Is the first birthday party really for the baby, or is it for their parent’s?
When a child turns One, it seems to be the fashion for parents to spend hundreds of dollars on their baby’s First Birthday party. The costs involved are: the venue hire, deciding from a multitude of entertaining options, choosing a shop bought birthday cake, catering the party, and organising a variety of music options.
Why? How much cake does, or should a baby eat? How long can a baby focus on any one thing? How much can they really participate? How much do they appreciate anything? They live in a very small world of maybe 10 most important people. Who are all these other unfamiliar people pulling faces and picking them up and handling them?
How many thousands of photos and videos are there on the internet where the stars of the show are crying, scared, overwhelmed, or sleeping through their birthdays?
They don’t ask for the extravaganza, they don’t want it, and they won’t even remember it.
Parents that survive the first year of their child’s life should celebrate, I have no qualms with that. It can be a very hard year with less sleep, less routine, less social life, less of so many other things. So, parents, go and celebrate, but don’t overdo it and potentially traumatise your child along the way.
So, I say, let the special 1year old join the celebrations with those close to them. It doesn’t need to be extravagant; it doesn’t need to be long; it doesn’t need to be about everyone else. It most definitely can be a memorable milestone, for all the right reasons, so take lots of photos, share lots of smiles and be in the moment with the precious little one and their close family and friends.
If you need to go out and celebrate for any occasion, Cherished Cherubs Babysitting can help you look after your kids. Call us on 0417 927 525, or book online at: cherishedcherubs.com.au
