Planning a birthday party for a young child is simple. They get excited about ANYTHING as long as it is called a PARTY. Presents and cake is really all the little kid thinks about. As for me, I am excited because I made good food and my friends are coming over with their kids. In my young motherhood mind, I thought it would always be like this. I understood that as they got older, it would become less like a 'family reunion' and more like 'kids playing games and I would get to enjoy my kids and watch them play with their good friends' kind of party. I am good with that.
My young motherhood mind never once considered the party that my young (too young to be dropped off) child would eventually be invited to. It starts in preschool and continues through Kindergarten. An invite comes home for a birthday party at So and So's house and my child desperately wants to go. Who is So and So, I ask. Oh, just a kid in my class that I know I never talk about and play with only sometimes, but please please PLEASE can I go?
Heres the thing. Since he is going, I am going. And since I don't even know who So and So is, I know that I get to hang out with a bunch of strangers. Don't get me wrong, I like meeting new people. I like getting to know the people in my child's class, I think that is important. But when I don't know ANYBODY, parties like this feel like work to me. Parties shouldn't be work. They should be fun. And my kid is having fun. Tons of it.
Today I get to go to a party at Pump It Up with E. One of his female classmates is turning 6 and she invited the whole class to come celebrate with her. However, she also mentioned to E that she didn't want HIM to come. So, for two weeks, E has told me that she doesn't want him there. I tell him that it is okay if he changes his mind and that he doesn't HAVE to go. I say that I wouldn't want to be somewhere where I am not wanted. He responds with, "Oh, I want to go. It is at PUMP IT UP!!"
The lesson that I learned is that at a young age, it isn't about celebrating someone's birth, it is all about location, location, location. And the goody bag.
My young motherhood mind never once considered the party that my young (too young to be dropped off) child would eventually be invited to. It starts in preschool and continues through Kindergarten. An invite comes home for a birthday party at So and So's house and my child desperately wants to go. Who is So and So, I ask. Oh, just a kid in my class that I know I never talk about and play with only sometimes, but please please PLEASE can I go?
Heres the thing. Since he is going, I am going. And since I don't even know who So and So is, I know that I get to hang out with a bunch of strangers. Don't get me wrong, I like meeting new people. I like getting to know the people in my child's class, I think that is important. But when I don't know ANYBODY, parties like this feel like work to me. Parties shouldn't be work. They should be fun. And my kid is having fun. Tons of it.
Today I get to go to a party at Pump It Up with E. One of his female classmates is turning 6 and she invited the whole class to come celebrate with her. However, she also mentioned to E that she didn't want HIM to come. So, for two weeks, E has told me that she doesn't want him there. I tell him that it is okay if he changes his mind and that he doesn't HAVE to go. I say that I wouldn't want to be somewhere where I am not wanted. He responds with, "Oh, I want to go. It is at PUMP IT UP!!"
The lesson that I learned is that at a young age, it isn't about celebrating someone's birth, it is all about location, location, location. And the goody bag.
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