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Original poster

2nd birthdays

20 replies

Emmafh3 · 11/10/2018 22:39

So we live nowhere near family and very rural, we go to play groups but dd isn't that bothered about playing with kids and I don't have any friends either. Would just rather do her own thing and gets very shy when anybody new or who we don't see often comes to the house.
I'll be 6and bit months Preggo, and it's near Xmas (where some family make it to us maybe the gap between Xmas and New year, mostly they don't) so not sure what to do for her birthday?
She has all she needs and prefers playing with sticks and washing cars or helping me cook than any toys
I mean she probably won't even realise its her birthday but I feel like a bad mum if she doesn't have some sort of do? (obviously there will be cake, always have cake in this house)

What did everybody else do for the 2nd birthday?

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MammyOfOne · 11/10/2018 22:43

Aww that sounds pretty lonely for both DD and yourself
My DD isn't two until feb but we have family coming over from N.Ireland and Australia for her 2nd birthday so we've decided to get her christened her birthday weekend so family will be there for that too. We've arranged a disco dome, candy card, popcorn machine, kids entertainer, photo booth so it isn't a cop out for her birthday

Please please do something special for her birthday, I believe all children should be spoilt every birthday. Does she like animals? Perhaps a day out to the local zoo or farm or something

WhereIsMyDressingGown · 11/10/2018 22:46

Why not just an outing in the day, just the two of you? Do you have a partner (if so, make it the three of you). You could go to a theme park or activity place, or something simpler like the farm, soft play area or the park. I would make sure your DD knows it's her birthday. Put balloons and banners up and get her to wear a badge. I would also have a think about some presents that she would like, even if it's food presents. You could put give her some chocolate or new baking equipment if she doesn't like toys.

Birthdays don't have to be extravagent. Just spending time together doing fun things is special.

Original poster

Emmafh3 · 12/10/2018 22:06

It's not lonley in my opinion. Living in a town and being "social" is my idea of hell, dd is pretty much the same and likes me and her dad, not even other family members that much.
We pretty much live on a farm and she's gets upset when she can't touch the animals in zoos or cages.
We do a lot of outings to places for stimulation and learning but she's happiest when she's doing her thing in the garden (harder to do in December) so would rather not force her to play where she doesn't really want to be.
Good idea on the balloons, I mean she has at least one on the go at any given moment for when she wants to play with it but she can have more for the day.
Present wise, it would be like getting a slice of bread as a present. She literally wants for nothing short of an actual full size tractor or combined harvester....that includes chocolate and ice cream on a regular basis (thanks to dh).
She is treated like a princess every day, I'm going to have to get my thinking cap on! Although she is only two, so she probably won't remember it or need much more than some candles and not being asked for a kiss all day...

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Cocobana · 13/10/2018 15:34

Hi, how about visiting the Aquariam? Ds loves it there and it’s a great choice for a day out for winter birthdays.

Cocobana · 13/10/2018 15:37

I think a lot of people do the while kids party thing once fried dc are in nursery and make friends and send out invitations. I think there’s a lot of people who keep it low key for the first couple of years. I often think sometime the parties can be more for the adults than the kids when their so small and if anything they get too easily overwhelmed at that age.

Cocobana · 13/10/2018 15:37

whole and they’re*

Cocobana · 13/10/2018 15:38

their* gosh sorry about all of my typos I blame my dodgy mobile!

SoyDora · 13/10/2018 15:41

We didn’t do parties until the DC were 3. We did have some friends round, cake, balloons etc.
If you can’t think of anything she’d like to do or anything she’d like to be bought, don’t do or buy anything 🤷🏻‍♀️. No point doing it for the sake of it if you genuinely think there’s nothing she would want to do or have.

ferntwist · 13/10/2018 15:56

Sounds like a lovely life for you and DD, OP. I don’t think you need to do anything extra. Maybe singing Happy Birthday and having a dance around?

slkk · 13/10/2018 16:05

My son has SEN and it is his 8th birthday soon. We will still just have a family thing because of similar reasons to you. Doesn’t have that many friends and isn’t that bothered. We will probably go to a show and have cake. I think do what is right for your child and don’t worry about what anyone else thinks.

