Pros and Cons of Having a Birthday Party at Home

Growing up, my mom and dad always wanted to ensure we felt special on birthdays. My mom would often decorate our locker at school, make us a birthday cake of our choice, and throw a party for us. They never had a lot of money, but they made everything magical! I will never forget their hard work, and I am grateful for them. Now that I have kids, I have considered the pros and cons of having a birthday party at home. Here are some of my thoughts.

Pros of Having a Birthday Party at Home

1. If you have a party at your home, you can spend as little as you want and make it a ton of fun! Plan on a couple of hundred dollars to rent a bowling alley or bounce house, depending on how many kids you have coming to the party. It costs a lot less to look up some fun games on Pinterest and plan out your DIY birthday party!
2. Some of the most memorable birthdays are in your home. I remember my mom putting together large parties of life-size clues or monopoly in our backyard. All of my friends and siblings' friends would comment on our birthday parties for years. They were a big deal!
3. Each birthday party is unique. Even if you don't go all out and get fancy, your child remembers from year to year what they did for their birthday. If every birthday party your child has the same swimming birthday party, it will not be a birthday to remember.
4. Your child has all of their toys at home. You don't have to worry about carting gifts back home and losing half of them on the way. They are stuck in one place.
5. You can have more kids and not worry about adding bazooka bucks. If you plan on having your child's birthday party at the zoo, you have to plan on spending $20-$35 per child. If an extra child comes to your home for a party, you may pay an extra dollar for a piece of cake.
6. You don't have to worry about having enough seats in your car. It's stressful enough driving a bunch of kids around and being responsible for them, let alone having enough seats to safely fit all of your child's friends in one car. When you have a birthday at home, you only need to worry about having fun.

Cons of Having a Birthday Party at Home

1. Right now, your child might think you are a lame parent. They believe the more you spend, the better their social status becomes. 
2. Employees will take care of everything if you take your child to a fun pre-planned birthday place. You don't have to do the entertaining. All you need to do is show up.
3. I had my son's birthday party today, and our house started sparkling clean now my house looks like a tornado came through it. You don't have to clean a messy house if you have a party somewhere besides your home. 
4. The less money you spend, the more you have to do. For example, I wanted my child to have a piñata for his birthday. If I wanted to buy one, I looked at the prices, which were between $30 and $50. I decided to make him one instead. That took me an hour to finish. Which would you rather spend the money or time?
5. I initially invited 11 kids to my son's birthday party. Six of the 11 showed up. I am so grateful that not all 11 showed up. It would have been crazy! Because you can have more kids in your home doesn't mean you should.
6. If parents don't stay for the party, you suddenly are responsible for 20 more kids. Good luck! I remember my mom having a birthday party for my little brother. They had a giant sleepover and had probably close to 20 boys. One of the moms came in the morning to pick up her son. He was nowhere to be found. For 30 minutes, we searched everywhere to try and find him. We eventually found him in a sleeping bag on the side of our shed. How can you keep track of that many kids? I suggest the younger children have parents come along as well.
7. It is hard preparing for an at-home birthday party. With three little ones at home and their excitement, it is hard to get the party planned and set up. 

"Our goal is to help the world make decisions with a list of Pros and Cons. We invite all to add to our lists to help others make the most educated decision possible. We are all in this world together to help each other and learn from what others have learned from their lives journey." Pros and Cons Team

Written by: Sarah