As a busy mom, you’re likely to attend several birthday parties a year - and not just those for your children. For example, there’s the "best-friend-of-your-child" birthday invite. The "bring-the-sibling" birthday invite. The "all-inclusive-classroom" party invite. The "I’m-inviting-your-kid-only-to-be-polite" invite.
Like parenting isn't hard enough, we have somehow raised the bar of our children's birthday parties to the point where an innocent party becomes a major stress attack. Have no fear I say, it's all self-imposed stress that is about to get the boot if you know what's good for you! So read on and let me tell you what I think.
My baby turned three yesterday, and Shaya wouldn’t mind me calling him that because he told me that morning, “Mommy I want to stay a baby.” What a relief, considering that all my others are in a HUGE hurry to grow up.
We all have moments when we feel like we haven’t done enough… Because of the chaos of the holidays, my daughter’s 4th birthday creeped up on me. I didn’t plan a party, I didn’t invite any friends over, and I didn’t find another gift to excite her after Chanukah and Christmas.
It's tempting: your local supermarket can bake your toddler a dazzling cake with fancy icing and have it ready to go the morning of the big party. However, if you can't picture yourself feeding your little one a product containing a variety of less-than-wholesome ingredients, you might want to rethink that order. Instead, bake your toddler a healthy cake with appealing toppings and he'll never even know what he's missing.
Teen birthday parties become more of a challenge to plan, especially if your daughter is particular about how she celebrates. Several factors can influence the birthday activity lineup, from where you have the party to how much you want to spend. Collaborate with the teenage birthday girl to find an option that works for both of you.
Some children have allergies that prevent you from purchasing a birthday cake from the local bakery or making one from a box. If you have a child with allergies at your birthday party, it's essential to have a cake that she can enjoy eating as well. Fortunately, there are several ways to bake a cake, no matter what type of allergy she may have.
Lately, we’ve been on the birthday circuit. Today was a 2-year-old’s Thomas-the-Train celebration, tomorrow is a 3-year-old pony riding extravaganza, and next weekend 6-year-old twins are celebrating with a gymnastics party. I love birthday parties. When Ava gets invited, it reassures me that she is popular and I can look forward to eating the piece of cake she decapitates by furiously licking away the frosting. Everyone wins. With all these parties on our calendar, I have to take a list with me to Target just to remind me of the presents I need to buy that month. But a $15 Barbie is a small price to pay for popularity and it beats the cost of child therapy, which I imagine is the sad lot of the uninvited.
If you have a child turning 13, you have probably heard a whole litany of daily complaints, including "I'm so bored." Unfortunately, if you are planning a party for his birthday, you are at risk of hearing a whole room full of preteens and young teens crying out this whine. Transport your kids to a fun party to ensure excitement and imagination take over any boredom they could experience.
Many moms struggle to find activities that are youthful enough for their 10 year olds without being overly childish. Children in this age group are often difficult to please as they fall into the category of early pre-teen and, as such, are in the midst of a challenging transition. To ensure that your 10 year old has a party to remember, focus on crafting an event that appeals to her specific interests and provides a plethora of diversions for her and her guests to partake in.
