyone who has managed to do it.

Guess the Baby Food
This is a game that will be easy for the mums in the crowd. Bring out a sample of a few types of baby food and see who can tell what it is. It can be fun to include a joke item, like a slushy, and see how many people can be fooled.

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How to Choose the Right Computer for Your Child

When you buy a computer you will no doubt think about the amount of computer support you will need, particularly if the computer is for a child or young adult. This issue will be much bigger when you are buying a newer model of computer. Apple computers have a reputation for their ease of use but this does not mean that you will avoid all service and repair costs. It is likely that most schools will require children to have access to a computer and you may decide that buying a computer for your child is a worthwhile or even necessary investment. Here are some of the issues to consider:

Understand Your Child’s Ability
 You might be surprised by your child’s ability to use a computer or laptop – there is a chance they will be better at it than you are. Parents often give their children older laptops, because they have upgraded their own. This can cause problems for your child, as outdated computers can have a range of user issues, including incompatibility with new software.

Laptop or Desktop?
This one is so easy to answer. Unless you are a high-level computer programmer or designer there is no need to buy a desktop. The speed differences are minimal, and laptops do not have the instability issues they used to. If you are using a wireless network, there will be no need for network support at home – just turn on the laptop’s wireless function.

What Is It For? 
The planned use of the computer will determine what kind of power you need. Many people say that you don’t need a powerful computer if it is only used for surfing the internet but this is not the case. Most websites require a fast and powerful computer. A good way to save money is to buy a netbook. They are small, and often as powerful as larger laptops.

Research Is Key 
You might be tempted to think that all computers are the same. They often look the same, but they can vary greatly. The more you know about computers, the better. Learning to type is a key computer skill, so it might be wise to avoid a tablet, which does not have a keyboard.

What Is Your Budget? 
There are a number of ways to get your hands on a computer at an affordable price. Reconditioned models, which are almost like new, are available from professional computer repairs suppliers. Second-hand models are available from online trading sites such as eBay and this does not necessarily mean that they are old. Be aware though, that a second-hand computer is unlikely to come with a warranty.

Providing your child with a computer will cost money, but the advantages are numerous. Research your options and you may find what you are looking for at a very affordable price. There are also companies that have excellent laptop support for a small fee each month.

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