I must seriously be the worst parent in the world.
Nothing else could explain why I didn't get MY sons entire preschool class a gift for HIS half birthday.
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| Thanks SO MUCH Anthony M. |
Is this what it has come to? As to not upset any kids in school nowadays we have to celebrate half birthdays, AND we have to get EVERYONE a half birthday party favor? I don't get it. Maybe it's because I suck as a parent, or as a dad I just don't think about or care about those sort of things.
Would my son really be that upset if he didn't have a celebration of his half birthday? Probably not, but I know his feelings WOULDN'T be hurt if he did not receive the requisite pencil or box of crayons as a parting gift. Do these people know how many pencils we have? Why must we continue to do this?
I fear that we are falling into a vicious cycle where we as parents have to keep up with everyone else.
You know one parent gets the kids something in September, and then everyone else has to follow in line and get each subsequent kid something exponentially better, until finally some kid who has his birthday in May, has a parent who is giving out motorcycles and gold bars.
It really needs to stop.
| It starts with crayons and ends with ? |
I know that no parent wants to be the first to put an end to this sort of thing because that would make them look BAD; but someone has to take the fall. I am willing to be that guy. If I don't stand up now and say that your child will not be getting a sticker book on my son's half birthday, I fear that it will just continue to spiral out of control, until eventually one of my boys comes home with a pony.
Please join me, make it stop.
I don't have the room in my house for a pony.
It's the classic classroom gift escalation. Thanks for saying what we all (even Anthony M's mom) are thinking. The rule should be that all September birthdays give broccoli. Then, by June, it will have escalated to maybe carrots or peas, which I think is much more manageable.
ReplyDeleteWait....HALF birthdays? Really?
Really?
I think it has something to do with summer birthdays. Maybe I should give out all of our used pencils?
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of 1/2 Birthdays. That's ridiculous. In my class, we hold 2 big birthday parties. One in November for kids born August - December. Then a party in March for those born January to July. We decorate the class and have popcorn and cake and watch a movie. At first parents think I'm mean for not letting kids bring in stuff for their birthday but soon see the benefits and the next year are suggesting it to the next teacher.
ReplyDeleteNow that sounds like a plan! Get it all out of the way, no gifts... Awesome! I'm moving to Canada!
ReplyDeleteSo maybe they should give the kids an off day of school for their half birthdays. Or maybe the school should throw the parties
ReplyDeleteYah no one would be getting anything from me on my sons' half bierthday. They all have summer birthdays. I just send in cupcakes the last week of school. Schools are going too far with all this.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you. Giving gifts at your own kids party to people for coming by drives me absolutely bonkers. We for years put "no gifts" when we had people over with the understanding of, you don't have to bring one, so we're not buying them either. The best solution I've seen out there is the book exchange. Everyone brings one book wrapped up, put them in a pile and everyone takes one home.
ReplyDeleteBut yes, this is another reason, our generation of parenting sucks.
Wow. Never heard of celebrating half-birthdays in school, unless as someone said it's for a summer birthday. I do send in a snack for birthday's, but not even the most awesome mom ever that hand decorated Dr. Suess themed cookies last year sends in gifts to be handed out! That's just crazy. Stand strong, don't give into the pressure!
ReplyDeleteThat is a great idea. What benefits do the parents see?
ReplyDeleteWhen I become a teacher in a few years, I'll consider your idea!
Last year we just invited the girls to Peanut's birthday party. It was a princess party. And not having half the class there was so relaxing. Even then, one of the boys asked me why he wasn't invited. Because you're not, dude. Get over it.
ReplyDeleteFast forward to this year...we're taking her to Disney. No party, right? Awesome. But then I overhear My Director talking about brining in cupcakes after we get back...and buying something for her friends while we're there. Really? She's been sucked in.
I don't get it. You have to make it stop. I get the idea of sending in cupcakes, if that's allowed, which it is not in either of my kids school, but why does there har to be a toy that goes along with it. Besides, why do you need to buy something at Gisney when you can just go to te Disney store and get it at a third of the price? Take a stand!
ReplyDeleteWhat the what? That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. Half birthday?!
ReplyDeleteAwesome idea! When I go back to teaching elementary school, I am totally going to do this.
ReplyDeleteParents like how it makes it fair for kids with summer birthdays or holiday birthdays. It is a lot less work. Instead of a bunch of mini-celebrations, it is a great big fun celebration. Plus, it means we are bringing less sugar into the school. Really, after a brief conversation, it is an easy sell.
ReplyDeleteI agree, it's out of control. My daughter's school has a rule that you can not pass out birthday invitations to anyone in the class unless everyone in the class gets one! This is a school wide policy. Who can afford a 27 kid+ party? Then I spent $40 yesterday because my child was the designated "snack bringer" and we had to buy specialty things on the list...if I brought the bag of apples my kid would have been the laughing stock. Where are we going to put all the ponies?
ReplyDeleteMy sons school has that policy too... apparently its too much work for the teachers to put an invite into a kids bag. NONSENSE!
ReplyDeleteokay.... am I the only person who has had people celebrate half birthdays? really? When your birthday is right on top of Christmas or Thanksgiving you don't really get to have one. And I'm assuming kids who have summer birthdays get bummed they don't ever get to share it with school friends..... so its sort of a call to make. HOWEVER, my family, although some half birthday's have been done, it meant passing on the real birthday. And we don't play the upping game on gifts trinkets and party favors.... in fact, we really lowkey all of that to spend time with people we love to spend time with. I think that's the biggest problem with all of this.... things are out of whack by trying to outdo each other rather than celebrate life and the people we share it with.
ReplyDeleteMy wife celebrates my nieces half birthday. Her birthday is Dec. 26th so she does take her out in June, so i understand the thought behind it.
ReplyDeleteMy son's birthday is very close to March Break - and it's still very cold here, in Canada :) After not wanting to get to one of those indoor party place (I hate them) a few years back we found the best solution: we celebrate his birthday at home, with family and very close friends. Then in the summer - we have a party in the park with his friends from school. They play in the park, swim in the outdoor pool (in the park) and eat some cake. The trick is: no gifts! We ask for a donnation for the food bank or the library (as in canned food or used books). Everybody is happy: kids get to play, parents get no expense (or very little) and my son gets to bring the donnation to the library and the food bank.
ReplyDeleteSooooooo agree with this! Oldest is a September so we took a pencil. One single bought in bulk unsharpened pencil. Middle-Man is May so you know what he's taking... a pencil. One single bought in bulk (from September) unsharpened pencil.
ReplyDeleteTake that show-off parents!
MORE PENCILS!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea... We should take the six dollars we spend on junk and give it to someone that needs it.
ReplyDeleteI want a Pony - a Shelby Mustang - and my half birthday is coming up John!
ReplyDeleteI never think of these things either. It must be a guy thing. I made Little Man cupcakes for his class on his FULL birthday and thought that was pretty neat. But now I will be making them just the cupcake tops for his half birthday party in June. Ha!
ReplyDelete