Call Me Crazy, But I LOVE Kids' Birthday Parties!

Parents fall into two different groups when it comes to childrens’ birthday parties – those that love them and those that hate them.  I fall into my own separate group – I’m obsessed with them.

The first thing I do when I get home at night (after kissing my kids of course – I’m not THAT f-ed in the head) is check the mail.  If there’s anything addressed to either one of my children, any colored or decorated envelopes or anything with glitter falling out of it, I know I’ve hit the jackpot.  High-five – it’s a BIRTHDAY PARTY INVITE – YESSSSSS.

Most of my friends hate them – it means spending money on gifts, making boring conversation with parents you don’t like and eating crummy birthday cake – because you ALWAYS end up eating the cake, even if it isn't good.  And many of the moms I know turn them down for no good reason – just because they don’t want to deal.  Let me tell you something – I’ve been known to move vacations in order to have my kids attend parties.  And here’s why:

1. It’s an activity.  I can spend $20 on a LEGO set as a present OR I can spend $70 going to the children’s museum and paying for parking, tickets, snacks and massive amounts of antibacterial wipes for the whole family. There are also days when we have ABSOLUTELY nothing else going on - and if my kids are stuck in the house past 11am on weekends, bad things happen.

2. Let’s call a spade a spade – I like to gossip.  I work full-time so I don’t get to hang around the playground after I drop the kids off at school and talk with the other moms.  The parties offer me the opportunity to catch up on what’s going.

3. I have fun at them.  What’s bad?  Pizza, games, ice-cream.  I’m not around during the week (again with the working mom guilt, I know - therapy anyone?) – so I don’t get to hang with my son’s buddies or my daughter’s cute friends. Kids are funny – it makes me happy to see them running around and having ridiculous conversations about Hans Solo vs. Darth Vader vs. Obi Wan Kenobi. 

4. Goody-Bags.  Yes, they usually include all sorts of candy that I normally wouldn’t allow my kids to eat (I’m a dentist’s daughter so lollipops are things of evil) and junky toys that break in less than an hour, but it keeps the kids from strangling each other in the backseat of the car until we get home.

5. Booze.  Some of the "cooler" fams offer wine or beer for the parents at these things. Enough said.

I was getting bummed because my son is old enough for “drop-off” parties – meaning, you walk your kid inside…and leave. While the other moms are running for their lives, I’m lingering – offering to help, getting strange looks, etc.   But now my younger daughter is starting to get invites – phew.  I have a few more years left before SHE becomes of age for drop off…unless I have another baby.  But having a kid for the sole reason of wanting to go to birthday parties is REALLY sick…or is it?

Tell me – do you love or hate kids’ birthday parties?