Do you do a party every year

[Agrannyeatingaburger]

For your kids?

I’m feeling guilty if I don’t do one this year

When dd was 1, we had a little garden tea with grandparents, she was 2 during lockdown, so just parents again. For her third birthday we had a party with 8-10 friends, fourth birthday, family party with grandparents and fifth party, a huge party with lots of friends, decorations, foods, soft play etc.

Its a lot of effort and money, but I feel guilty if we don’t do it whilst she’s young.

Do you do one every year?

Just seen your DD wants a party. Can you do a small party or offer her something else like a day at a theme park with a friend?

We have done some form of party most years.

1st birthday was just tea and cake with grandparents at home. They don't know/care at that age.

2nd birthday fell on a Saturday, but DH was having elective hernia surgery so I had to take him and pick him up from hospital (it was day case). He obviously didn't feel great after. So, we just did presents in the morning and I saw my parents with DS. Truthfully, it was a bit of a non event but DS is/was non the wiser🙈

3-6 was mostly soft play type parties.

Covid hit so 7th birthday was just us and grandma and a takeaway at home.

Last couple of years (8-10) I have done smaller parties e.g. took him and 4 friends to the local clip and climb/bowling/trampoline place.

I have never done lots of decorations and stuff.

I haven't done a party at home as I just don't have the patience.

Yes
1st soft play with family, large family lots of kids. Then home for party food cake etc
2nd party at home for family again.
3rd hired private soft play for whole of nursery and family
4th private hire of trampoline park for whole of nursery and family
5th private hire soft play
6th magician and disco face painter in a hall with buffet food

Eldest 2 dc, now teen /adult, was bit before soft play was a' thing'. So from 1 to 10 was hall, magician, disco or whatever they chose

Youngest

1st was lockdown' bubbles ' my df was our bubble and we could mix with household so we mixed with my db and his 5dcs and my dm was his bubble. In our garden in pool
2nd role play centre with family
3rd soft play private hire for nursery and family
4th role play private hire for nursery and family

I love to make a fuss . Big cake professionally made ( all dcs) balloons, banners etc etc.
My adult dc always says to me i love our little traditions and the effort.
As an adult they still get a big cake, balloons, banners etc.

God no. Pizza Express ( or Hut, can’t remember) used to do make your own pizza parties. They were great fun and parents could come along for a drink if they wanted. Parties where kids make their own food and you don’t clear up are the best!

For DC1, have done parties every year up to this one (turning 8) - is doing something with a couple of friends.

Plan to do the same for DC2 (though unfortunately Covid and then chicken pox unfortunately scuppered a few!).

Not every year no .....

My eldest is 12 -
1 - house party
2 - took her to peppa pig show
3 - peppa pig world
4 - soft play
5 - hall party
6 - no party
7 - bowling party
8 - trampoline party
9 - sleepover
10 - escape room
11 - bowling & arcades & food
12 - no party

Youngest is turning 3 -

1 - hall party
2 - hall party
3 - no party; but doing peppa pig world

Do whatever suits you / your child. When we don't have a party we always go out for her choice of food and I always do banners & balloons for the morning when she wakes up.

so far we have done:

DS
1st - Covid so nothing major, cake at home.
2nd - Covid restrictions so family party at home.
3rd - actual birthday trip to a huge indoor play park and McDonald’s. Grandparents round for tea and cake in the evening. Large party with bouncy castle and play equipment with nursery friends and all family the following day.
4th - took 5 friends to a trampoline park in the morning. Followed by a family party at home with all of the family, party games, piñata etc.
His 5th will be in reception so maybe another larger party. We have already set expectations and he has been told he can have a ‘big’ party every other year due to the cost!

DD:
1st - a summer birthday so we hosted a big picnic with family and friends. It worked so well we are doing the same again this year.

it’s worth noting that our children have lots of cousins and close relatives so even just family members and my close friends kids make it almost 20 children!

Not every year.

DC1 probably had a party every year until they were 10 years old- 11th would have been during lockdown.

DC2 had a party every year until they were 6, from 7 onwards they did something with their best friend (DC2 does not enjoy parties).

DC3 has had a party every year (except for lockdown), they are not having a party this year as they are getting a bigger (expensive) present.

You do you.

my kids get a family ‘party’ at home on the day of their bday unusually after school abit of party food and cake. Then a party with friends on the weekend.

upto them starting school nursery it was just a family party. Parties with friends have been a variety of things, hired a hall and bouncy castle with party boxes for food, fairy parties, nerf wars, painting parties, gaming themed, paintballing, lush, bowling, trampoline park, swimming, ice skating etc. so many parties over the years.

its dds 13th birthday today, she’s had a family party for 4 hours at home this afternoon and then tomorrow has a party with her friends which is ice skating then back home for pizza and a movie for 6 kids.

everyone is different and as long as youre kids are happy and you don’t overstretch yourself I don’t see the issue with however you do it.

i did one every year until they went to secondary school

DD had various things going on with her friends. Either at home, or a softplay, or an activity. Various numbers of kids (one year it was just one friend), never more than 10 including her.

Do whatever works best for you and your circumstances.

My son didn’t have a party until he was 5! We just did tea with close friends and grandma up until then. He had one at 6 as well but I don’t think he will be having one this year, we are planning to do swimming at a place with loads of slides with his bestie instead. Last year he had party at ninja warrior which he loved and it was minimal effort for me, year before was bouncy castles in sports centre but having to sort the food was a pain so any parties going forward would have to be the all included type!! Some kids love a party, others arent bothered but neither way is wrong

i did
the only very small one was ds 5th birthday occurred 5 days after his ds was born
but once they are at school a party every year

Yes, every year. If that's what they wanted on their special day, that's what they got (older now).

Party each year till about 9/10 and then it became days out with a small group of friends.

Then in the teens it became sleepovers.

My little girl is same age, she will be 6 this year and we have done similar to you each year. I am having the same dilemma!! I think a story get older, still a party but doesn't need to be a big one - just an outing with a small friendship group. That's my thoughts anyway!

We do a party every year, daughter is 3 and so far it’s been a garden party with around 30 people so only cost has been bouncy castle and food. Son didn’t have a 1st birthday party but we went away for the weekend, Daughters birthday is only 5 weeks after so we can’t really expect friends family to do 2 so close together lol. Next year we’ll probably do a friends/family one for son and a school friends one for daughter

Yes. Definitely. Unless the child didn't want one, I would definitely throw a party.