Simple birthdays can be very happy birthdays.
This week it was my youngest’s birthday. He was 8. You would think that with me being an all singing, all dancing party person that his day would be action packed with activities and games. If I am honest that is what I had been planning in my mind. I wanted to schedule the day from start to finish, design wall art for target practice in preparation for a massive Nerf battle at home, a treasure hunt to find presents after being inspired by Viki and her family in the first of our real life parties’ series, play traditional party games using our Partybox Children’s Party Kit (a perfect chance to get some promo photos:)), create Pokemon themed everything and much more. In real life it didn’t happen like this and honestly, Oscar had the most amazing day anyway.
This is what actually happened:
I decorated the house with bright coloured decorations, balloons and happy birthday banners scattering several balloons on the floor. The presents were prepared in the living room for him including a foil helium balloon with the number 8 on it. We sat and opened his presents as a family and we had chocolate and toffee waffles for breakfast – yummm. The plan was to have a big Nerf battle in the morning but Noah had to go into school for the only lesson he has had since lockdown…. What are the chances!! Anyway, through the morning Oscar had a visit from his Nana and Grandpa in the back yard which he loved, followed by his Grandma and Grandad who as part of our bubble were planning to stay for the rest of the day. At lunchtime we went to the beach for a picnic and a play with our neighbours who have two similar aged boys. Oscar had a brilliant time playing in the sea with the paddle-board and building sandcastles in the warm weather. It was pizza for tea – pepperoni his fave, the requested homemade ice cream cake (made by Grandma - it tasted absolutely delicious) then chill-out time watching Fortnight on YouTube. By this time he was clearly shattered. It doesn’t sound much at all but the very fact it was his birthday, he saw people he loved and was free to play outdoors with his friends on the beach was perfect.
I am hoping that by writing about my own experiences this will help you with yours. I am naturally a little bit of a perfectionist and a tad of a control freak, ahem…. This means I can easily berate myself if I don’t do the best I can particularly where my children are concerned. However, the truth of the matter is that they would much prefer my company and time to a spandangly birthday that to be honest, probably, would have caused me more stress than pleasure. The focus on making children’s birthday parties less stressful to plan and organise is why I have created the Partybox Ltd brand and website. I want to make it easy for parents and party planners to deliver amazing parties for their children without all the hard work and preparation that a traditional party can often require.
Moral of the story:
We need to be kinder to ourselves and make life easier where we can, particularly at the moment. I, like many other parents have just found myself in uncertain territory in many ways as a result of Covid 19 and the last few months hasn’t been as easy for us. I am in the midst of launching a new business, looking and applying for jobs, home schooling or trying to, shopping for myself and elderly neighbours, keeping the house in order, and somewhere in all of this I wanted to give my Oscar an all singing, all dancing birthday. It just wasn’t possible. This year I had to give myself a break. Oscar had a fabulous birthday anyway and will remember it fondly I am sure. Maybe you should give yourself one too. So much love to all the parents out there struggling with these difficult times.