Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless they decide they want a joint party, two parties. Each kid gets their own party.

Yep. But we don’t throw lavish events - cupcakes from a box, a Costco thing of chips, and a playground = party.

Ugh. I hate those parties. Especially the ones like that where you are expected to bring a gift.

+ 1. I’m sorry, PP, but I really hate those parties too unless it’s absolutely a no gift party.

+1 I really dislike these parties as well. It's not about the gifts. I don't care if I have to bring or not. It's more that it doesn't really feel like a party. As a parent I have to stay because I'm not comfortable leaving them in an open public park. There isn't anywhere for parents to sit, no coffee or snacks for parents. And there typically are not bathrooms. It's really not a well hosted party.

+3. With or without a gift expectation I hate park parties! It’s the park my kids go to everyday except with cupcakes. Nothing special about it.

+4. I loathe them too. I always feel so bad for the other kids at the park who look at the cupcakes and party favors longingly. Such a cheap-assed way to celebrate your kid’s birthday.

Its an invitation not a summons. You are free to decline. (Or just get over your petty annoyance. My kids still have fun at park parties - its still a treat to have all their friends there.)

We do decline. It’s not a “treat” for my kids or me.

I’m sorry the truth hurts you. Most people hate the park-party. We aren’t being petty, we’re being honest. Don’t give a party every year and you can afford a real party.

I don't have park parties - my kids have winter birthdays. But I'm happy to attend them and haven't noticed any lack of attendance by others. So glad my friends aren't like you, judging people over their lack of lavish kid birthday parties.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless they decide they want a joint party, two parties. Each kid gets their own party.

Yep. But we don’t throw lavish events - cupcakes from a box, a Costco thing of chips, and a playground = party.

Ugh. I hate those parties. Especially the ones like that where you are expected to bring a gift.

+ 1. I’m sorry, PP, but I really hate those parties too unless it’s absolutely a no gift party.

+1 I really dislike these parties as well. It's not about the gifts. I don't care if I have to bring or not. It's more that it doesn't really feel like a party. As a parent I have to stay because I'm not comfortable leaving them in an open public park. There isn't anywhere for parents to sit, no coffee or snacks for parents. And there typically are not bathrooms. It's really not a well hosted party.

+3. With or without a gift expectation I hate park parties! It’s the park my kids go to everyday except with cupcakes. Nothing special about it.

+4. I loathe them too. I always feel so bad for the other kids at the park who look at the cupcakes and party favors longingly. Such a cheap-assed way to celebrate your kid’s birthday.

Its an invitation not a summons. You are free to decline. (Or just get over your petty annoyance. My kids still have fun at park parties - its still a treat to have all their friends there.)

We do decline. It’s not a “treat” for my kids or me.

I’m sorry the truth hurts you. Most people hate the park-party. We aren’t being petty, we’re being honest. Don’t give a party every year and you can afford a real party.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless they decide they want a joint party, two parties. Each kid gets their own party.

Yep. But we don’t throw lavish events - cupcakes from a box, a Costco thing of chips, and a playground = party.

Ugh. I hate those parties. Especially the ones like that where you are expected to bring a gift.

+ 1. I’m sorry, PP, but I really hate those parties too unless it’s absolutely a no gift party.

+1 I really dislike these parties as well. It's not about the gifts. I don't care if I have to bring or not. It's more that it doesn't really feel like a party. As a parent I have to stay because I'm not comfortable leaving them in an open public park. There isn't anywhere for parents to sit, no coffee or snacks for parents. And there typically are not bathrooms. It's really not a well hosted party.

+3. With or without a gift expectation I hate park parties! It’s the park my kids go to everyday except with cupcakes. Nothing special about it.

+4. I loathe them too. I always feel so bad for the other kids at the park who look at the cupcakes and party favors longingly. Such a cheap-assed way to celebrate your kid’s birthday.

Its an invitation not a summons. You are free to decline. (Or just get over your petty annoyance. My kids still have fun at park parties - its still a treat to have all their friends there.)

Anonymous wrote:I'm late to this post and my experience is not close birthday related but when I was a child (late '80s) we only had a large (e.g., all class or more expensive venue) party on big birthdays (e.g., 5). There was no sibling rivalry or bickering since it was just based on age milestone. Other then that we had a cake at family dinner and, in addition to some gifts, the birthday person got treated to taking a single friend with them somewhere (e.g., the B&B circus). This is what I plan to do for my children.

+1.

I'm late to this post and my experience is not close birthday related but when I was a child (late '80s) we only had a large (e.g., all class or more expensive venue) party on big birthdays (e.g., 5). There was no sibling rivalry or bickering since it was just based on age milestone. Other then that we had a cake at family dinner and, in addition to some gifts, the birthday person got treated to taking a single friend with them somewhere (e.g., the B&B circus). This is what I plan to do for my children.

My siblings and I (3 of us) have birthdays within 20 days of each other. I’m the last one and it sucks. Please have separate parties.

