It was my eldest’s birthday recently and all it left me wondering is how come it’s not me getting the presents and being celebrated?
As far as I can remember, it was me putting in the graft that night, eight years ago. Driving to the hospital, getting the cups of tea, manfully not complaining that much as my hand got squeezed in a vice-like grip amid the contractions. Admittedly, her mum did her fair share, too.
And yet, despite this, tradition dictates that it’s the birthee that gets toasted each year. Weird. Anyway – as tradition also dictates, we had a party for her and my main question is: IT COSTS HOW MUCH?
When did a child’s birthday become quite such a “thing”? I don’t just mean the expense, either. But how did the anniversary of them barrelling out into the world also come to require the kind of planning and strategic forethought I imagine goes into a minor music festival? And when exactly did it become expected that there should be – for instance – bespoke activity packages, professional balloon installations, personalised invites, hired face-painters, exclusive venue access and specially created WhatsApp groups?
My six-year-old asked – completely seriously – if we can close the street off with a bouncy castle for her birthday, because a kid in her class did it. How can I put this, kiddo? I’m sorry, I just don’t love you enough to do that. Another child took eight friends for a full day at a spa for her seventh birthday.
I blame (other) parents (no one we know, obviously! Please keep inviting us!). It’s become a competition out there. One family takes them to a petting zoo; the next has them riding horses. One family sacks off the cocktail sausages and jelly in favour of food at an independent café; another takes their entire entourage to a destination food hall. Um, ok – that one was us – but, frankly, a venue with a bar is much-needed when you’re looking after eight primary school-aged girls.
We never had parties like this when we were kids. They were smaller, more basic, easier. They were simultaneously more chaotic and less stressful.
They didn’t, I’m certain, require military-grade preparation and a potential remortgaging of the house. In fact, I’m remembering the year my folks took me and some pals to meet Ronald McDonald (and that weird purple one), and – thinking about it now – I’m pretty sure they just phoned ahead a couple of hours in advance. We stopped off at Asda on route and… wait, was that when they got the birthday cake?!
It didn’t matter. What a great day (or, two hours). I don’t know if I’ve ever laughed so much as when Matthew blew bubbles in his coke and it spilled everywhere. They had tables modelled like a train upstairs, and I got to eat in the drivers’ seat. My mum bought everyone chocolate donuts and there were colouring books for us all to take home.
Other highlights from back then? A five-a-side birthday (held using garden canes for goalposts in the park), a fancy dress party (in the room above the local pub), and lots of pass the parcel where – this is life, kids, this is preparing you for the disappointments ahead! – not every layer had a present within it.
Still, back in the here and now, we’ve made a parental decision. We’ve always loved an empty weekend with our little ones. So next year, we’re going for empty birthdays too. No parties for either of our two. We’re tapping out of the stress, the expense and the 1am dash to decorate a cake in time for the big day.
Instead, they can have their nana and grandad over for tea, a bowl of jelly and – if they’re lucky – we’ll at least carry on with the tradition of presents. And let me tell you, I will thoroughly enjoy it.
Happy birthday to me.
Hence then, the article about empty weekend parenting changed my life so now we ve cancelled birthdays was published today ( ) and is available on inews ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( ‘Empty weekend parenting’ changed my life – so now we’ve cancelled birthdays )
Also on site :