Confession: I love throwing my kids birthday parties. LOVE IT. I know many mommies that are the exact opposite, and for good reason. A trip to Disney is always fun, and yes… probably cheaper, but I’ll take a good old bounce house party over Mickey any day! Throwing a party can take a lot of time, something working moms have none of. But I think it’s worth it and here’s why.
The big reason, is socialization. For both my kids and myself. Since my husband and I grew up down here, we are lucky to have tons of friends. Friends from college, friends we grew up with… all living nearby. When we were in our 20’s we would go on big group trips together, meetup on the weekends for dinners, or go to concerts. When kids came along, those occasions became few and far between. It’s hard to get together and everyone understands why. Now, the only time we all see each other is at the birthday parties for our kids. I love catching up while the kids run around, seeing how the children have grown, and promising each other that we will get together more often, for real this time. (never happens…)
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| My dear friends who I have known since middle school recreating the picture our children took at Hudson’s 5th birthday party |
Another reason is family. I grew up as an only child. I would see my grandmother sometimes, and talk to a cousin here and there… but basically it was my mom, dad, and I. It wasn’t bad, cause it was all I had known. When I met my husband he had a huge family and I LOVE it. Family is something that should really be cherished, and I think sometimes we get too busy to remember that. I love watching my kids great-grandma and great-aunt at parties. They sit together and watch all the kids… talking to each other and smiling. They always thank me for having a party and say how nice it is to see all the cousins together. It’s great.
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| Even Miss Mila got into character |
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| Rocking our Star Wars Angry Bird t-shirts |
Finally, kids grow up so fast. I want to celebrate every milestone they have, while I at least have a say in it. I know they may not always want a party… they may actually choose a vacation instead of a party, which would be fine with me. But right now, my son starts planning his next birthday party the day after his is over. He helps me pick out his invites and what party favors he thinks his friends will like the best. It’s a fun time for us to bond.
It doesn’t have to be a huge, expensive production. Call your family and friends, order some pizza, and go to a nearby park. Make some birthday memories, Mickey isn’t going anywhere.
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