How old is too old for a Princess party? 😢

[GabriellaFaith]

Please bear with me as an emotional and anxious mum!

My girls, currently 6 and 7 years old, LOVE Disney princesses. Every year since they were 3 we have done each of them an over the top princess party. We all absolutely love it and have so many precious happy memories. I love the magic and the excitement when they meet the princess and I spend months and months making all the details like the decorations just right.

Anyway! I had planned parties until they turn 10, with their best party to be when they turned 10 thinking that would be their last one believing in the magic etc. Something a bit extra special and with their favourite princess.

But when I was chatting to some other mums they said 8 would definitely be the last one, 9 year olds don't believe in santa or princesses etc. It's broke me!

So now I'm panicking, I need to book my eldests 8th birthday party soon and I am now wondering if I need it to be the big last special one I had planned for when she turned 10?! Also wondering if I need to go bankrupt and book Lapland this year too?! OMG!

I am so not ready for all the magic to end, and if I'm honest, I feel upset that I won't get to do all I had planned with them before they grow up. I know it sounds pathetic, but these parties mattered to me. My best memories of my own childhood are my parties and I wanted that for my girls too. I don't remember my first being born (I was very unwell in hospital at the time) and I had an emergency section for my second (under anasetic) so I feel like birthdays are especially important to celebrate and remember. They are big moments in their little lives.

Im sorry I am rambling, I am having chemo, all going to be fine, but making proper childhood magical memories feels overwhelmingly important to me right now and I'm worried I'm getting it wrong.

I am trying to be practical and realistic, if this is my last year, I am going all out 👊🤞

Please honest answers! Thanks so much! I'm impressed you read to the end! 🙈

And best wishes for the chemo

I don't have much advice other than to say you sound like a lovely mum.

I think you need to stop focussing so much on this stage of your children's lives as being the only one that matters.

As other posters have said, there are so many milestones to come - their 18th etc. You can go on spa breaks with them, out to shows, on holiday etc. There will always be new forms of magic and love.

This!

Just because it might be the last princess party, it doesn't mean that whatever theme the following parties are will be any less special, as it sounds like you put so much effort into them! They will definitely treasure these memories forever, nomatter the theme!

Also side note, I'm 32 and still love the magic of Christmas!!! The kids at school might disclose that Santa isn't real (which also breaks my heart as I'm dreading that day for my little one), but as long as you carry on the general magic in your house, it will never die xxx

My dd has just turned 9 and she and her friends would definitely not want a princess party. I have two daughters, one is older, and I can’t remember the last princess party either of them went to - probably when the older one was 6. I found that most parties moved on to trampoline park/climbing walls/total ninja etc when they were 7/8. I would enjoy them in the short term but be willing to change the plan if your daughters’ interests change.

Breath. Things won't always be the same as they are now, but you will make new and different memories with your children.

Have the big party now if you can and she wants it.

I just took my 15&12 year old sons to Disney, it was incredible, they loved it.

I teach 9/10 year olds (Year 5).

Not a single girl in my class would want a princess party. Or go to one! Definitely don't 'save up the magic'. 9 and 10 year olds are incredibly mature OP!

Nobody can tell you what either of them will want in a year's time. Or even next month. It sounds like you do big parties everyone enjoys so just carry on doing that this year and don't get hung up on it needing to be the best ever one in case it's the last.

My DD is turning 6 in December. Until.last week she wanted a soft play party. After going to a princess party at the weekend she now wants that. But she might change her mind again 5 times before December so I'm not booking anything yet.

Just be guided by them. If they want a princess party then do it, don't listen to other mums. They are all so different.

One of my DDs would have loved that at 8, the other would have preferred a football party.

THANKS EVERYONE! 😊

I just wanted to say thank you all so much everyone for all the comments. Really appreciate you being kind enough to take the time to help.

My panic has calmed down (a bit lol) today!

They both absolutely still want princess parties this year, but as it sounds like it might be their last, I am going to do the special ones and go all out. If they do still want them next year too, that's a bonus 😂

As a few of you have said Santa's still there after princesses, I think I am okay to leave Lapland for next year, but I think I will change plans so we go end of Nov instead of Christmas week, less chance of any older kids having ruined the magic if we go early 😉😂

I appreciate the comments from people saying birthdays will still be fun after that magic is gone. You are right, they will be. But I don't think anything will ever be quite as heart warming or they will ever have quite the same level of excitement! It seems wrong that we only really have between 3 and 8 years old, 5 precious years, to fit in so much wonder and fun before we grow up!

I hope everyone has a lovely Christmas (early, but I think it's the next big thing for most people 🤣) and thanks once again ♥️

They are too old when they no longer want a party like that. There is no set age when interests change