Considering stuff.

Nov 12, 2013

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We’ve got a new poundland in town. I popped in on the way back from swimming today, to grab clingfilm and a snack, and walked out having spent £5. Not what I intended.

£2 was food. I consider that an acceptable addition to the weekly food spend which now stands at £64 this week. £1 was a book treat for Smallest. Then there was a pack of plastic tat (a doctor’s kit) and of course the clingfilm.

Why did I fall for the doctor’s kit? It was partly to go with the Lambie we’re reviewing just now. (She loves it. I don’t. Tough to write up.) And partly I was feeling guilty that I didn’t organise a party for Smallest’s birthday at the weekend, so I caved really easily.

Not sure why I’ve got the guilt. She had a lovely day. She got presents, had cake, chose tea and people were very nice to her all day. Would a party have been all that? She’d have been over excited, or disappointed depending on how many people I managed to rustle up. Next year I’ll start special treats for her. Big was about that age when we started outings I think. Theatre or cinema, meal out or a pamper session. An experience, rather than a thing.

Yes, I think that’s a better way to go. Less stuff, more doing. What do you think?

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Comments

10 responses to “Considering stuff.”

Ruth J
13 November 2013
DS has never had a birthday party, and I started phasing them out for DD the year she decided to spend half an hour alone in her bedroom in the middle. She likes the idea of a party, and is very cross with me for refusing to have any more, but she really doesn’t enjoy them very much. She’s much happier in groups of two or three than eight or nine.
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Slummy single mummy
13 November 2013
I consider myself lucky that both my daughters have summer holiday birthdays so I have always been able to use that as an excuse for not doing parties, but doing outings with one special friend instead.
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Katie Clark
13 November 2013
I think ‘less stuff, more doing’ is always a good way to go. Jasper is 3 and, as much as on his 4th birthday he’ll probably say he wants a party because ‘everyone else’ has them, I know he won’t really. He loves being out and about; exploring; at the theatre; going on a train. If you ever give him the choice of doing something like that or staying in a room full of people, he’ll always choose the former. He doesn’t do well in crowds anyway though.
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Luxury Nespresso Alternative
13 November 2013
Indeed, less stuff, more ding is the way to go in this life and the only philosophy that can help you get your life into order. Well said.
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1. Jax Blunt
  14 November 2013
  So much more believable as a comment with a real name and without a link.
  Reply
Midlife Singlemum
13 November 2013
When your child is at school they want what everyone else has. You don’t have this pressure. At DD’s kindergarten I take in a cake on Friday (as does anyone else with a birthday that week) and they make a fuss of her. However, this year many of the other kids have had mega parties, inviting all 30 kids in the class. They hire entertainers and sometimes even halls. I can’t compete with that and actually, we both hate these parties. Luckily DD’s birthday falls during the Hanuka holiday so I can get away with a small party of 6 little girls at home with games and activities organised by me. And all our guests are English speakers and the party will be in English so that’s a good excuse to give if any of her school friends ask. I look forward to the birthdays when we can start taking two friends on an outing instead.
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1. Jax Blunt
  13 November 2013
  There are still some aspects of peer pressure through home ed. Still some families with more, and it can be difficult to explain.
  Reply
Mummy Glitzer
14 November 2013
We’ve only ever had a small tea party with the extended local family (two of my cousins are just 2 & 3 years older than Harry, likewise with my sister’s boyfriend’s daughters). I am not looking forward to his fourth birhday as he will have been in pre-school for eight months by then and, presumably, would have attended other birthday parties and ask for one himself.
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1. Jax Blunt
  14 November 2013
  Smallest hasn’t been invited to many parties, and the ones she has she doesn’t seem to have recognised could be the sort of thing she could have. Next year probably.
  Reply
Daddybean
15 November 2013
Oh, I love having parties 🙂 surely a party is an experience? Since eldest was 4 we’ve had parties every year (except last year when she went to the cinema with a few friends) We’ve had big parties and little parties, playplace parties, pool parties, nerf wars party, party with a powercut, home parties, joint 12th and 50th party, and there must be some others 🙂 I love the ‘how many days’ countdown, making this years cake request, I love a bunch of excited kids, eating too much rubbish (we’ve got it honed now – as many different crisp type things as you can muster, cakes, biscuits, easily eaten fruit, some pizza and sausage rolls) making loads of noise, and having a fun time 🙂
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