'We all want it to be over with as quickly as possible.'
A war, a funeral, the Presidential election? No, just a birthday. You remember how much you looked forward to them as a kid. These days, mommies and daddies see things differently.
Kelly is a two-time Mommy. Her two sons are already seven and nine, and she can't believe it. Together, that means 16 birthday parties—with a whole lot more to come. And, these parties are tough to pull off.
She explains that you have to keep the kids happy, you have to keep it affordable, and you have to make it go fast. That's when the familiar mantra is repeated.
'We all want it to be over with as quickly as possible.'
The old days of home-made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches is not even considered. Food at parties better match the level of last week's birthday party which matches the level of the one from the week before and so on and so on. And, week after week, moms and dads find themselves staring at an intimidating list of barbecues and magicians, rented restaurants and private rooms.
Still, pizza is always a hit, and cupcakes have risen in popularity, as opposed to cakes. The reasons are outlined for me: cheaper, no slicing, you can get two different flavors to please everybody, and a dropped cupcake can be replaced with another—a dropped cake is history. Plus, making cupcakes yourself is a no brainer. Making and, most importantly, decorating a cake ain't easy. And, buying one with the appropriate dinosaur or Barbie theme can cost plenty.
My sister's son is five. They have to miss three birthday parties when they go out of town. My sister says missing the parties is both good and bad. She notes the work involved in going to the parties, coordinating schedules, fitting the party in between the already scheduled T-Ball and Little Dragons (toddler tai kwon do) classes, not to mention the gift buying. Unfortunately, even if you're a no show, you're still expected to turn in a gift.
'It gets expensive,' she succinctly sums it up. Plus, the food served can be a big issue. Pizza is great, but her son refuses the cupcakes. In his world, cake and cupcakes are mutually exclusive. Only cake was served at his recent birthday party. And, only chocolate. Not all of the little guests were pleased with chocolate, but when it's not your birthday, you roll with it.
Well, you do if you're an adult. If you're five, screams and tears greet the arrival of the unacceptable dessert. In fact, one cupcake was unceremoniously thrown across the table into a wall. Apparently, chocolate is not a favorite of that young guest.
I remember a birthday party at Heidi and Mindy's house when I was six or seven. Their house was fancy and white and not at all practical for two girls. After the clown finished up, we all sat down at two card tables put together, and Enid, a very Mrs. Robinson type who also happened to be their mother, served us lunch. I didn't like it. I didn't want to eat it. All the other children were quite happy with the meal, which only made it worse. I remember choking back tears.
Kelly's partner, D, understands only too well. D says nothing pleased him more as a kid than hot dogs and Ho Hos. 'When I was a kid, I put that down in My Book About Me. Favorite food: Hot dogs and Ho Hos.' And, D adds, 'They're still my favorite.' If D doesn't get them, the mood is decidedly sad.
Is it any surprise then, that Kelly and D don't have a microwave? It's just a popcorn maker, explains D, smugly, but the look changes when I mention that they can cook hot dogs faster than boiling water.
A microwave might also come in handy when a mom forgets to tell Kelly her son is allergic to peanut or dairy products, and the hungry child is waiting for a birthday party meal. No pizza, no ice cream. But a hot dog in the microwave? No problem.
After all, she just wants it over with as soon as possible.
