By Jeanne Sager
I love birthday parties.
Not the Chuck E. Cheese fifth circle of hell parties, but the sprawling mid-summer lawn parties with the kids running wild through a backyard sprinkler, the adults huddled under the trees with a few bottles of wine, coolers of beer and a big cheese platter.
Somehow, the big guy (girl) upstairs saw fit to ensure I can throw one every year - they made sure I gave birth in June. And every year since my daughter turned one, I've made a trip to the beer store, stocked up on veggie burgers and hamburgers and pulled out the grill.
My colleague Jen says birthday parties for kids under three are silly unless you're inviting immediate family only. I respectfully disagree - and not just because I love me a good party on a warm summer's day. KEEP READING HEREOR
Babies Don't Need Birthday Parties
By Jen Chaney
I must preface this post with the following disclaimer: My family and I have attended several birthday parties for children under the age of 3. Our son enjoyed each one and we truly appreciated the invitations.
Now that that's out of the way, I can make the following statement: Kids under the age of 3 totally don't need to have birthday parties.
Before you start posting comments that accuse me of hating the Easter Bunny and starting a petition to put a moratorium on trick-or-treating, please allow me to make my case. I love parties and I genuinely enjoy celebrating milestones. Of course, as parents, there are fewer milestones more significant than our children's birthdays.
But throwing a big 'ol fiesta for a child who is only one or two -- and who probably doesn't care about the invitations or goody bags and certaintly won't remember them -- is a nice but arguably unnecessary gesture. KEEP READING HERE