I know the feeling. Your child’s birthday is coming up. You have attended several parties the last few months with the large balloon arches, expensive light up huge letters, bounce houses, and fun venues. You look at your checking account and think, how are we going to compare? You get on Pinterest and search the character your child loves for their party. A million pins pop up with all of these DIYs — as a mom of multiples, how are you going to have time to make them before next week?
I’ve been there. Recently in fact.
Two of my boys have birthdays within two weeks of each other in the months of August and September, and I quickly got myself caught up in the comparison game. Looking at other’s photos on Instagram of their beautiful parties for their kids. Do you remember when we were young and a party was in the back yard with the play set, jug juice boxes, and a Walmart cake you picked out with your mom the week before? Moms in the ’90s had it made with no stress and DIY projects for their kids to toss on the ground in two seconds.
Coming off of Reece’s first birthday, which I strained over to make “perfect Pinterest worthy,” I had an epiphany. These boys do not care about the balloon arch, a $200 cake, and tons of money spent on décor. They are worried about having fun, mom and dad being present, and the day itself being all about them. I do not want my kids to remember mom being stressed and worried about the party. I want them to remember mom going down the big slide with them, dad having a great time making the perfect “pizza cake concoction,” and welcoming friends to celebrate.
So for my four-year-old’s birthday two weeks later, I went a totally different direction. We brought back the backyard bash with his favorite Capri Suns, Little Caesars’ $5 pizza, minimal party supplies (which he got to pick out), and a simple cake with his favorite characters. We had the party in the backyard with the play set, Nerf guns from the gifts he got, and lawn chairs brought by those who came. And guess what??? It was the best birthday party I think we have ever had for the boys.
My husband and I were relaxed, Cooper said it was the best birthday EVER, then we took all the money we saved by having a simple party and had a special day for Cooper on his actual birthday. WIN.
All of this to say.: DO NOT FEEL GUILTY or “less than” if you choose to have a simple party. All that matters at the end of the day is that your child feels special on their big day. Do not feel like you have to compete with others to have an “Instagram perfect” party.
I love the photos, but that smiling one with them with their favorite sheet cake is worth more to me than a million photos of the decorations that I spent hours preparing just to throw in the trash after.
If you want to go all out (trust me, I love decorating), then do it! But this is for the mom, who like me, sometimes feels inadequate compared to society when I do not. So don’t cave into the pressure. Simple is fun, too.
Let’s bring back the simple parties with family and friends just having a great time celebrating the birthday boy/girl.
