Not necessarily a Spoiled Brat….yet. But he is definitely embracing the celebration of self. This morning on the way to school he was singing repeatedly “I am 5 today. I am 5 today.” And then he asked in the same breath, “Why do I have to go to school today if it’s my birthday?” Oy. This indulgence is my creation.
I think birthdays are a big deal. (My own birthday celebration has morphed into a celebratory birth month!) We all know that the world can be a cruel and lonely place that doesn’t always shower the individual with love and acceptance. That hard lesson comes later. But for the here and now at the tender age of 5, all my boy needs to know and understand is that he is LOVED and is very special. I can’t help myself but to shower him with birthday surprises that I know will make him happy. I want a happy boy. I don’t want an indulgent child, or demanding child, or a truly spoiled child. Obviously, there is a line that may be crossed and I am keeping an eye on that line and gauging that indeed we don’t even get close! I don’t want to hand him the world on a silver platter either. But certainly at this age he can expect love, a birthday party, the toy that he really, really, really wants and lots of hugs and kisses.
The planning started last month in April. How did he want to celebrate his big day? His response: A party with ALL his classmates invited. Oh my! This, too, is an age of inclusion (which it should be if space and cost allow it, in my opinion). But where, oh where, does one have a inexpensive party for potentially 15+ very energetic kids? Most definitely NOT at my house! I checked out a few options around town, but none worked within my budget or my time preferences. (Like anything else in a highly populated area, advanced reservations are highly recommended. Six weeks prior to his party date, all the prime time slots were reserved.) Thankfully, I was able to convince him that a party at the playground would be incredibly fun.
He didn’t buy into the playground idea last year when we were in Alabama. In retrospect, I’m glad we had his party at an air-conditioned gymnastics center, because in mid-May, the weather is already hotter than Hades in the South. We would have melted in the 90+ degree weather. Fortunately a quick phone call 2 weeks prior, I was able to make a reservation for a prime time slot at the gymnastics center for the 20+ kids that were invited. Sometimes pokey, less populated Southern living has its perks!
Arlington has a gazillion well-maintained parks and playgrounds. Thanks to my new nanny friend, she knows all the great spots for preschoolers and introduced me to a newly renovated playground with bathrooms! I’m a just-in-time (Read: Procrastinator) kind of gal and we handed out invitations less than a week prior. The party was held on our regular day off from school and I was pleasantly surprised how well attended it was by both mommy and kiddos. The weather even held out for us, although there was a forecast of showers. It did rain but not until well after the party was over.
The boy loved playing with all his friends on the playground. Good old fashioned fun – climbing, jumping, running, chasing, pretending, and using the imagination -- with very few referee interventions from the mommy watch group. When it was time for cake, he also loved being the center of attention with the birthday song and blowing out the candles. The mound of presents from his generous friends (Remind me to discuss “No Gifts” for next year!) were saved for opening at home, which I think is the norm for this age group. Thank goodness because it took us nearly an hour!
Happy Birthday Memories are almost complete. The boy is finishing up his Thank You cards, which are twofold on my part. One, I won’t let him play/open any of his gifts until he writes his thank you’s. We all know that if we don’t write a thank you note right away, it will never get done, right? (wink) Two, writing a thank you, besides its obvious lesson, is a time-filler and an exercise for the boy to practice his letters. Writing his name 16 times and then the names of all his friends was a concentration challenge. Since he really wanted to open his toys, he completed the thank you project in two sittings. I was impressed.
To finish the birthday week celebration, we still had his school celebration which involved eating lunch with the Boy at school, handing out special birthday treats, sharing photos/information with his classmates and reading a story. I tenaciously hold onto themes with the idea that it makes life easier. Star Wars once again….this time Star War Cupcakes. Williams-Sonoma sells kits. Of course, just-in-time gal that I am, sometimes I have to resort to foregoing sleep to make deadlines. I was baking cupcakes at midnight. My efforts, however, paid off as the cupcakes turned out well. Most importantly, I had a happy boy. Will he remember the details? Probably not. May he always remember that he is LOVED. That’s all I want.