Cocobana · 13/10/2018 16:09

I remember being forced as a child to wear pretty dresses and have massive birthday parties, did I enjoy myself? No. I would have much preferred to have had a family day out say to a theme park, fair or aquarium that sort of thing. Do what suits your child.

gothefcktosleep · 13/10/2018 16:22

My friend got her little boy a teepee and filled it with balloons... he loved it! If she’s happy in her own company that’s a bit like giving her her own cocoon to enjoy herself in?

I think I would quite like that too

Personally I don’t really like the trend for crazy extravagance that there is at the moment. She’s two, just plan a nice day together, it doesn’t matter what the Joneses do... as long as she feels special and loved that’s the most important thing.

Mesmeri · 13/10/2018 16:23

I personally don't think it really matters what you do for 1st & 2nd birthdays... It's honestly more for you than the child at that stage. From 3 onwards they tend to get obsessed with their birthday and then you HAVE to do something.

My youngest has his 2nd birthday later this month and really, really doesn't need anything (he has 2 older brothers so we literally have EVERYTHING and then some) I'm getting him a Playmobil Noah's Ark because we don't already have one and it fits with his current interests and his brothers need to see him getting something... and we'll have a family day out and some cake and enjoy the fact that that will be a big thrill for him, no need for anything else this time round.

BendingSpoons · 13/10/2018 16:29

We went for cake, helium balloon, sticker books etc. We did buy presents but some were new clothes that she would have got anyway for the fun of opening. We visited the aquarium and had family round for cake but to be honest the cake was the main focus! It doesn't need to be a big thing at 2.

dotdashdot · 13/10/2018 16:45

My son will be 2 at the end of this month and we won't really be doing anything for his birthday. We will get a cake, a couple of balloons and he will probably end up with 5 presents to open but he doesn't really need anything. I have a 4 year old and they have so many toys I don't even know what else I could get. We did the same with his 2nd birthday (although he had quite a lot more presents...) but didn't bother with a party or anything. I think 3 was the age when I felt like he had to have more of a 'party' and even that was only going to soft play with 3 of his friends. We still haven't done a proper party.

crazycatbaby · 13/10/2018 16:55

My little one is two next week I have bought him something off Facebook selling site that I think he will like, and some clothes he needs 🤷🏻‍♀️will get him a ballon as he likes them. Going to playgroup in the morning so will just bring some party food there, and he's going to nursery in the afternoon, then grandparents round for tea and cake in the evening

Stroller15 · 13/10/2018 17:02

Hi OP, my ds1 turned 2 a month ago. We didn't do anything big either, had a big cake with a candle and singing and lots of cuddles and kisses. Went out for a family day out and just had a lovely day. Do what makes your dd happy. I don't think they mind at 1/2 yrs old anyway.

Alwayscheerful · 13/10/2018 17:46

Day out at a children's farm? Feed the ducks, donkeys, chickens, pigs etc, cake, candles and sing happy birthday. Not absolutely necessary for first and second birthdays but you will probably feel better if you do something different.

RoomWithALoon · 13/10/2018 18:30

We asked DD what she wanted for her second birthday (well, DH did, I thought it was a risky question, but...) She said balloons and biscuits. We got balloons and biscuits. We were away at the time, so she also kind of got a day at the seaside. She had a whale of a time!

Original poster

Emmafh3 · 13/10/2018 21:20

Letting her loose on the stickers!
Adding that to the list of things to do.

I think a lot of you are right with it being more for the parents than the kids.
I honestly don't even think my dd understands what a birthday is... Nobody in our family celebrates it with anything other than a cake of their choosing and a nice home cooked meal of their choice, then suffers the hours on the telephone saying thank you for the birthday wishes to family.
Guess she'll just learn birthdays are a little over rated soon and bonfire night is were the fun is at! (also don't do anything for Xmas or other holidays, perhaps times will change with a toddler)

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