Birthdays

[Crystal LauzonMember]

My son is turning 6 in a few weeks and I’m looking for some way to mark the occasion without the hoopla of a traditional kid party.   We’ve done birthday parties for the past two years, and frankly, I don’t want to do one this year.   The problem is that we’ve recently come off the school-year birthday party circuit so in his young mind, a birthday equals a party.  He’s got a list of friends and even the kind of cake he wants.   I’ve tried explaining to him that you don’t always have a party, but your birthday is still YOUR day, and is still special…just not sure he’s buying it.

 

Any suggestions for celebrating your child’s day, with maybe just 5-8 little friends, that does not involve the traditional gym/bowling alley/party factory?   Our home is quite small, so that is not an option.

[Member]

When I was younger one of my neighbors invited me and a few other close friends for a day at the zoo to celebrate her birthday. It was a smaller group than they would have invited to a big party, but I think that made it even more special. We had a lot of fun and it was one of the best birthdays I can remember celebrating–party or not. I would suggest giving some ideas for a special birthday trip or activity and let your son choose what he likes best. Allowing him to help plan will make it even more exciting and ensure that he enjoys his special day.

 

Good luck!

[AmyParticipant]

How about an informal play date with a few of his favorite friends? That way there is no pressure to have a big hoopla but your son will still feel as if his friends helped to celebrate his day. You can make is special by serving cupcakes or your son’s favorite snack.

[Cristina HeinzParticipant]

We had the same issue when my son turned 6! So we hijacked one of his favorite family activities and held a Movie Night in the backyard with our laptop, a borrowed projector and inflatable screen. You can also hang a large white sheet as the screen or if weather is a problem and the party is small enough, use your family room. He picked his favorite age-appropriate movie and I ordered individually-packed gourmet popcorn online, served pizza, and veggie sticks. Only his closest buddies were invited with a movie ticket invitation. We were able to find movie theme decorations and party favors to make it seem more like a “party”. Super easy set up for a working mom and kids were happy, especially the birthday boy!

[Author]

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