At what age do kids stop having birthday parties?

[Anonymous]

Your neighbors are jerks. I agree with the PP's who said childhood is just getting fun around 7 and 8! Saying that you should stop birthday parties at 7 because they're too babyish is RIDICULOUS. Is their 8 year old day trading stocks or something? Why are they rushing childhood? They ARE still babies (relatively) and there is nothing sweeter than the smile on the birthday kid's face at their party. Believe me, when you look back at pictures of your 8 year old's birthday party you won't think "wow he was too old for that."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So they don't want *any* kids to have parties because they don't want *their* kids to have a party? And they don't want their kids to feel left out by not having a party they don't want to give, so they're trying to make sure no one has parties?

Yes. -OP

Oh, eff that. OP, do what you want! If you invite kids to a bday party, no doubt they will be thrilled and happy to come. Any parents that complain are welcome to parent their kids however they like, but get no say in how you parent yours.

[Anonymous]

Your neighbors sound bizarre controlling. Have a party if you want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are some parents in my neighborhood who are trying to stop the birthday party habit. Basically they are sick of hosting and attending birthday parties, so they're trying to "spread the word" that birthday parties should stop at age 7. I understand that birthday parties are expensive to host, and they can present a logistical challenge with weekend sports and other activities. The parents have convinced their kids that birthday parties are only for little kids. These are all parents with multiple kids, so I can see how this benefits them cost and logistics wise, but we're not all in the same boat as them. We don't find attending birthday parties to be a chore (yay drop off!) and hosting one every year for our only child isn't a financial issue for us either.

The issue is that my son is turning 8 in a few months and really loves to have birthday parties. Because of the new trend in our neighborhood, he's not sure if he should have one or not. I told him it's his birthday and he gets to choose and shouldn't worry about what other kids and families are doing. If he wants a party, we'll be happy to throw him one.

Has anyone else seen a group of parents try to strong arm everyone else into following what they want? They can choose whatever they want to do for their families--it's their trying to influence what other families do that I have an issue with.

So now my son doesn't know what to do. He doesn't want to be seen as a baby, but he also really wants to have a birthday party. We do the birthday party, correct? It's an invitation, not a summons, so anyone who has a conflict doesn't have to come. But I'm sure the other moms will be unhappy that I'm "ruining" their plan to get the kids their age to stop having birthday parties.

What is a typically natural age for birthday parties to stop? Before all this started happening, we were thinking one more big party this year and then starting at age 9 a fun activity for a smaller group of kids. The issue is that my son isn't good at paring down the group of kids--he has friends from a lot of different places and wants to include them all.

This is what we do.

[Anonymous]

do what you want this is america

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So they don't want *any* kids to have parties because they don't want *their* kids to have a party? And they don't want their kids to feel left out by not having a party they don't want to give, so they're trying to make sure no one has parties?

fr tho

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So they don't want *any* kids to have parties because they don't want *their* kids to have a party? And they don't want their kids to feel left out by not having a party they don't want to give, so they're trying to make sure no one has parties?

Yes. -OP

And how exactly are they “strong arming” others or influencing them? I really don’t get it. Other than vocally expressing their own opinion- which they are allowed to do, how can they possibly influence anyone on what they do for their own children?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So they don't want *any* kids to have parties because they don't want *their* kids to have a party? And they don't want their kids to feel left out by not having a party they don't want to give, so they're trying to make sure no one has parties?

Yes. -OP

And how exactly are they “strong arming” others or influencing them? I really don’t get it. Other than vocally expressing their own opinion- which they are allowed to do, how can they possibly influence anyone on what they do for their own children?

OP said other families are spreading the word that birthday parties are only for little kids. That is bizarre. It is one thing to choose not to have a party for your kids but to tell your 7 year old that nobody their age should be having a party is not normal behavior for parents.

[Anonymous]

My buttocks always hosts

[Anonymous]

There is no age cutoff. I know seniors in high school that have big birthday parties. The venues just change over the years from ones that toddlers enjoy to ones that tweens and then teens enjoy. Everyone 💕 loves to be invited to a party. Your neighbors are just cheap.

[Anonymous]

Invite whomever you/your child want! People can decline. It’s a party invitation, not a court summons. This year my second grader went to several all class or all boy parties, but chose to have a small party of 7 boys. I sincerely hope nobody was offended, but also…. I feel like if they were, that’s their choice.

[Anonymous]

My 4th grader has gone to approximately 50 thousand 10th laser tag or game truck birthday parties this year.

7 seems so little to stop parties. I would let your kid have the party he wants (or alternatively invite a few friends to take somewhere more expensive and/or sleepover in lieu of a big party).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have a party with school friends. Don’t invite your sour grapes neighbors

School friends are neighbor friends. They all play in the neighborhood, attend school together and play on sports teams together. -OP

How old are the parents that they are so exhausted over birthday parties?

We almost always had big parties in elementary school. It’s not difficult if you do it at a venue. I’ve rented out places like rolling rink, a room at a museum, anywhere we could have space alone. You pretty much just show up.

The last big one was a birthday party at age 14 at a downtown hotel. About 15 girls slept over at the hotel . The male guests left after dinner. After that birthdays were just a couple of kids going out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So they don't want *any* kids to have parties because they don't want *their* kids to have a party? And they don't want their kids to feel left out by not having a party they don't want to give, so they're trying to make sure no one has parties?

Yes. -OP

And how exactly are they “strong arming” others or influencing them? I really don’t get it. Other than vocally expressing their own opinion- which they are allowed to do, how can they possibly influence anyone on what they do for their own children?

OP said other families are spreading the word that birthday parties are only for little kids. That is bizarre. It is one thing to choose not to have a party for your kids but to tell your 7 year old that nobody their age should be having a party is not normal behavior for parents.

This is likely OPs interpretation. I highly doubt they are telling they are “spreading the word” to anyone other than their own kid. What kids say to each other, who cares? It’s not like they are amending the HOA or PTA bylaws to include to kid parties after age 7. Do what you want, as always

[Anonymous]

Just don’t invite those kids. The parents don’t want parties, don’t want to throw parties, so just don’t invite so they don’t have to deal with any of it.