Give a sweet 16 party to remember.
Reality television shows such as "My Super Sweet 16" offer a distorted view of what a sixteenth birthday should be. In real life, huge celebrations are overrated. Small sweet 16 parties give the birthday girl a chance to create lasting memories with a few close friends. Limiting the guest list also lends flexibility when it comes to choosing the party location and entertainment. Does this Spark an idea?
Go to a Concert
Offer your daughter the opportunity to take a few friends to a concert for her sixteenth birthday. Check the schedules of local venues to find out if any groups or artists she likes will be in the area. Research the price of tickets and decide on a budget. Tell your daughter how much you are willing to spend on tickets. For example, "I am willing to spend $200 on concert tickets for your sixteenth birthday. You can either have five $40 tickets and bring four friends, or you can have two $100 tickets and bring your best friend." Let her make the final decision.
To make the concert really special, take all of the girls out for manicures before the show or to a special birthday dinner. You could even rent a limo to transport the girls to and from the concert.
All Night Movie Fest
Plan an all-night movie fest for your daughter and her friends. Choose a theme for the movies, such as an actor the girls love or a series, like the "Scream" trilogy or the "Spider-Man" films. An alternative is to pick a favorite television show and rent several episodes on DVD. The girls can challenge themselves to watch as many episodes as possible without falling asleep.
Take your daughter shopping and let her choose the dinner menu, decorations and snacks. The hardest part of this type of party is allowing the girls to be loud and silly all night. Invest in some ear plugs for yourself and let them enjoy themselves.
Weekend Getaway
Plan a weekend getaway for your daughter and two or three of her best friends on her sixteenth birthday. You do not have to go far to consider it a getaway. Even one night in a nearby hotel with a pool will work. If your budget allows, book two adjacent rooms so that the girls can have a little privacy. You will be right there if they need you, but far enough away to not disturb them.
Another fun getaway idea is to take your daughter and a few friends to an amusement park to celebrate her birthday. Choose a park close enough to be a day trip, but book a nearby hotel so that your sweet 16-year-old can spend the entire day at the park.
Tags: your daughter, sixteenth birthday, daughter friends, nearby hotel, tickets bring