Search Results for: blog kiddie parties no clothes allowed

Kiddie Swag

Last year I made one of my daughter’s ultimate dreams come true: Renting out the local children’s museum to host a humongo superduperschmooper safari-themed birthday bash for her and 30 of her closest friends. Turning six never felt so good… or cost so much. Now, my brother’s baby is just a few days away from celebrating a golden birthday and he too is in full party-prep mode. Interestingly, he’s found himself in the same predicament I experienced during the countdown to Safari-a-rama. The venue is set, the head count is tallied, the decorations are done, the cake is ordered; all … Continue reading →

When Kiddie Parties Go Wrong

Think your child’s last birthday party went horribly awry? Well, you may have a tough time convincing a New Mexico mom that your kid’s bash was worse than the horror she experienced while celebrating her 4-year-old’s big day. No, her kid didn’t lose an eye during a spirited game of darts. And he didn’t get whacked unconscious by a flying pinata either. Rather, Andrea Anderson claims her son Corbin has been scarred for life because Chuck E. Cheese made an offensive gesture while posing for a photo with the birthday boy. That’s right, Corbin’s mom is peeved because she believes … Continue reading →

Kids’ Birthday Parties—How Much Is Too Much?

Recession? What recession? The economic crisis, which has battered and bruised many Americans, is apparently a non-issue if your name is Diddy. The rapper with 1,000 names–he was born Sean Combs, but later morphed into “Puff Daddy,” then “P. Diddy,” then the artist known as “Diddy,” then “Straight up P,” and now just “Diddy”—-is showing the world that money really can buy love. And that goes double if you are a parent. Daddy Diddy recently made headlines when he threw his son an insanely expensive Sweet 16 party. The ultimate birthday bash took place at one of New York City’s … Continue reading →

Do You Attend Parties with Your Preschooler?

Unless my name is on the invitation I typically don’t make a habit of hanging out at other people’s birthday parties. But what happens if the party invite is addressed to your preschooler? Are parents required—or should I say, welcome—to attend to? Since the bulk of my preschooler’s party invites have been for children (and subsequently, parents) that I know very well, I usually do one of two things: Ask if the birthday child’s parent(s) needs help during the festivities and stay OR Drop off my daughter and hightail it home to see how much I can accomplished in three … Continue reading →

Kiddie Parties: No Clothes Allowed

I don’t know about your youngster, but when my preschooler sees a semi-flat box sitting on the gift table at her birthday party, it’s not the first one she reaches for. No matter how fancy the wrapping, how big the bow, or how shiny the ribbon, the kid can smell new clothes from a mile away, and shirt boxes decked out in pretty paper don’t impress her. We’re still working on the humility thing. Bottom line: Kids don’t like getting clothes as gifts. At least the ones I know. So, what’s a parent to do? Send out party invitations with … Continue reading →

Respond Please

I don’t get. What is so hard about saying “yes” or “no” to a party invitation? Especially if the bash is for a child. A young child who doesn’t understand why some of his friends didn’t show up for his safari-themed shindig. Or worse, why some said they’d be there, and then bailed at the last minute. Fortunately, young children are resilient, void of pettiness, unresentful… and easily distracted by cake, ice cream, balloons, streamers and presents. Especially presents. It’s the parents hosting the party who could stand to channel more of that forgiving nature. Of course, I certainly don’t … Continue reading →

The Dreaded Summer Birthday

Nothing says summer bummer louder than an August birthday. I speak from experience. Being a Leo has its pitfalls; namely not being able to celebrate your big day with your entire class. In all of my years as a student, from kindergarten all the way through high school, I never once had a major birthday blowout to commemorate my summer birthday. Why? Because no one was around to join in on the celebration. My poor nephew is just now realizing that being born in the middle of July is not as cool as it may seem, especially when all of … Continue reading →

How Much Did You Spend on Your Child’s Last Birthday Party?

I know it wasn’t more than $360,000. We can’t all roll like Daddy Diddy, but as parents we do want to make our children happy, and celebrating a milestone like a birthday with a big party, often means digging deep. But how deep do you dig? My five-year-old is dreaming of a huge bash to commemorate her sixth year of life (which thankfully doesn’t happen for a few more months). She has been begging for a safari-themed party at our local children’s museum. For three hours, up to 20 kids can dine on lion-shaped cake, make toilet paper roll binoculars, … Continue reading →

Is High Fashion Hurting Kids?

Strappy sandals, rhinestone-studded belts, and racerback dresses look great on the catwalk, but wearing them to school could lead to developmental problems, according to a new study. Fashion-conscious moms, who want their kids to look like they just stepped out of a children’s clothing catalog, could be setting up their offspring for failure in class. According to a recent study, wearing inappropriate outfits has the potential to disrupt the entire class and could seriously compromise a child’s development. What’s more, researchers note that the children, who are most likely to be scarred by wearing fashionable duds to class, are not … Continue reading →