Q. We’re having a party for my child’s fourth birthday, and as there will be 20 children attending, it will be far easier if parents don’t stay. How do we politely tell them to ‘drop off and pick up’ only? (All the kids are at pre-school together so they won’t be worried about their parents not being there.)

• A. Some parents love the social gathering of a children’s party as much as the little ones themselves! While their kids are being entertained by you (the party host), they get to stand around in your backyard and have a chat to the other parents – it’s a nice bit of time out, really. But it doesn’t make it easy for you to run the party smoothly if there are non-helping adults taking up space, requiring drinks and adding to the potential chaos. The point of a kids’ party is for the little guests to have a ball – not necessarily their parents – so on the invitation, simply state: “Please drop your child off at 10am and we’ll entertain them until you return to pick them up at 12 noon!” That way, they’ll get the hint from the start and won’t hang around socialising.