12-yr-olds join the hip party circuit

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Picture for illustrative purpose only

A stylish red top for the party in the evening lay just next to her school uniform. Twelve-year-old Ankita Bhatnagar was all set for a happening late night ahead. Her mother would be dropping her at a farmhouse in Gurgaon where Ankita would join her friends to celebrate the end of a month of mind-boggling exams.

Parties for kids as young as 12 are passé these days. They consist of everything adult parties would have — music being played by DJs, parties by the pool, karaoke competitions and many other exciting ways to enjoy the evening.
“Maybe we can teach the adults a step or two on the dance floor,” giggles Ankita when asked about the growing party trend amongst school kids. “We just need a reason to party. Be it someone’s birthday, the end of the exams or simple things like buying a mobile — we are always ready to celebrate the occasion,” she adds.
While the reason to party for Ankita and her friends could be just about anything, Mohit Mishra a Class IX student from Air Force Bal Bharti Public School, says that a party is a much needed break from regular studies. “When we get really frustrated with studies then it’s time for some action,” he says.
A friend’s house or farmhouse, a lounge or club — the options are endless. But doesn’t this thriving party scene affect a child’s innocence and distract him or her from studying? “No,” says Nisha Singh whose daughter Devyani has been partying with friends since she turned 13.
“As long as I know who she is going out with and it’s not being overdone. Instead of restricting their freedom we should guide them to be cautious and choose their friends carefully so that they learn to be responsible,” she says.
Parents are not just letting their kids enjoy themselves but are also helping them have a good time, says party organiser Surabhi Nayyar from Elvis and Angels Party Planners who gets at least four requests from parents to organise parties for children from 12 to 16 years old every month. “About five years ago such requests were rare. The party crowd is getting younger by the day,” says Surabhi.
Another party organiser Robin Gomes says that these parties cost anywhere between Rs 15,000 to Rs 50,000.
However, not always kids are dependent on organisers. In fact, organising a party on their own is what they find most exciting, says Sunny Vijay from Mayo College who after his Class X exams had a poolside bash at a farmhouse in Jaipur. “We had planned this in advance and on the night of our last Board exam we left for the party. Now we are planning another party at a hill station,” says Sunny.
Though all parents may not share such liberal views, kids seem to find a way to convince them “One of my friend’s parents were not allowing her come to a party at my place. So all of us went to her house and pleaded with them till they agreed. After all, there is no age bar to partying,” says Smeen Ahmed who studies in Class XI at Dayawati Modi Academy.