Today on the Rachael Ray show the had a mother on who had given her daughter a birthday party that cost over $12,000.00. YIKES! The kicker: the child was one year old. Let’s all say it together: “get real”.
As a family we stopped doing real traditional birthday parties at 8 years old. After 8 the child chooses two or three friends and we go bowling, to a movie or swimming. That’s it. It is so wonderful and yet it is wonderful to have those birthday parties when they are 4 and 5. That’s when they really think they are fun anyway.
As a homeschool family drumming up a party has been harder because my kids haven’t had a school room full of children to invite to a party so we had smaller parties with neighbors, cousins and a few other friends or family members.
It is interesting to hear what others do but I agree with the therapist on the show when she asked “what is your motivation?”
realworldmartha said,
September 4, 2008 @ 5:06 pm
Hey we do the K12 system too.
Anyways for birthday parties we invite church friends, family friends, and group friends and usually head to the park. It’s simple snacks, cake, and punch. I usually do a theme that’s cheap and fun.
Nice to meet you. What part of the country are you in?
Debbie aka The Real World Martha(S)
Ken said,
September 4, 2008 @ 10:13 pm
I like smaller parties and I think that children develop better relationships in fewer numbers. If you want to drum up more kids, home school groups and church members are good places, I think. I’m far from an isolationist, and 1 of our 3 kids is public schooled, but I’ve never liked blanket invitations to public school kids.
tugatnature said,
September 8, 2008 @ 10:20 pm
We go out to dinner of child’s choice and take said child for a wild shopping spree ($50)…just mom & dad and birthday child. But everyone thinks mom’s b-day is by far the funnest..Chuck-E-Cheese’s and a roll of quaters!