Celebrating birthdays can be super-fun for kids and parents. But in our “more is better” culture, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to keep those special occasions simple. Kids’ birthday parties are getting bigger and flashier all the time, making it easy for even laid-back parents to get pulled into the insanity of excess.
As the mom of a child or two, you’ll likely attend a lot of parties and host a lot of parties. So, here are 3 kid birthday party realities to keep in mind.
1. “Birthday parties are a weekend ruiner.” Those are the words of a father of three young children. He’s an involved father, and a good dad, but he says that having to go to a party in the middle of a Saturday afternoon cuts into all of those chores he wanted to get done around the house for you. So he says. But, the reality is that birthday parties, giving or attending, can be time eaters. So, don’t feel like you have to say yes to every party. If your family—you, your husband, or your children—need some down time, skip the celebration and send a gift. If it’s a party for your own child, keep it simple. You might even considering holding the party Friday afternoon after school. That way, the weekend remains intact.
2. Birthday parties as information gathering opportunities. Okay, moms get this one more than most dads: when you go to a birthday party, you get to see how a family lives and treats each other. This is good info to have if your child plans on spending time with that family. You also get the chance to know the parents a bit better. Again, good information to have in case your child is invited over at another time.
3. Re-gift at your own risk. Has this happened to you? Your child receives a birthday gift that’s not a good fit. So, you take it back and find out that the gift was purchased nine months ago and has a refund value of 99 cents. Sure, in this tough economic time, it’s wise to cut corners where we can. But just know there’s a good chance the re-gift, or clearance gift you give will be found out.
