Pool party tips
Some advice gleaned from eight years of pool-themed birthday parties:
Use your city. We've found the staff at Richardson's city pools to be quite helpful, and the price is right. But start planning early -- the prime time slots can be snatched up in a hurry when they start taking reservations in the spring.
Have a backup. In our experience, the best cure for drought has been to plan an outdoor party for our daughter. One year we were caught off-guard and had to move the party to a mall. A few years later, when downpours canceled another party, we were ready with indoor games and crafts. It ended up being the driest swim party in history. But everyone had a lot of fun.
Hire a lifeguard. If you're having a party at your own pool, your job will be much less stressful if you hire a lifeguard. Your local rec center can provide a list. It's not expensive, and it lets you focus on providing fun while someone else worries about preventing drowning.
Be flexible. This August, we went to a surprise pool party for a fourth-grade friend. What really made it a surprise was that her birthday is in the winter. The look on her face (and her parents' faces) was priceless.