Each year it seems like I hear about bigger and more expensive birthday parties for kids. I have known parents to spend thousands of dollars on birthday parties for one-year-olds! That just doesn’t fit in my budget. And yet, my kids always want to do something different. Some years we have kept it inexpensive with a pizza and movie sleepover for just a few girls. Each daughter did get to have a big kindergarten party where they invited their whole class. Honestly, that was more so that I would have an opportunity to meet all of kids’ parents at the start of their schooling.
This year my older daughter begged us for a laser tag party. We played as a family for the first time a few months ago and she has talked about it ever since. When we investigated it, we found out that it would be about $150 to do the smallest group there. And that didn’t include cake or party favors!
So we asked my daughter how important it was to her. We asked her if it was important enough that the party would be her actual present and she agreed. Instead of making a “wish list,” she wanted the party.
In the end, I think it is working out well. Christmas is only a few weeks away and she will be getting gifts and clothes for that. There really wasn’t anything that she wanted for her birthday anyway. And her friends are really excited that they get to play laser tag because many of them have never been. Plus, it’s a good physical activity for the birthday party instead of just sitting around and eating cakes and sweets. Well, we will still have cake!
What’s your thought on the increasing expense of birthday parties for kids? Do you have parties at home or host them in other places? Is the lack of preparation when you have the party somewhere else enough to balance out the cost?
Leave a Reply