CELEBRATING BIRTHDAYS

While keeping it simple

Avoid comparisons.  Birthdays are an occasion that most children look forward to.  Talk to your child about your family’s traditions and views about birthday parties. Remember, there are many ways you can make a party special and fun for your child and his friends. Kids are happy as long as there is food, fun, and friends!

Involve your child.  Involve your child in the party planning and preparation. While you should guide her by giving choices and setting limits, let her plan the theme, location, guest list, activities, and menu.

Keep it manageable.  Invite a reasonable number of guests. 1-2 hours is plenty of time for a toddler or pre-school party. Create the guest list with your child so you know who is coming, and include the pick-up and drop-off times in the invitation. Before the party, talk to your child about acceptable behaviour.

Have a back-up plan.  With kids, even the most perfectly planned party needs a “plan B”. If your party will be outdoors, make sure you are able to move it inside if it rains or choose a “rain date”. Remember, children have a short attention span so plan plenty of activities to keep your young guests busy.

Make it a teachable moment.  Birthdays can be a wonderful opportunity to help your child learn some important things that are not taught in the classroom. For example, having your child write or sign his own thank you notes teaches him gratitude (and helps with writing skills, too!). If your child gets money from relatives, suggest that he put aside some in a savings account, or give some back to a worthy cause.

Celebrate in school.   Children loves to celebrate their birthdays in school with their peers. Often, this involves bringing cupcakes or other treats for your child’s classmates. Talk to your child’s teacher about school policies and offer to get creative in addition to bringing in food. Having you take time out of your schedule to be in her classroom will make your child’s birthday even more special.

Set aside some family time.  Even if your child’s birthday falls on a weekday, make it a point to have breakfast together before everyone takes off for work and/or school, or plan a family dinner. Birthdays are a great time to make some family traditions.

It's all about your child!  The bottom line is your child’s birthday is a special day, and it’s ok to relax the rules and spoil your child just a little bit. Making a big deal about her birthday shows your child that she is special to you and a loved member of the family. Finally, remember to applaud yourself for raising a beautiful, precious little person!