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Leap day babies - do you have one? Or are you one yourself?

39 replies

RowanMumsnet · 15/01/2016 14:33

Afternoon all

MNHQ here, on the scrounge for your thoughts and experiences on the topic of leap year birthdays (by which we mean babies born actually on February 29th during a leap year).

We were wondering how you explain the concept of astronomical years to young children, whether leap day babies tend to feel special or a bit deprived, how families tackle birthdays in years that aren't leap years, and whether you tend to have extra-special birthdays in leap years... things like that.

(Yes, we have been checking our Year Ahead calendars, and yes, it is a leap year.)

All thoughts welcome
thanks
MNHQ

OP posts:

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CordeliaFrost · 22/01/2016 20:44

I celebrate my birthday in February, because I was born in February, I am NOT a March baby.

Legally in the UK, a leap year day baby comes of age on 1 March (although in the U.S., where I'm originally from, 28 February is the legal birthday), but that doesn't mean we have to celebrate on that day.

WannaBeAMummy16 · 20/01/2016 17:34

I don't understand why anybody would celebrate the birthday on the 28th. If it hadn't been a leap year, they would have been on March 1st...!

Noodledoodledoo · 17/01/2016 19:28

Oh and Facebook has no idea when to celebrate it either - my husbands birthday never gets the automatic reminder sent to people on a non leap year! (or it didn't - no doubt its changed again now!)

Fivegomad · 17/01/2016 17:56

I am a Leapling......turning 10 this year.
My mum always made me wait till the 1st March as she said I would have been born by then, but not by 28th Feb, if that makes sense. I was always so frustrated, really just wanted my birthday to arrive !!!
As a teen/ twenties I would just have a birthday that covered both dates.
My brother made a point of calling me bang on midnight between the two days( not now though, too old for that shenanigans )
Now a mum, I get a bit forgotten, tricky to explain when the kids were smaller, but I do still get extra excited when I finally get a real one.
( mind you, my DH still cannot understand why I am still cross that on my last real birthday he went out to dinner with his boss!!!!!!!! Fgs, you only have to bother once every four years man!!!!)

AndNowItsSeven · 17/01/2016 16:29

Surely celebrating on the 1st of March makes more sense as the birthday is the day after the 28th of February.

Buxtonstill · 17/01/2016 16:19

My nephew is extra talented. Doing his exams this year at the age of 4! We celebrate it on 1st March :-)

harboromummy · 17/01/2016 10:48

My daughter was the first leap year baby born at the hospital.
She was born at 12.33am :)

She was due on the 16th Feb but decided to stay put.

On her 4th birthday we went Disney land.

This year she will be 8/2. She finds it funny and plays on the "I'm only one".

newhouseplease · 16/01/2016 22:04

DD is a leapling and it will be her first real birthday this year, so as previous posters have said at 3 nearly 4 she is a bit young to understand the concept, although we've always told her she's very special as she was born on a day that only happens every 4 years. We celebrate on 1st March as she's not a year older on 28th but she can choose when she understands, if she's anything like me she'll choose to celebrate both days! I'm excited its her real birthday this year and we will definitely make a big thing every leap year with extra special presents. We were also considering a summer half birthday celebration in non birthday years on 29 August so she gets to have some summer birthday parties when she doesn't have a real birthday that year.

rushandpush · 16/01/2016 21:50

I'm a leaper - I celebrate on the 28th on non-leap years but it never feels quite right. I love a leap year and a real birthday. People who miss my non- birthdays remember my birthday on a leap year so it's great to have some extra fanfare every 4 years. It's definitely an extra special birthday - more cards, texts and presents.
Apparently the midwife asked my mum what date she preferred for registering my birth - she chose the 28th to keep it in February.
I'm not sure about it being described as a special birthday by everyone though - according to the midwife I was destined to be awkward and contrary on grounds that I held on for a few extra hours (grin)

ProcrastinatorGeneral · 16/01/2016 19:59

Bike East Coast town, tutor group SM?

PegsPigs · 16/01/2016 19:16

My DD was born very late on 28th February (although admittedly not in a leap year I was so out of it I did ask if it was a leap year!) I imagine I would have celebrated on 1st March as it's the day after 28th. And legally you turn an age on the 1st date not 28th.

