My son is on the edge of a birthday. He lets us know each day that it approaches ever nearer. If he read this blog, he would know that we have bought him the new Lego Starwars PS2 game, some magnetic action figure things that he'll think are cool, and a couple big Lego construction sets. We're looking at the Nintendo DS as "the big gift," but I haven't reconciled myself to that yet.
Count me among the parents rebelling against the trend of big, expensive birthdays for kids (though no birthday party I have ever experienced was as pricey as the one mentioned in the link). Maybe it is because I'm not wealthy, or because I don't think my child needs to be made to feel like the center of the universe, even if only for two hours. Special? absolutely. Superior? no thanks.
My son will have a party. We spent 80 cents on the invitations..32 of them. Not each. Total. There will be cupcakes. There will be activities...football-themed (basically a punt-pass-kick contest, and flag football). We're having the party in the field behind the elementary school. Cost: $0.
He will also get his gifts from us(Nintendo DS to be determined later...if not, maybe a collection of Encyclopedias or actual horned rimmed glasses with white tape over the nose bridge). However, he will not receive gifts from his friends. We have asked for kids to instead bring 2 cans of soup. All the soup will then be donated to the United Way, an NFL charity. Because we're clever like that.
MM-mm good.
The fact is that our kids -- like most -- have more than enough. They still have toys from Christmas that are largely ignored. They don't need gifts from friends that they would never appreciate, rip through like a hyena on a baby gazelle and quickly forget. So why not use this instead as a way for them to remember others who could use a little blessing?
Yes, we are "those parents."
I'm not inclined to start a "birthdays without pressure" group because to the very name of the group is oxymoronic and the presence of such a group would be ironic in its coercion to have kids walk around a lake and call it a party. I just know there's a happy place called "Sanity," and that's where I want to book my child's next hootenanny,* if the price is right and it's not already reserved by that neighbor kid whose parents always have to get him the really cool, expensive gifts before anyone else on the block.
*my children's party will not be an actual hootenanny, just for the record. Aside, it the correct plural of this word "hootenannies?" That looks about as silly as the sight of me joining in with a folksinger, twice.
How did the birthday go?
Posted by: Christopher at February 17, 2007 9:46 PM