To think kids birthdays are so so stressful!

[ChippingSoda]

Urgh it’s just so much to think about! And I always mess it up!

just been to supermarket to get click and collect and guess what - they don’t have the character cake my DC especially asked for! So now I’m casting around trying to decorate a plain one myself and it will most likely be not that good.

Birthday is tomorrow. Just realised one of the presents needs an adapter we don’t have and now have to frantically source. Party with rampaging 7 year olds on Sunday and one mum has just got back to a message I sent over a week ago to let me know her son is gluten free….

family gathering tomorrow evening and MIL called last night to say she will be here at 3pm (I’ll be working) to “set something up….” Wtf. And having to cater for a vegan and a low carb option. Will toast some nuts lol.

anyway…. Why is it all so stressful.

cue everyone telling me I’m just rubbish (true tbf I find this sort of thing v hard - have other talents!) and it’d be easy if I just properly organised myself (also true)

but surely I’m not BU to think it’s all rather a lot on top of job and life and everything???

I refuse to host parties at home and will be sticking to that until DC are teenagers and can sort themselves out.
No way do I want hoards of children and their hanger on parents using my loo, trashing my possessions, terrorising my pets and causing me more stress than a whole week of work.

Youngest kid is having a sports party at the tennis club and his sister did laser quest.

DC seems pleased with the cake :) and has added a load of haribo round the bottom just as a finishing touch! yes I agree it’s the ones my mum decorated that I remember too.

we have a magician coming so I don’t have to actually entertain anyone myself - which would basically be my idea of hell!

My sister is coming to the children’s party and she’s excellent at small talk and just being the glue in social situations so she will help me out with that side of things.

Don’t promise a character cake, that’s asking for trouble. Get a generic one from supermarket and stick the plastic character on top (amazon) ir just stick a 7 candle on top

only invite a few kids. You don’t need the whole class when they’re in year 2

I agree that they are stressful. There's a lot of pressure I think to make things magical for DC!

I would say they are probably less stressful if you have money to throw at it. I think people whose kids were little a while ago and out of that phase of big parties might not realise the current cost of a kids party in soft play etc.

We were looking at £500+ for non exclusive use of a soft play, for the class, with cold food and no cake or balloons.

A village hall is £100+ but then most won't let you have a bouncy castle and then you've got to cater - the catering is definitely a large part of the stress!

We tend to have a big day out instead as it's cheaper for me to pay for them to go to zoo and hold a lemur followed by going to a dessert place than it is for 2 hours in a run down soft play warehouse 🤷‍♀️

It's stressful because you are trying to hold things in your head, write it down and just work through it, the party isn't until Sunday.

Decorating the cake yourself is fine, stop with the criticism, it'll take you half an hour or so. Buy an adapter on Amazon and in 35 minutes half your list is done. If the cake is hard to do, add some toppers tomyour Amazon order. Get rid of any ideas of how it "should" be, your DS will remember the fun, happy atmosphere more than the icing on the cake.

You'll cater for the party nearer the time, so will have plenty of time to grab a gluten free pizza.

Yes it does always surprise me how much parties at home are pushed on here; they might be cheaper but no I don’t want my house trashed thanks!

I know, I always wonder who these people are having 8 feral 5 year olds in their home😂

It’s only stressful if you make it stressful. Same as Christmas and any other occasion. Your home made cake sounds great. I think too many people go OTT nowadays anyway and if I see another balloon arch I might scream.

and they aren't always cheaper!

not to mention their hanger on parents who won't leave

Tell the vegans/gluten free people they will have to self cater

its a friggin party not a catering service

Hi OP,
it’s also my DDs birthday tomorrow!

so I am right there with you and yes I find them stressful.

we had family round on Saturday. Now I’m hitting peri, but I got so stressed sorting out the house, the food, decorations blah blah I started an argument with DH and then cried 🫣 Not my finest moment.
But I am coming to realisation that I just don’t like to host so many people all at once …. In no other situation would I do it to myself.
This coming Saturday she has her party with her school friends but that I contract out and only ever hire a venue that does it all! But my god the social awkwardness of kids and dealing with parents. I bloody hate it but DD loves it and is so social so I just have to suck it up!

oh I also think the fact her birthday comes right on top of Christmas adds an extra bit of spice to things.

Yep they are insanely stressful
Yes I've done the every year since he was 3
Yes I ask myself why ever year
Yes the kids have fun and that what makes it worth it,
He'll be 13 soon...

you anbu at all! My now grown children have birthdays 2 weeks apart and I still find them hard work. Tbf I make a fuss with banners and cakes etc but thankfully we can now have takeaways at home. Whoever has told you that you just need to be more organised are talking out of their arse! Birthdays are like Christmas - it’s exhausting making the magic. As for catering for family members -
nope they can have a piece of birthday cake and be happy!!