HicDraconis · 16/01/2016 18:25

DH was born 10-15 mins into Feb 29. The midwife decided to put the time down officially as 11:55 on Feb 28 for some weird reason that she thought it would make his life easier. According to FiL anyway; MiL can't remember as she was exhausted and fogged with the gas.

He celebrates Feb 28th in non leap years (his official birthday) but Feb 29 in leap years because that's his real one. He would have preferred the midwife not to make the decision she did but it's over 40 years ago now.

gobbynorthernbird · 16/01/2016 17:22

DD celebrates on the 28th, so it is still the same month. She's 20 this year and my dad is still making his 'joke' about her only getting presents once every 4 years. That really goes down well with a child...

HairyMaclary · 16/01/2016 12:16

My FIL is a leapling, we are having a huge 20th party for him this year. Him being him means he doesn't celebrate his birthday when it's not a leap year, we all send him cards/presents etc but he doesn't really 'do' birthdays unless it's a real one!

Somethingkindaooh · 16/01/2016 12:11

stealth

My dad only buys me a present on my actual leap year birthdays.. Obvs my mum does it usually on a non birthday year but it's his funny thing.

stealtheatingtunnocks · 16/01/2016 11:45

Also, she tells her friends that she doesn't get a party or a present unless it's a leap year. "Mum says it's not my birthday"

Funny kid.

stealtheatingtunnocks · 16/01/2016 11:44

I've got one! DD is about to turn "3", with great pomp and circumstance.

She was 6 before she really understood the significance, and delights in all the wrong aged cards she gets sent every 4 years.

We're in Scotland, and the school cut off date is... 29th Feb. So, she couldn't be any younger in her year. Of course, we could have deferred her, but I had 3 kids under 4, so it was best she went to school before I became an alcoholic. Meant she was a whopping 18 months younger than the oldest kid in the year (who was extra deferred due to SENs) - but, she's been absolutely fine in school.

Celebrate on 28th for same reasons as PP - Feb birthday, innit?

Primary 4 used her in their space topic to explain what leap years are. She bloody loved that - but, she likes a bit of attention.

She was due on the 12th Feb. I suspect she hung on to get that wee bit of attention.

Andrewofgg · 16/01/2016 11:39

Slightly o/t but I remember that in 1974 (a common year) there was a general election on 28 February and the question arose whether those who were on the register as attainers having been born on 29 February 1956 could vote. Returning officers in different constituencies took different views, whichever government department was concerned did not take a view and it was never tested in court. And now that elections are fixed to be in May, it never will be!

CatThiefKeith · 16/01/2016 11:36

A friend of mine is celebrating her 'sweet sixteen' with a huge party this year. She normally celebrates on the 28th Feb, but tends to go all our for her actual birthday when it's a leap year.

SoThatHappened · 16/01/2016 11:27

My friend celebrates on 28th February as she said she was born on the last day of the month in February. Makes sense I guess. She really wasnt born in March

Somethingkindaooh · 16/01/2016 09:00

I was saying to my dd there will come a day when she has had more real birthdays than me..she was very confused!

Finola1step · 16/01/2016 08:57

My Grandad had a leap year birthday. He celebrated his birthday on Feb 28th. But I do remember him telling us he was 17 and then 18. It was all very funny as a kid.

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ShoeJunkie · 16/01/2016 08:53

DS1 is a leap year baby - it's his first 'proper' birthday this year (so both DS are turning 1!).
At the moment he doesn't really seems to understand the concept though.
We alway celebrate on 28th Feb as we reasoned that his birthday would always be on the last day of Feb that way.
I also found out that the year he turns 18 he will not be officially an adult until 1st March.

helenahandbag · 16/01/2016 08:42

It's interesting that so many people celebrate on 28th February. I'd never thought about it being 'in the right month' - my dad celebrates on 1st March because his birthday hasn't 'happened' yet on the 28th.

Noodledoodledoo · 16/01/2016 07:54

My husband is a leap year birthday. He is 10 this year! I joke to my secondary students about it and some of them really struggle to understand lots think if he doesn't have a birthday he doesn't get older!

He celebrates on 28th same as previous it's the right month.

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