For My Birthday, I Just Want...

My daughter’s fifth birthday is coming up, and I’ve been so excited. I’ve been planning, for the longest time, how she’d probably want to celebrate with a tea party, a dress up theme, or have a mani-pedi party or something. I’m not a girly-girl, and I’ve never been, but the chance to do something totally different, other than a bounce house, karate, or Avengers party is something I’ve been looking forward to now for the last few months.

Up until a few weeks ago, my baby girl was game. She was interested in a tea party-super hero-princess party. I was a bit overwhelmed, as I had envisioned her honing in on one theme and sticking to it. However, with her fascination with princesses and Super Woman and the idea of tea time, I guess it was completely inevitable for her to make the outlandish request.

Last week though, she began talking about how she wanted a bicycle, gear, outfits, etc. I had to reign her in and remind her of our family birthday rule: one big gift or a party, not both. Therefore, if we were throwing her a party, she would not be receiving a bicycle and all the gear she wanted from us as well. Why, you may ask? This is our happy medium as their parents. My husband loves the idea of celebrating birthdays, as his family is big on them. However, we never really celebrated birthdays growing up, so they aren’t a big deal to me, especially as an adult. So…we decided, years ago, that we’d do up the children’s main birthdays: 1, 5, 10, 13, etc. The agreement was that each child would have to decide between a birthday party or a big gift, regardless of the giver.

 I’m all about contentment and teaching children that excess is not necessary. I want my children to appreciate everything they have and not feel they are entitled to things for any reason. We have other birthday traditions, and we believe they help our children to really appreciate us, as members of a family, a unit, versus material things that fade away.

Anyway, back to my lovely daughter… Earlier this week, she decided that she wanted to forfeit her party plans so she could go to the store and pick out her own bicycle, helmet, knee pads, etc. Crushed, I asked her again, reminding her that she wouldn’t be dressing up with her friends or having a tea party as we had discussed. After about the fourth time, she firmly stated, “I know that, Mommy; I just want to pick out my own Elsa bike and stuff. I don’t want a party anymore.”

That was it then…sigh…an Elsa bike and gear.  That is…until Thursday afternoon, when she threw a wrench in her request by stating that she would also like to cut her hair much shorter and get various wigs as well.