On Saturday we had a birthday party for my now-six-year-old. As a
result I feel like I've been beaten about the head and neck with a
club, and I could probably sleep ten hours every night for the next
three months. But I wouldn't change a thing. We've written a ton about the over-the-top party
here, and I will gladly admit that measured against our lifestyle, our
parties really push excess. We invite a million kids, hire a
professional to dress up like a mermaid and do face painting and magic,
give out bulging party favor bags, and serve enough cake and pizza to
feed a small nation. And I'm all for it. Here's why:
1. While I love the idea of inviting one kid for every year of your
kid's age, there's a problem with that one for us. See, my kid is a
total extrovert. At our progress report meetings with her teachers they
always say, "she plays with everyone." She also holds
friendships well, and now has friends from preschool, kindergarten, her
camp, the park, and our social circle. This means narrowing a guest
list for her shindig causes more angst than our wedding guest list did.
I like her super-shmoozy nature, and I'm willing to pay the price in
stress and noise to keep encouraging that sociability.
Read More...
