I wrote once before about the kiddie birthday parties I had been attending. Time to talk just a little bit more about the same.
For the past couple of months, all our weekends have been devoted to attending birthday parties of K's school friends, sometimes twice in one evening. The whole class is invited. There is a big bouncy. The venues are big- mostly farmhouse residences, and in many cases the return gifts seem to cost more money than the gifts I have given out.
It is a bit scary.
We do not believe in such. Kiddie parties should be just that- and not a show of wealth. But I guess that really can't be controlled. The kids are happy with a bouncy- it could be in the middle of a park, and cake and yes, you just can't do without it- popcorn! I admit that now before you make your child say goodbye and thank you, the inevitable question of a return gift does pop up, but that is easily taken care of.
And that leaves me with rich parents wanting to spend the most, do the best, have the biggest parties. I was recently at one where the only drink on offer was champagne :-)
Is it just a question of the school your child is going to- I think not.
And the next one, if this is the scale of a 5 year old's birthday, what will the scale of their weddings be? Luckily that bridge is quite some distance off, not done away with, just to be tackled later.
It then becomes even more important to teach the little ones, value of friendships and all the things money can't buy; 'even though there's mastercard for them'!!!
How did my parents do it? I can only hope and pray we do even half the great job they did.
For the past couple of months, all our weekends have been devoted to attending birthday parties of K's school friends, sometimes twice in one evening. The whole class is invited. There is a big bouncy. The venues are big- mostly farmhouse residences, and in many cases the return gifts seem to cost more money than the gifts I have given out.
It is a bit scary.
We do not believe in such. Kiddie parties should be just that- and not a show of wealth. But I guess that really can't be controlled. The kids are happy with a bouncy- it could be in the middle of a park, and cake and yes, you just can't do without it- popcorn! I admit that now before you make your child say goodbye and thank you, the inevitable question of a return gift does pop up, but that is easily taken care of.
And that leaves me with rich parents wanting to spend the most, do the best, have the biggest parties. I was recently at one where the only drink on offer was champagne :-)
Is it just a question of the school your child is going to- I think not.
And the next one, if this is the scale of a 5 year old's birthday, what will the scale of their weddings be? Luckily that bridge is quite some distance off, not done away with, just to be tackled later.
It then becomes even more important to teach the little ones, value of friendships and all the things money can't buy; 'even though there's mastercard for them'!!!
How did my parents do it? I can only hope and pray we do even half the great job they did.
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