Planning your child’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah party can be a challenge. Part of the reason is that you may still see them as your baby, but this event announces to the world that they are on their journey to adulthood. Additionally, the guest list is split between adults and Tweens. You want it to be sophisticated for the adults but lots of fun for the kids.

Most articles I read make a point of having a kid’s lounge with kid’s decor, at a mostly adult party. I look at it the other way around. Why not have a party that celebrates your child at this exact moment in their lives (I’ll expand on that in a bit) and what I like to think as an observation deck for the adults.

Let’s start with a theme. Since your goal is to capture your son or daughter at this moment in time, plan your theme around what defines them today. Is she a fashionista that already has her own YouTube channel? Is he obsessed with his favorite baseball team? Does she live for soccer? Is it nearly impossible to tear the video game controller out of their hands? Are you spending every waking moment at the ice-rink or pool in pursuit of Olympic gold?

I think you get my point, you know your child better than anyone. Use their passion to fuel the party.

Once you have your theme, do not tread lightly. From the invitations to the favors and everything in between should carry the theme forward. Some examples might be if your child loves to travel, have the invitations made to look like airline tickets, serve food from around the world and use countries for table numbers.

For the fashionista have invitations announcing her new collection like the ones for fashion week. Have a catwalk for introductions and use miniature mannequins for centerpieces.

For sports themed parties, have the wait staff in referee’s uniforms, the invitations as scorecards and name the tables after teams or famous events like the US Open or the Masters. Have food stations featuring stadium food.

I think you see where I’m going. Plan the party for the kids and around whatever your child is passionate about.

Ah, you say, what about the adults? Think about them as the audience in the skyboxes. Keep the basic theme but elevate it to the next level. Instead of stations, have a plated dinner so the adults can relax and enjoy themselves. Have their tables on the periphery so that the noise and music aren’t as loud. In other words, yes, it is one party but let the kids be kids and the adults be adults.

This is a very important, once in a lifetime event that you are celebrating. Make it about who your child is today so you will make memories to last a lifetime.