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Hi, I am an older mother. My daughter is turning 5 and my husband and I are wondering if we should give her a small birthday party or do something like take her to a play and dinner. Anyone have any thoughts on this. I do not know what is the norm today. When we had birthday parties, it was kids in the neighborhood and we played simple things like pin the tail on the donkey.
We started a tradition of going to the Nutcracker each year for my daughter's birthday. She loved seeing it and some of the kids were her classmates. Her birthday is in November.
I don't think it's necessary for a child to expect, or get a birthday party every year; maybe the big ones (16 and 18 and maybe one between 8 and 10), but not every year. Something special with the family is a wonderful bonding opportunity and makes the birthday girl feel like a princess for a day with the people who matter most, her family.
We started a tradition of going to the Nutcracker each year for my daughter's birthday. She loved seeing it and some of the kids were her classmates. Her birthday is in November.
I don't think it's necessary for a child to expect, or get a birthday party every year; maybe the big ones (16 and 18 and maybe one between 8 and 10), but not every year. Something special with the family is a wonderful bonding opportunity and makes the birthday girl feel like a princess for a day with the people who matter most, her family.
I really liked your response and now wonder why my thoughts are so different when I was growing up in the 1970's. I also feel for the children who are not invited. I think family bonding is so important. Thank you for your honest warm opinion.
I am not sure how much birthday parties go for these days?????
I don't really enjoy giving kid parties, but we do it anyway. I started at 5 years old. I like to do them at kid's gyms or bounce house type places. To me it is worth the cost to not have to come up with entertainment myself or deal with all those people in my house, or the clean up. Last year the kids got an unusually large and pricey gift so we didn't give them parties.
It all depends on your family. When I was growing up my parents didn't do birthday parties so when I met my dh we started making a big deal about our b-days. Not parties but we always have the cake and dinner at nice restaurant. When my dd turned 4 did the first b-day party with other children. It was at a bounce house. She loved. We will be doing it every year until she decides she doesn't want them anymore. For my ds we may start with his 3rd b-day because he will already be in pre-school. We are going to cut down on the presents because they have too much junk.
I really liked your response and now wonder why my thoughts are so different when I was growing up in the 1970's. I also feel for the children who are not invited. I think family bonding is so important. Thank you for your honest warm opinion.
I am not sure how much birthday parties go for these days?????
Thank you. Keeping them within the immediate family has done well for us. We dress up for the Nutcracker and once took a limo. After, we walk downtown to see the newly lit Christmas tree and have dinner out.
As far as cost, I don't know. The only party she has had was for her 8th birthday. She invited her 3 best friends to the local pizza place for games and pizza. They had a ball and the cost was minimal.
I think either would be fine. Some parties today get out of hand, but if you don't want to do that (which I can completely understand!) there's nothing wrong with the traditional small party like the kind you remember from when you were a kid. As far as the "norm," that varies by community, but there's nothing wrong with going simple, even if the other parents are all going for hired entertainment and caterers! (not uncommon in some places) There's a huge range out there, so do whatever you feel like doing and whatever you think your daughter would like.
I always kept it small and simple and cheap. Family when they were little then later house parties with a few friends, pizza nights, etc. Once there was a slumber party when my daughter turned 13 but I don't think we ever did much more than that.
My kids' birthdays are only a few days apart so when they were young we'd have a combined party with the neighbor kids. We'd throw some hotdogs on the grill, cut up some watermelon and invite everyone over for squirtgun fights (summer birthdays). This ensured the kids and the mess stayed outside. No games to plan and everyone provided their own squirtgun. The kids had a ball and it was inexpensive. Other than that, we're not big birthday people. When they were in middle school they'd have a few friends spend the night. Now that they are in HS and college, we pick a day late in the summer and go out to our favorite restaurant and enjoy an increasingly rare night out with all four of us and call it even.
I am not sure how much birthday parties go for these days?????
If you're having the party at a place (like Chuck E Cheeses or a gymnastic school or a craft place or anything like that) it's going to run you upwards of $200 ---- more likely $300 when all is said and done.
We did parties twice for my daughter when she was little 5 and 7. After that, it was her choice: She could either have a b'day party or we could go to a B'way show and dinner. She chose B'way show and dinner (a great choice, by the way!).
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