HUGE parties for small children/toddlers

[Lynn CC]

I know what you mean Dan about the "wedding reception" B'Day Party. My Brother has had one for his kids every year since they were born and they are 17 and 21 now!
Full sit-down dinner for a whole lot of people....
His take on it is he enjoys seeing everyone, he can afford it and he doesn't care if the kids get a thing as long as everyone enjoys themselves.
I personally have had a few huge parties for DS but stopped around age 8 and then just had his friends. My brother just can't see why I don't want to go every year (I'll admit I've missed a few),,,it's such a production! LOL Got to love EM!

 

[Talking Hands]

No birthday parties for my kids. Just the family going to WDW for a few days. One's birthdau falls around Memorial Day and the other is in Aug when most of her friends are on vacation.
When I working as a clown I often worked these huge parties. The poor kids would either fall asleep or be crying by the end of the party. Aways felt that the party was for the parents and not the kid.

 

[Nutsy]

Personally I think that is cruel. Also, I do wonder who the party is for in such cases......the child or the parent??

Does the child appreciate it?? Why do all that when the child obvioulsy has all she could ever want/need?

Will all the gifts be kept, or will some be returned to the place of purchase??

So sad to know that so many parents (usually the Mum's), who feel they need to give their little darling this huge party on their birthday.

My children have had parties, but never more than 8 children all told, including my own two.

I really do not see the point in doing this.........seems to be all for show & as you say the poor little mite was soooooo tired, from having to open all the gifts. Ok, yes I agree that all the gifts should have been opened in front of the givers, not some & take the remainder home to open at a later stage. But NOT so many & so much. Why flaunt stuff?

Plus there is the point that when child has all they could ever want/need other gifts are nothing in comparison, they just get pushed to one side & not another thought given to them.

I do think this is so cruel, as young children do not learn to appreciate things in these cases. The more they have the more they expect to receive & not everyone has the same budget.

 

[aprilgail2]

My daughter first birthday party I had out in a restaurant with a private room....just family and friends, only 3 kids there....the next one was 5 kids at Chuck E Cheese...once she started school last year the party was bigger since they request you don't invite just a few kids from the class, the whole class or no one unless you want to mail out the invites and then I still think that is cruel since they talk about it and some kids feel excluded....I have her kids party out early in the day and then after that have the family and friends over the house for dinner and cake so I guess she has big parties...Since her birthday is in Nov and she gets a ton of stuff for Christmas starting next year I am going to ask people to just donate a toy for the Toys For Sick Children toy drive instead of buying a gift for her...the party should be enough for her.

 

[polkadotminnie]

My middle DD had her 5 year old birthday party today. We did a little girl "makeover" party with just 2 friends and her older sister. They had a blast! It was simple, but she enjoyed it to the fullest.