How Do we Compete With this? - Birthday Parties

Kirstenmumof3 wrote: I was in shock yesterday when Emily came home from her friends Birthday Party. She is only 9 and there were 12 kids at the party. Her friend had a bowling party and in the loot bags there was a homemade CD, jolly rancher candies (a big package) and a $5.00 gift card for Walmart! OMG I just don't understand why parents need to spend so much on lutebags! Kinda puts Emily's Birthday Party to shame. We had it at the Museum where my DH works and we had a mexican theme. The kids made ponchos out of pillow cases and in the lute bags I had little notebooks, pencils, stickers, erasers and microwave popcorn. We also had a pinata. We made soft tacos and a sangria. I think we spent about $120.00 total on her party! When my DH went to pick up Emily from her friends party he overheard one of the girls saying she was having a Spa party. I asked him what that was and he said she was inviting 3 of her friends and they were going to a spa to have facials, manicures and pedicures. This won't be until January and she will be turning 10! What happened to simple Birthday parties? I knew the school my kids went to was a RITZY school and that a lot of the parents had money, but I wasn't expecting this in GRADE 4!

ediep replied: I think Emily's party sounds great!!! I love creative themes!!!
Don't worry about trying to compete with others parties, I think the parents were just trying to be generous (not showy) with the loot bags.

MommyToAshley replied: I think Emily's party sounds like a lot of fun, and that is what the kids will remember, not how much money was spent. I mean really, how fun could a spa be at age 10???!!?? Maybe I am way off, but I don't think I was into that kind of thing at age 10!

3_call_me_mama replied: I agree with everyone else... Emily's party sounds like a lot of fun, and i don't really think a 10 year old could appreciate a spa party..... maybe the parent jsut wants a spa ay and can justify it if she totes some kids along?!

coasterqueen replied: I agree I think Emily's party sounds great! My SIL is a lot like the ones you speak of. I always feel like I can't compare when it comes to the parties she throws for her kids, but as long as I know my child is having fun that's what is important .

Kaitlin'smom replied: oh my a spa party for 10 year olds.....maybe 16 year olds but not 10. I would not worry as long as she has fun thats what matters, I would not worry about tring to compete if you start now it will just get worse.

DansMom replied: I think Emily's party sounds fun too! Bowling sounds fun as well. Kids who like each other will have a good time no matter how much money is spent by the parent. I don't think it matters what is in the loot bags---people who have the money to spend just set that precedent for themselves because they want to; I don't think they are trying to set the bar high for other folks. I'm sure there are other moms going Huh? Just like you.

The spa party---that whole idea makes me ill, but I was never the spa type anyway. And I don't like anything that makes little girls out to be like teenagers or adults.

Kirstenmumof3 replied: Thanks everyone! You responses have made me feel so much better! I always worry that Emily and Spencer don't have enough! I guess this goes back to when I was a kid. I wore hand-me-downs from my sister and for my Birthday because it was in September I got clothes. That was really the only time I got new clothes, my sister and brother were both born in the spring and yes they got clothes for there birthdays too, but they also go back to school clothes in September as well. I never dressed in style, I never had the COOL toys! Okay I'll stop whining now!

heavenly_1970 replied: Ya know...my mom would always say to us "Even if I had the money, I still wouldnt buy it for you." At the time I couldnt understand why. Now that Im older and have 2 kids of my own, I know exactly what she meant! When my kids come home wanting a 4wheeler b/c Brett from down the street has one, or a new pair of $200 sneakers b/c Jaycie got some...I just tell them that they will be a better person for not being spoiled rotten! My children do NOT go without but I do NOT spoil them.

I think your party sounded like great fun and Im sure your child will remember what a great time everyone had, not the amount of money that was spent.

kimberley replied: spa party?!?! that is ridiculous at that age, imho. talk about spoiled and completely age inappropriate! your loot bags sound a lot like mine and i never had any complaints. i think your party sounds perfect for her age and lots of fun!

Josie83 replied:
That is the best philosophy to have if you ask me! i would absolutely hate for Cassie to be spoiled! She doesn't get very much but she's always perfectly happy with what she does have . . . some children around her age that we know get given just about everything that they want, and they have a very short attention span and are prone to chucking tantrums and being terrors just to get what they want . . . I'm not saying that's the only reaosn why children are like that, but in some cases I think it has a lto to do wth it. Cassie can spend an afternoon playing with a flipping cardboard box, whereas some of these other children go through game after game and are just constantly bored!! OKay, vent over!! x x

loveydad replied: The most I've spent on a party was probably around ...3 hundred? But that was for the twins, all our relatives, and I had rented a bounce house and did a theme birthday and all that and it ran expensive.

Spa party!? That's insane! Too ritzy. I hate when people spoil their kids , it makes them really ungrateful.

gr33n3y3z replied: Sounds like the birthday parties in my town. Lets see who can out do who. I remember my Katie going to a few select parties starting with a pizza party and ending with a movie and this was for a class of 15 children plus adults to help out. My katie never thought less of Ed and I for not giving her something like that she has always been very happy with a few friends and just family at her parties and she got to pick her birthday dinner. Your childs party sounded like it was a blast I say just keep parties simple.