1st Birthday Party Ideas
By Gail Leino

The 1st birthday for a child is a very special event for the parents. 1st birthday parties tend to have lots of adults and kids of different ages. Parents and children both need to be entertained at the party. Every event needs a party theme even if it’s a 1st birthday party.

A theme helps to create a festive flowing atmosphere at your party. For any event including a 1st birthday party, decorating to a theme presents a special feeling. Some party theme ideas include luau, western, black light, Hawaiian, Mardi Gras, cartoon or movie characters, Mexican fiesta, sports, 50’s, roaring 20’s, disco 80’s, hippie 60’s, crazy hats, and patriotic. Create your own theme by combining two themes. Like have Mardi Gras theme using red, white nd blue. The party theme should be followed throughout each aspect of the event including the invitations, food, decorations, and music. The invitations should not only show the them but they also set the tone of the party as to whether it will be casual or formal.

Party games and activities add excitement to any event. Always have a couple planned even if you are not really going to use them. They make great backup activities for events that might get boring or need a new direction. Some party ideas for party games and activities include: physical games, crafts, and brain games. Always have an extra game or activity to fill a possible lull at the party. Party Games Etc (party-games-etc.com) has TONS of FREE party game ideas for birthdays parties. Free printable games and activites are available online.

Party music, prizes and party favors are great party ideas to make a finishing touch to ensure an awesome time by all. Set up the party music to your party theme a few days before the event. Test the music player. Don’t wait till the day before! Party centerpieces can be doubled as party prizes. Everyone loves to win a prize. For events that have assigned seating, a picture frame can be used as place-card holders which can be also used as party favors. Gift baskets or flowers make lovely centerpieces and can also be used for party prizes.

Have fun at your party and so will the guests!

Mrs. Party… Gail Leino is the internet’s leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies, using proper etiquette and manners while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. Here are some adorable 1st birthday invitations.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gail_Leino

21 Reasons to Send a Child a Greeting Card
By Nicole Bandes

When was the last time you saw the face of a child light up and glow because they got a piece of mail with their name on it? Children love to get mail. My children, even at 10 years of age, run to the door and ask if they got any mail today. It doesn’t even matter if it is junk mail. They just like to get anything with their names on it. Of course, it means that much more if there is a special reason for the mail.

Sending letters or greeting cards is a good way to foster a love of communication and writing in children. In our society, instant messaging, text messaging, and short emails have all but killed the art of good communication. Studies indicate that the more a child reads, the smarter they are. However, it can often be difficult to get some children to read due to lack of interest. I bet there isn’t a child around that wouldn’t be interested in reading a card or letter addressed to them from someone they care about. And, of course, if a child is raised to expect that letters and greeting cards are a regular occurrence, they are more likely to become better communicators themselves.

So take some time and send a greeting card to a child in your life. Here are just a handful of reasons you can use to send a greeting card to a child you know and help to make their day that much brighter.

1. They got an A on a test or report card. Make the joy of doing well last just a little longer.
2. They said, “Please”.
3. It’s their birthday, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, etc…
4. They were well-behaved.
5. They did something special for someone (even if it wasn’t you). It helps to foster the trait of good will when they get some feedback for what they have done.
6. They helped with dinner.
7. Just to say, “I appreciate you”. Do they really know how valuable they are to you?
8. They said, “Thank you”.
9. Just to say, “You’re Special”.
10. They did a great job on their chores. Rewards for a job well done encourage more of the same.
11. Because you haven’t seen them and want them to know you miss them.
12. Say thanks for being my …(son, daughter, grandchild, niece, nephew, friend, etc…).
13. They made the honor roll.
14. They helped in the yard.
15. Remind them of an exciting event that is coming up.
16. Remind them of a neat experience you had together.
17. Tell them something special about yourself.
18. Tell them something special about someone you both know.
19. Share a joke you just heard.
20. They brought home a warm fuzzy note from the teacher.
21. Just to say you love them. Do you really need any more of a reason than that?

Will you be taking just a few minutes out of your busy schedule today to foster the emotional and mental development of a child in your life? I know I will.

Nicole has rediscovered the joy in sending greeting cards. When rekindling old relationships and building new relationships is important, sending greeting cards can make all the difference. Read more about sending greeting cards at Nicole’s site, http://www.mailcards4me.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nicole_Bandes

Enjoy Your Kids
By Marsha Maung

The mind spins from one task to another and half the time, you are trying to remember what it was that you forgot. In fact, you’re not even sure if you actually forgot anything! And the kids are screaming for you all the time and you feel yourself losing grasp of life, of living…of control.

An ordinary day of a mother.

It’s amazing, if you look at the way a mother spins from one chore to another, how they (we) keep sane. I sometimes sit down after the kids have gone to bed and wonder how I survived the day. I wonder if there is a rope that kept me hanging in there to keep me falling into the dreaded pits of insanity. Sometimes, giving up or running away seems like such a wonderful solution! It’s scary.

But there is a way to keep sane. And that is to remind ourselves that we love ourselves and we love our kids!

It sounds so elementary, right? And it sounds as if I am rattling off about nothing, right? Wrong.

Let’s imagine the laundry is spinning in the washing machine and there’s another pile waiting to be loaded. Imagine that you’ve just finished washing up all the plates, cups, forks and spoons after dinner…and now, there’s ANOTHER pile there. Imagine that the floor is sticky because the kids spilt syrup at the dining table but stepped over it and spread the stickiness all over the house. Imagine that you’ve got a report to finish tonight because it’s due tomorrow – and if you don’t hand it up tomorrow, your boss is going to have a fit. And the kids are screaming because Kid 1 just accidentally bumped Kid 2 off the bed and they’re yelling for you to become umpire…AGAIN.

Such a frantic life, we live.

Now, here’s what you do. At this point, you feel like breaking everything or maybe just…break away from this chaos. But hang in there, stop yourself from going over the edge by breathing. Ok, now that you’re breathing again, walk slowly into the kids’ room where they’re fighting. Resist the urge to scream or kick up a fuss. Check to see if anyone’s injured and then talk to them slowly and gently. This takes effort, I tell you but it WILL work.

Then, you will slowly feel the pain and frustration ebb away. The throbbing is less now. Look your children in the eye and feel them. Look at them. And I mean LOOK at them. Look into their eyes and remind yourself that they’re only xx age and they’re acting their age.

And then reach out to hug them.

I know this is easy but hard…but it CAN be done! The whole time we’re caring for our kids and spouse, how many hours or minutes do you think we spend enjoying our kids? In the whirlwind of the day, we forget that they are kids and we love them. Frustration overshadows that love and affection. Only when we make an effort to calm down and reflect on their age and their character and the role that they play in our lives will we truly enjoy them.

It’s extremely important that we enjoy our kids because they are not ours forever. They are their own and we are only borrowing our kids for the time that they need us…and they won’t need us forever. Soon, there will be a void in our lives and in our hearts. So, don’t let frustration and the angst of everyday life stop us from enjoying our kids while they still need us.

Marsha Maung is a freelance graphic designer and copy writer who works from her home in Selangor, Malaysia. She loves nothing more than blowing bubbles in the park with her 2 kids, Joshua and Jared. She designs apparel and premium items at http://www.allmomstuff.com and is the author of “Raising little magicians”, and the popular “The Lance in freelancing”. More information can be found at http://www.marshamaung.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marsha_Maung