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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Children weddings birthdays... Am I being precious?

175 replies

Mapley · 28/03/2011 18:14

We've been invited to close friend's (of my dp's) wedding on ds's second birthday and it's a no children invite. We rang the groom to say that we're sorry, we wouldn't be able to come as we wanted to spend ds's birthday with him, and he said to bring him then, we want you there.

I felt uncomfortable with this as I don't want other folk who have had to leave their kids at home to feel put out. And I don't want him to spend his birthday somewhere innaptopriate. I'd rather celebrate it with him. But equally I do not want to upset my friends.

The wedding's couple of hours away, but not impossible to go along in the evening. So we thought about it and said we'd just come along in the evening. Since then though the bride to be has texted my dp to say that her dp is upset and can we reconsider? She wants us to do something with our dp in the morning and come along for the meal at 4pm.

So now my dp wants me to spend the morning with my ds, drop him off at babysitter's after lunch and go to the meal onwards. He says he thinks I'm being selfish, that ds won't care about his birthday and that our friends will only get married once. The thought of leaving my boy without us in his birthday makes me sad, I don't want to do it. But dp says that I'm thinking about myself rather than our friends or him, and he personally wants to do both and go for half the day.

I feel really sad now. I don't want to upset dp, or our friends, but am I being precious by not wanting to be apart from ds on his birthday. I've offered a compromise that dp should go on his own if that's what he wants to do, but he's still fed up. I was trying to think positive, and even though dp wouldn't be there I was thinking of doing a birthday tea for ds with friends, but dp says he wouldn't want me to do that without him there.

Not sure what to do now!

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2gorgeousboys · 28/03/2011 18:44

DH's grandfathers funeral was on DS1's 2nd birthday, I was really upset that DFIL arranged the funeral for his birthday but it could not be rearranged and I needed to attend to support DH.

We celebrated with DS1 in the morning and then he was spoilt by his grandparents in the afternoon (who loved making his birthday special for him) and we had a party at the weekend. He is now 11 and does not remember his 2nd birthday!

If I were you I would celebrate his birthday in the morning and then take DS with me to the wedding, have a party/special day another day and enjoy having 2 birthdays for him!

ilovesooty · 28/03/2011 18:45

If you were working and his birthday fell on a weekday, surely you'd have to spend time away from him on the day?

Mapley · 28/03/2011 18:47

Macdoodle, crikey! Don't think we'd click!
hadn't actually thought ahead to school yet, he's only two!

Seems as if there's people who think it's a no brained to move his birthday, and people who understand how I feel. Glad at least to not be completely alone in my feelings. Still not sure what to do though.

Have offered the compromise of dp going for meal, but he's not keen.

Trouble is too that I think the bride and groom might be if the opinion that I'm being an idiot, and they are friends if dp's rather than mine, they predate our relationship. So I feel like I'm being judged and laughed at too.

they are going to judge me and carry on bend my dp's ear. And it

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wheredidyoulastseeit · 28/03/2011 18:48

My Ds and DD were under 4 their birthdays were always on a day that suited me and so that they could have a proper special day not fitting with anything else, eg my daughters birthday was deferred until we came back off a family holiday so that she could have all her presents and party and see family etc on her special day, her real birthday was spent having a good time on the beach she just didn't know it was her birthday.

I can see where you're coming from but it might be easier to have his special day a couple of days later, when you can do it properly he'll never know, but make sure no-one else lets the cat out of the bag, and wishes him a happy birthday.

Mapley · 28/03/2011 18:51

Sorry, loads of typos! I'm rubbish at iPhone posting

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activate · 28/03/2011 18:52

celebrate the birthday the day before or after - he won't know any difference and it's no big deal

go to the weddign

Mapley · 28/03/2011 18:52

But I don't want to move his birthday :-(

I always take annual leave for birthdays. I love birthdays.

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pingu2209 · 28/03/2011 18:53

I think that it is lovely of your friends to be kind enough to be flexible over the no kids rule. They must be good friends. They are trying to meet you more than half way. You are not even prepared to be flexible when they have been really reasonable.

activate · 28/03/2011 18:55

so miss the wedding and spend the day with a 2 year old who won't know any difference, will nap, tantrum and grin etc etc

sorry hadn't read thread, if it's that important to you then fine - it doesn't make sense to me personally but it takes all sorts Smile

squeakytoy · 28/03/2011 18:55

Your son would be perfectly happy to spend the morning and early afternoon having fun with you, and then be extra excited to spend the late afternoon and evening having fun with his grandparents then. Leaving you free to go to the wedding, rather than sit at home wishing you had gone because your 2yr old is asleep by 7pm or earlier.

Your child wont know the date, and you can have a tea party any other day too and not miss out on the wedding.

mummytime · 28/03/2011 18:56

My DH was away for my DD1's 3rd birthday, we just moved the birthday a few days later, and had a proper celebration.

When your DS is at school he will not be able to have his birthday off school. You really need to get some perspective over this. Sorry.

ilovesooty · 28/03/2011 18:56

pingu that's how it sounds to me too.

I wonder whether Mapley will be taking her son out of school when it's his birthday...

