New research in Britain has found that the average child’s party now costs hundreds of euro. 

The need to buy cake, party bags, hire staff and bouncy castles have pushed up costs for those parents who like to splash out. 

However, on Newstalk Breakfast, parenting consultant Kirsty Ketley said she still tries to keep parties “small”. 

 “It tends to revolve around a few friends coming to our house, which isn't a huge house, so it's quite stressful in itself,” she said. 

“Having just a few months ago, my nine-year-old son had six nine-year-old friends over, boys, which was quite character building. 

“But they just went off and played and he actually chose fish and chips as a supper. 

“So, they had a fish and chips supper from the local chippy around the corner.”

Children and a clown. Picture by: Alamy.com. 

Some parents like to invite everyone in their child’s class, meaning that no child feels left out. 

This is not an approach Ms Ketley agrees with.

“My son and my daughter, who's now 12, have over the years been invited to these big parties and, to be honest with you, they found it quite overwhelming,” she said. 

“I'm not going to pay out for, you know, several hundreds of pounds for a soft play party or something, because my child's actually not going to get a lot out of it. 

“Let's keep it smaller.” 

Sometimes smaller parties mean a child who is not invited feels left out; that is a risk Ms Ketley feels willing to take. 

“I think there have been a few times where parents perhaps have felt their child's been left out of a party if I've kept it small,” she admitted. 

“But it's the way it is.”

Main image: A birthday party. Picture by: Kzenon / Alamy Stock Photo