Ok..I subscribed earlier in the day and now finally ready
With all the kids we have had a first birthday with family and friends.
With DS1 it was quite different as I had a MG and we did a birthday for the kids jointly for a good 3-4yrs before the kids started to make their own friends and then it stopped.
DS1 had a party when he was turning 5 then one in grade prep and that is it so far. Last year we took him to the Melbourne show for his very first time and it was on his birthday, so he was happy with that.
Same again this year...although next year he wants a party and we are happy for him to have one then as it will hopefully be only 5 or so friends.
DS2 has not had a party since his first birthday. He is not very interested. If he asks for one next year when he starts prep, he too can have one.
We then intend to get some sort of system going such as alternate years.
With DD, it will probably be the same as DS2...although she seems to be more outgoing, so she may have a birthday in her Kinder year.
The parties DS1 had was a place that charge per head, you pick a menu and have a host, it was the the Pointcook Homestead both years as he loved it! It wasn't too pricey, around $10 per child and that inlcuded a party bag at the end.
A GF has 3 kids and they alternate the party years. So each child gets a party every 3yrs.
I am hoping with DS1 next year, I can just shout five of his friends to the movies or have a sleep over.
DS has 4-5 "birthday parties" a year: one is around his birthday. The rest is just an excuse to have a few friends around, play games and eat "candle cake".
Birthday parties don't have to be that expensive: all DS wants is some picnic food/BBQ food and a cake. It's more a social thing. I'll be doing park parties when he wants more than 3-4 friends round. Family isn't so much of an issue as everyone is supposed technically an adult (yes, that is supposed to include me), bar 2 of Liebling's cousins.
Parties every year (well not 1yo) for us here. Not that I want to, I would prefer every second year, or to maybe just have 1 special friend over for a sleep over. Saying that though, for is birthday parties are a way for us getting involved in the area and meeting the parents. Since DD1's party I have found many of the parents are much friendlier as the party gave us a chance to get to know each other a bit. We live out of town, so many parents end up staying as it is not worth them driving home, plus we cater for parents. If they are hanging out they deserve a good cup of coffee and some nibbles
DH is big on parties, I am sure he would spend $1000 on a party if he could. Have to reign in him. He seems to think he got a party every year, but his mother says different. Hoping once we are more settled that we can cut back to every second year, with the girls on alternate years.
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