Mapley · 28/03/2011 18:56

I am being flexible. I've said I'll come along in the evening and said to dp to go along in the afternoon.

I'm not judging them at not wanting kids at their wedding. I don't want to be judged for wanting to spend my ds's birthday with him.

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IslandMooCow · 28/03/2011 18:58

Well if you don't want to move his birthday, then don't go to the wedding - why are you hesitating?

It appears this means a huge amount to you so just concentrate on the birthday.

I love my children to bits, but at under 4 would move their birthdays by a few days to ensure the best possible celebration without a second thought.

Everyone's different.

kerala · 28/03/2011 19:00

He wont know any different but adults will be upset about a day that hopefully is a once in a lifetime thing. Celebrate the birthday the day before.

Some friends of ours were moving on their 2 year olds birthday so incredibly busy so sort of "forgot" her birthday that year - she has suffered no ill effects Grin

ChippingInMistressSteamMop · 28/03/2011 19:01

Well, if you don't like the suggestion of a party the day before then spending 80% of the day with him before going to the wedding - then why not take him with you, book a room at the hotel (if you can) and let him stay up until he falls apart (or take a babysitter).

The B&G want you there, that's their decision and their problem if anyone gets the hump....

But, if, at the end of the day you don't want to go to the wedding and you want to spend the day with DS (not at the wedding) you are entitled to do that and your DH is entitled to then decide what he wants to do. Why not have a 'party' the day before and just do something nice with DS & your parents is DH goes to the wedding?

Sometimes you can't both have what you want and you have to either compromise or each do your own thing... that's life.

ilovesooty · 28/03/2011 19:03

I've said I'll come along in the evening and said to dp to go along in the afternoon.

Well do that then if you want to, but be prepared for the bride and groom feeling offended. I bet your partner won't be too thrilled to go on his own in the afternoon either.

PoisoningPigeonsInThePark · 28/03/2011 19:03

Depends - are you going to attend part of the wedding and be able to enjoy the experience or will you be resentful and upset and going to kept everyone else happy?

What exactly do they want to do with your Dp in the morning - would you be part of it or hanging round like a spare part? Could your DP go along in the morning then you meet him there in evening when Ds is in bed? Is DP going to be very upset to missing what ever they have planned?

I have to wonder why your feeling about missing what you feel is an important day in your son's life is less important than anyone else's feeling about missing a wedding.

Attending other peoples wedding can be less than thrilling - though the evenings with all the formalities over tend to be fun. So I'd have the day with my DC and tell everyone else to stop being so precious -they after all are the adults. The couple getting married will probably be very busy on day and less fussed about your non-attendance after the event rather than in mad fussing round getting ever thing perfect stage.

activate · 28/03/2011 19:06

and remember by the time they're at school most kids celebrate their birthday on the most convenient weekend and have a cake or something small on their actual birthday

seeker · 28/03/2011 19:11

Frankly I think it'a a bit silly to miss a wedding for a 2 year old's birthday. Are you going to keep him off school to celebrate his birthday? What if you or dp has an unmissable work thing? What if he's ill?

One of the joys of birthdays is that they can be celebrated several times!

Sassybeast · 28/03/2011 19:11

I can understand your feelings - I think at age 2 birthdays aren't just about the party - it's all a bit tied up in having survived the first 2 years and all the feeling that are associated with being amazed at this little life and wanting to celebrate that. Agree though that it will have NO impact on him at all so you just need to work out if you can convince DP that you really wouldn't enjoy the wedding or if you CAN convince yourself that you can celebrate DS birthday AND enjoy your friends day.

edam · 28/03/2011 19:13

Oh, I do sympathise with you, I'd hate to have missed one of ds's birthdays. But it's nice of your friends to waive their no kids rule for ds.

Do you have any grandparents or friends who could have ds in the afternoon, so you can do birthday stuff in the morning and then he gets spoilt all over again by Granny later on? OR take him along - if any guests get the hump because he's there and their brats aren't, that's tough. It's the bride and groom's choice. But do take lots of colouring books and stuff for him to play with. (Felt tips might be dangerous with all those posh frocks around, I'd stick with crayons.)

Mapley · 28/03/2011 19:18

If I went from 4, then we'd need to leave to get him the grandparents at noon and then to wedding. So we'd just be with him in the morning and an early lunch. And we'd need to 've getting ready too. Which diesn't really leave much time for celebrating in the morning. If we go to the evening do then I'll still need to leave at 3pm to do the same. If we went to the whole day we'd need to leave 8 am.

When he's at school he'll be at school and fair enough. All the more reason perhaps that the birthdays before he's at school are precious?

Yes, compromise or we do different things. If I did go I'd obviously dirt my head out and be happy to be there. But yes i think I would be sad.

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ChristinedePizan · 28/03/2011 19:20

I would celebrate on Sunday but I'm really not fussed about birthdays being celebrated on the actual day, especially for the under 3s who really don't know what's going on anyway. I moved my birthday for about 10 years because it's too close to Xmas/New Year!

CamperFan · 28/03/2011 19:20

We went to our friends wedding on DS1's 3rd birthday last year. Kids were invited but it was too far for one night for him. We had his party, presents, etc the previous Sunday and he knew no different. I have no regrets at all!