A Birthday Party Can Be Fun!

Tradition. Culture.
These things are sometimes referenced as though set in stone.
But it's just not so.
About 200 years ago, do you think people were hiring magicians
and fretting over whether their child's birthday party was splashy
enough? Nah. Little by little, things changed. To the point where
it's hard to find the fun in all the stress of pulling off one of those
mammoth events.
Some basic points:
. Find out what your child wants most and ask them to be flexible
about some of the lesser details.
. Even what they want most may be a reflection of fleeting
perceptions. Check in with them after a few days to see if
they still want that same content in their party.
. Take care of the basics. No matter where the party is, etc.
the birthday child and guests will tend to enjoy the party
more if their thirst is quenched and if they have enough room
to watch and participate.
A group of people have taken initiative to encourage parents to
make healthier birthday party choices. They have listed the
many reasons that birthday parties have taken on unmanageable
dimensions. No doubt you will recognize many of them. Explore
the alternatives! http://birthdayswithoutpressure.org/

Parents Can Gain Perspective!

As their children grow and develop, parents may find themselves
next to other parents with children of the same age - standing on the
sidelines of a soccer field, sitting in the bleachers of a baseball or
basketball game. During the half-time or in-between innings, parents
may take the opportunity to exchange updates on their offspring's
antics, tendencies, and inclinations. This exchange is valuable
for easing frustration.
What can also be valuable is to have conversations with parents
whose children are 3-5 years older. These conversations can
help parents have perspective on their children's behavior,
help them see what is typical of a developmental stage, even
when a behavior lasts for six months! These conversations
may be even more valuable to have in today's world of
computers and cell phones, so that parents can thoughtfully
develop their family's technology policies.
Parents may have to make some effort to create the opportunities
to speak with the parents with older children as they might not run
into them as readily. And then, parents can return the favor!

Halloween Can Be More Than Candy

Everyone liked this idea!
Besides giving the traditional candy this past Halloween,
we placed used children's books in plastic bins near
the door. Both parents and children readily selected titles.
Tip: Books for readers can be in one bin and listener books
can be in another.