Teen Halloween Party - Pre-Planning

Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday. Seriously, I start thinking of new Halloween ideas on November 1st that I can do the following year. I love Halloween that much!

Two years ago, when both the older kids were in middle school, we had a Halloween Party for them and whoever they wanted to invite. It went quite well and all the kids had a good time. Last year we didn't have one, because the older boy was still in middle school and the girl moved up to high school. Thinking as a parent, I wouldn't want my 8th grader to attend a high school party, even if they were only one grade older. So we postponed the party until 2013 when they were both in high school together.

Planning: With a new house last year, I need to completely change how we do the party this year. Last house, I put them all in the five car, heated garage. Easy clean up, tons of room. This year I will banish them to the basement and the backyard.

Date: Already confirmed, no football games, all best friends are in town. Check

Location: Our house, basement and backyard. Check

Food: We will BBQ dogs, easy and cheap. I will also use some of the favorite Halloween recipes that I used at the last party. I have perfected the guacamole from then too! Check

Drinks: Cans of pop, bottles of water. I can control what they are drinking then. Check

Entertainment: Bon fire, outdoor movie theater, pool table, air hockey and darts in the basement. Check

"Security": I have my 9 year old attend the party, to keep them in control. Hubby & I also do loops to make sure everybody is behaving. Check and check

Decorations: I have a shed loft full of Halloween decorations, and I normally add a few every year. I am hoping to make a better beverage server this year.

Extras: I am doing a living room seating arrangement outside this year. Bringing out the old love seat and two chairs, outdoor rug underneath and a lamp. Awards for different costumes winners. Popcorn stand for the outdoor movie (hoping The Conjuring is on DVD by then). Smore station for kids to help themselves to different kinds of smores. Tons of music. Check

So why all the planning for a simple high school party? Both my high school kids are on high school sports, they both signed agreements about drinking, drugs and smoking. Not to mention I don't want them drinking, using drugs or smoking. High school is hard enough without all the peer pressure. My kids are hanging around the right crowd right now, and I want to keep it that way. The girls friends actually asked her if she was going to have a Halloween party again this year. So RED FLAG, if the kids want it, and they know there is not drinking or anything else there, I HAVE TO HAVE ONE! They know at my house, they can eat, relax and have a fun time without any of that crap. Yes there will be drama, they are high school kids, but at least there is no way they will be kicked off their sports teams. Our house has become the "hang out" house, and I like it that way. I can think of a handful of times I have served dinner this past summer where there wasn't at least one extra child sitting at the table. Hubby and I joke that we are like Red & Kitty Foreman from The 70's show, without them smoking pot in the basement :)

I promise to take tons of pictures and demos of anything I make this year for a posting. This is my personal planning to start getting ready for the party, I will post a full follow up with how everything went!

Happy Halloween!

Check out my other Halloween ideas here.

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