Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IDGAF what present the kid got and am glad we don't have to sit through that waste of time.

It would just be the kids though. I can’t think of the last kids party that had parents stay.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some kids have searing, awful memories of those times OP. Imagine if you couldn’t give a “good” gift or if yours was meager compared to someone else. It became a pissing contest that, like always, generally embarrassed some kid with less money than everyone else who remembers it as “a fun time”.

Also, we’re all drowning in crap.

This.

Imagine the kids laughing at the gift that your kid brought.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is not good with diplomatic responses and at age 6 I worried about a weird face and an honest comment that would hurt a gift givers feelings.

He also had friends who we knew couldn’t afford a gift or a big gift and I didn’t want those kids to feel embarrassed because they didn’t bring something or brought something small.

Because opening gifts is boring to watch.

Now, at 11, most of his gifts are gift cards to activities that he likes and that is boring to watch open.

That’s your kids problem and a reflection on you if you haven’t taught him better

I also think it’s really not a big deal if a 6 year old makes a face and another 6 years old is disappointed by that. That’s life and we should be letting our kids have at least some tiny doses or real life, no?

Why though? If opening gifts at a party served some purpose that made it more important than kids being rude to each other, then maybe. But what is the point?

I am so glad the tradition is gone, personally. It’s a waste of time. I didn’t allow it at my baby shower because I think it’s boring, both for the person opening the gifts (don’t they want to be having fun and enjoying their guests?) and for those who have to watch it. For my baby shower a small group (my mom and hostesses)came to our afterwards and watched me open gifts and helped me track. That was enough.

I mean, maybe I am lame but I think this fun. I put thought into my gifts and I like to see the recipient open it. It’s the same with Christmas. With kid birthdays, my kid usually comes with me and we chat about what the bday girl or boy likes, he draws a card, and we do our best to put together something fun. Kid usually decorates the wrapping paper with stickers. It would be fun to watch the bday girl or boy open the gift. Why not?

As it is, we buy and wrap and drop off, never knowing how the recipient received it or felt about it. It feels a little like giving a gift card or something. Impersonal.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a four year old and we’ve never been to a party that didn’t say “no gifts,” I’m hoping the trend continues!!

Similar, I’ve only been to on non no-gifts party

Anonymous wrote:I have a four year old and we’ve never been to a party that didn’t say “no gifts,” I’m hoping the trend continues!!

Anonymous wrote:Some kids have searing, awful memories of those times OP. Imagine if you couldn’t give a “good” gift or if yours was meager compared to someone else. It became a pissing contest that, like always, generally embarrassed some kid with less money than everyone else who remembers it as “a fun time”.

Also, we’re all drowning in crap.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When we were kids most parties were at home. There wasn't much to do other than sign happy birthday, eat cake, and play. Opening gifts was an activity that helped kill time. Most of the parties nowadays are either at some location (laser tag, bowling, etc), but even at home, they are a lot more structured. My kid went to an at-home party where they played outdoor laser tag; another time there was a video game van parked in front of the house and all the kids gamed. There's less time now for things like opening gifts.

+1. We would play pin the tail on the donkey (you could buy a kit at K-mart), duck duck goose, and then there was nothing to do but open presents and eat cake.

+1

We weren't on the clock at a birthday venue.

Anonymous wrote:My kids are young teens and always did this at their elementary bday parties and so did most of their friends at their parities. Never for big parties or parties at event spaces. But when they started having sleep overs. It’s cute, they all got excited to open and see .

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is not good with diplomatic responses and at age 6 I worried about a weird face and an honest comment that would hurt a gift givers feelings.

He also had friends who we knew couldn’t afford a gift or a big gift and I didn’t want those kids to feel embarrassed because they didn’t bring something or brought something small.

Because opening gifts is boring to watch.

Now, at 11, most of his gifts are gift cards to activities that he likes and that is boring to watch open.

That’s your kids problem and a reflection on you if you haven’t taught him better

+1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is not good with diplomatic responses and at age 6 I worried about a weird face and an honest comment that would hurt a gift givers feelings.

He also had friends who we knew couldn’t afford a gift or a big gift and I didn’t want those kids to feel embarrassed because they didn’t bring something or brought something small.

Because opening gifts is boring to watch.

Now, at 11, most of his gifts are gift cards to activities that he likes and that is boring to watch open.

That’s your kids problem and a reflection on you if you haven’t taught him better

I also think it’s really not a big deal if a 6 year old makes a face and another 6 years old is disappointed by that. That’s life and we should be letting our kids have at least some tiny doses or real life, no?

Why though? If opening gifts at a party served some purpose that made it more important than kids being rude to each other, then maybe. But what is the point?

I am so glad the tradition is gone, personally. It’s a waste of time. I didn’t allow it at my baby shower because I think it’s boring, both for the person opening the gifts (don’t they want to be having fun and enjoying their guests?) and for those who have to watch it. For my baby shower a small group (my mom and hostesses)came to our afterwards and watched me open gifts and helped me track. That was enough.

Perhaps it is a moment to teach gratitude, happiness for others and that one does not constantly having to be “doing” in order not to feel bored. Life is not always about your personal entertainment, PP.

DP. It also doesn't have to be about the personal entertainment of the weirdos who like watching a six year old open a toy, but no one seems to have explained that to them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is not good with diplomatic responses and at age 6 I worried about a weird face and an honest comment that would hurt a gift givers feelings.

He also had friends who we knew couldn’t afford a gift or a big gift and I didn’t want those kids to feel embarrassed because they didn’t bring something or brought something small.

Because opening gifts is boring to watch.

Now, at 11, most of his gifts are gift cards to activities that he likes and that is boring to watch open.

That’s your kids problem and a reflection on you if you haven’t taught him better

I also think it’s really not a big deal if a 6 year old makes a face and another 6 years old is disappointed by that. That’s life and we should be letting our kids have at least some tiny doses or real life, no?

Why though? If opening gifts at a party served some purpose that made it more important than kids being rude to each other, then maybe. But what is the point?

I am so glad the tradition is gone, personally. It’s a waste of time. I didn’t allow it at my baby shower because I think it’s boring, both for the person opening the gifts (don’t they want to be having fun and enjoying their guests?) and for those who have to watch it. For my baby shower a small group (my mom and hostesses)came to our afterwards and watched me open gifts and helped me track. That was enough.

Perhaps it is a moment to teach gratitude, happiness for others and that one does not constantly having to be “doing” in order not to feel bored. Life is not always about your personal entertainment, PP.

But a kid birthday party is supposed to be that— entertainment. I’m not worried teaching other kids that particular lesson at a kid birthday party.