When planning a sweet sixteen party, you must first decide if you plan on surprising your child, or if you want to enlist her help. Every sixteen year old is different, and I believe asking your child to help plan the party, is the best way to be sure that this party is every bit the milestone birthday it deserves to be. Should you decide to make this a surprise party, I suggest you ask one of your child's friends (that you can trust to keep the secret) to help with planning and suggestions.

Most of us remember turning sixteen, and our sweet sixteen party, as the time we began to grow up, and feel more adult, but it is also a time when the emerging adult, and the remnants of the child, are constantly at odds with one another. Remember that feeling is the inspiration for a great sweet sixteen party.

To plan a sweet sixteen party, I suggest developing a co-ed guest list, buying each guest a disposable camera as a party favor (so they can share photos of this special night) renting a limo, and letting your child and her friends dress up, and go to a nice restaurant of their choice (paid for in advance). After dinner, the limo could drop off the male guests at their homes, and then your daughter and her female friends could return home for a sleep over. This type party should satisfy the girl your child still is, and the woman she is becoming.

The sleep over should include a birthday cake, snacks, plenty to drink, "chick flicks," and music, music, music! The morning after the sleep over, a simple buffet of donuts, bagels and cream cheese, fruit, cereal, milk, and juices, should provide enough nourishment to satisfy each hungry girl, until they return to their homes, so everyone can enjoy a much needed nap, dreaming of this wonderful sweet sixteen party.