Do kids need a birthday party every year?
I know parties have got out of hand recently with cost and showiness, but that's not what I'm posting about.
DD's seventh birthday is coming up. For the last two years she has had a joint party with two other girls and they have invited the whole class. Shared cost, shared organisation, shared stress, so over all not too bad or pricey. We hired out a church hall and got an entertainer.
This year, the trend is to do smaller more intimate parties at home and DD would prefer that anyway, she has said. However, our flat just isn't suitable in many ways. We put it to her last night that she can have a fancy day out in a safari park (just with us) instead and she decided that she would like that. However, now I am feeling guilty that I am depriving her of the social aspect of a party. How important is this?
It's not about the money, because I could easily throw together a traditional fun, cost effective party at home. Do/did your kids mark the occasion with friends every year?