My brothers were 11 months and 2 weeks apart. They had separate parties every year. Only exception was my parents gave them a choice of having two smaller bar mitzvah parties. They could have their own small kiddish lunch and a kids party or they could have a joint fancier party together. They chose the joint party. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been fair to alternate since I got a bday party every year. Granted, parties were cheaper when we were kids but parties don’t have to be fancy.

Anonymous wrote:Anticipating when covid is over.

If you have kids with birthday a couple weeks apart, do you alternate party years between the two. Obviously we’ll have family parties every year but I mean the entire class, family friend, neighbors party? One year is his year for a big party and the next year is hers?

My kids birthdays are 5/2 and 5/14.

I think it is fine to alternate every year. I don’t have this issue, but we don’t do big parties every year.

Anonymous wrote:We have a one-and-only who is just 3.5 so we had a big party (catered, entertainment, music) at her first birthday and then covid hit. But I like the alternating year idea with the off year being a special trip/weekend outing.

DD’s preschool has organized play dates at our park every Friday afternoon (with snacks) so I can’t imagine anyone doing the same thing on a Saturday and calling it a birthday party.

We have one too and have never done birthday parties every year. Either a party or a trip. Family party and presents of course,

My girls have the same birthday (5 years apart) and my son is the week before. Apparently I only get pregnant at one time of the year?? We just have 3 weeks of birthdays. In-laws choose which kid party to attend.

We don’t do birthday parties every year. We ask the kids what they want on their weekend- party or trip. A lot of times they choose a weekend trip like Busch gardens or something over a party. Or they want to take a friend to the circus or Disney on ice.

And yeah if you have cupcakes (not even food) in the park- that’s seriously a gift grab. Say no gifts on the invite

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless they decide they want a joint party, two parties. Each kid gets their own party.

Yep. But we don’t throw lavish events - cupcakes from a box, a Costco thing of chips, and a playground = party.

Ugh. I hate those parties. Especially the ones like that where you are expected to bring a gift.

+ 1. I’m sorry, PP, but I really hate those parties too unless it’s absolutely a no gift party.

+1 I really dislike these parties as well. It's not about the gifts. I don't care if I have to bring or not. It's more that it doesn't really feel like a party. As a parent I have to stay because I'm not comfortable leaving them in an open public park. There isn't anywhere for parents to sit, no coffee or snacks for parents. And there typically are not bathrooms. It's really not a well hosted party.

+3. With or without a gift expectation I hate park parties! It’s the park my kids go to everyday except with cupcakes. Nothing special about it.

+4. I loathe them too. I always feel so bad for the other kids at the park who look at the cupcakes and party favors longingly. Such a cheap-assed way to celebrate your kid’s birthday.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless they decide they want a joint party, two parties. Each kid gets their own party.

Yep. But we don’t throw lavish events - cupcakes from a box, a Costco thing of chips, and a playground = party.

Ugh. I hate those parties. Especially the ones like that where you are expected to bring a gift.

+ 1. I’m sorry, PP, but I really hate those parties too unless it’s absolutely a no gift party.

+1 I really dislike these parties as well. It's not about the gifts. I don't care if I have to bring or not. It's more that it doesn't really feel like a party. As a parent I have to stay because I'm not comfortable leaving them in an open public park. There isn't anywhere for parents to sit, no coffee or snacks for parents. And there typically are not bathrooms. It's really not a well hosted party.

+3. With or without a gift expectation I hate park parties! It’s the park my kids go to everyday except with cupcakes. Nothing special about it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless they decide they want a joint party, two parties. Each kid gets their own party.

Yep. But we don’t throw lavish events - cupcakes from a box, a Costco thing of chips, and a playground = party.

Ugh. I hate those parties. Especially the ones like that where you are expected to bring a gift.

+ 1. I’m sorry, PP, but I really hate those parties too unless it’s absolutely a no gift party.

+1 I really dislike these parties as well. It's not about the gifts. I don't care if I have to bring or not. It's more that it doesn't really feel like a party. As a parent I have to stay because I'm not comfortable leaving them in an open public park. There isn't anywhere for parents to sit, no coffee or snacks for parents. And there typically are not bathrooms. It's really not a well hosted party.

I used to hate those parties pre Covid. I would love them now but no one hosts them anymore.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless they decide they want a joint party, two parties. Each kid gets their own party.

Yep. But we don’t throw lavish events - cupcakes from a box, a Costco thing of chips, and a playground = party.

Ugh. I hate those parties. Especially the ones like that where you are expected to bring a gift.

+ 1. I’m sorry, PP, but I really hate those parties too unless it’s absolutely a no gift party.

+1 I really dislike these parties as well. It's not about the gifts. I don't care if I have to bring or not. It's more that it doesn't really feel like a party. As a parent I have to stay because I'm not comfortable leaving them in an open public park. There isn't anywhere for parents to sit, no coffee or snacks for parents. And there typically are not bathrooms. It's really not a well hosted party.

We have a one-and-only who is just 3.5 so we had a big party (catered, entertainment, music) at her first birthday and then covid hit. But I like the alternating year idea with the off year being a special trip/weekend outing.

DD’s preschool has organized play dates at our park every Friday afternoon (with snacks) so I can’t imagine anyone doing the same thing on a Saturday and calling it a birthday party.