At what age do kids stop having birthday parties?

[Anonymous]

I'm with your neighbors 100%. Time to move on.

[Anonymous]

DD opted not to have one at 7 because she REALLY wanted a Nintendo Switch so we offered her that in lieu of a party. She was thrilled, and decided this year she doesn't want a party either. She's going to grab her 2 BFF's and we'll take them to the mall to see a movie, grab some food and maybe build a bear or American Girl or something.

[Anonymous]

Oh geez. My 9 year old has already been to three 10th birthday parties this year and my 7 year old has been to or been invited to about seven 8th birthday parties! They may get smaller but they don’t disappear.

[Anonymous]

When the kid is no longer interested. Guess what? Never happens for most kids. Ignore what the neighbors do. Do a drop off party for 1st grade and later, drop off your own child at classmates’ parties. Most kids don’t have neighbors invited unless they’re also classmates after they start kinder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are the polar opposite of these families. We do not do the parties when the kids are little because they hardly remember them, a lot of it is just for adults, little ones get easily overwhelmed, etc. It is a big deal in our family when the child gets to have their first “real” birthday party. For my daughter this summer turning 8, it will be her first one!

I really cannot stand when parents try to rush childhood. And now they are over it? No duh, Sherlocks. I could have told you that. Well, do not ruin it for the rest of us who exercised patience and now our children can still genuinely the true joy of childhood. Sorry YOU made foolish decisions early in so now you are exhausted and your kids are jaded.

And now they try to turn it around and get moralistic about it and impose it on others? That is rich, really rich.

I like your post.

+2 I’d love to hear what else you do to preserve your kids’ childhood, PP. I love your philosophy.

[Anonymous]

9yo sleepover, 8 friends. Drop off started around noon, one had a commitment and missed dinner/movie. Playing/talking, they made a pizza, went to a movie, got froyo on the way back, frosted and ate a cupcake, turned on music in the basement. Lights off at 10, quiet at midnight. Girls were up by 6am and helping make a huge breakfast spread (pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon/turkey bacon, veggie omelets, fruit salad, etc). Played around and talked for hours, pick up was as convenient to their families but cut off was 11.

Two younger siblings were not involved, doing something else with the other parent. No idea why this wouldn’t be considered a party.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are the polar opposite of these families. We do not do the parties when the kids are little because they hardly remember them, a lot of it is just for adults, little ones get easily overwhelmed, etc. It is a big deal in our family when the child gets to have their first “real” birthday party. For my daughter this summer turning 8, it will be her first one!

I really cannot stand when parents try to rush childhood. And now they are over it? No duh, Sherlocks. I could have told you that. Well, do not ruin it for the rest of us who exercised patience and now our children can still genuinely the true joy of childhood. Sorry YOU made foolish decisions early in so now you are exhausted and your kids are jaded.

And now they try to turn it around and get moralistic about it and impose it on others? That is rich, really rich.

I like your post.

+2 I’d love to hear what else you do to preserve your kids’ childhood, PP. I love your philosophy.

We've done this too. Not on purpose or bc it was a philosophy but I just didn't see the point of daycare class birthday parties. We didn't know any of those families and the kids don't really care. So we just had BBQ parties with our friends and their kids until school, and even in kindergarten for one who preferred it. They were the same "level" of friends as daycare friends, so why do the whole bounce house/Chuck e cheese stuff with people who you don't know and have to socialize with at age 3? It just didn't make sense to me

[Anonymous]

Wow, these neighbors are ballsy! What a bunch of jerks. What neighborhood is this?

[Anonymous]

Yeah birthday parties are finally getting fun in upper elementary! All that Elmo and diapers and plastic crap at “parties” for 2 yr olds is what wore me down. Enjoy parties at these older years. And your neighbors sound like control freak brats.

[Anonymous]

He will follow your lead. If you stand your ground on just having a simple party at home, he will blindly follow your lead. He’s 7 and kids that young shouldn’t be burdened with the decisions you describe you as dealing with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish I had neighbors like that who oppose birthday parties for older kids. Birthday parties are such a chore, I absolutely hate them. All that junk food that goes with that and running loud kids. Can we keep things simple and just celebrate birthdays within family?

Of course we can - no one can force you to attend OR to host.

[Anonymous]

I can't imagine being SO close to a group of unrelated parents that they influence my parenting choices.

[Anonymous]

Stopping at seven seems ridiculous. I know a couple of kids who had their very first friend birthday party at age 7. Personally one of my kids had his last party at 10 and the other one at 12. now for birthdays we do very low-key pizza and a couple of friends for a movie or something like that, If we do anything at all. FWIW, The birthday hang out does not involve gifts of any kind.

[Anonymous]

We started doing smaller parties in 1st grade...3 or 4 friends doing a special activity or having a sleepover instead of inviting 12+ to some kind of party type place. But no, we haven't stopped celebrating birthdays. All the birthdays when you are a kid should be amazing.

[Anonymous]

I would throw my son a wonderful birthday party. I would let him select all the details and I would make it really over the top.