And yes...see right there? There at the bottom? THAT'S why we're the meanest parents in the world.
No gifts please.
But I swear, I have some really good reasons. I know this might be excellent fodder twenty years down the road for a therapist to delve into, but I am holding firm. Here's why we requested no gifts:
1. Truly, this kid has so.many.toys. We're talking hundreds. Baskets and baskets full. He really doesn't need anything else, especially in this economy when so many people really can't afford to be giving gifts.
2. You guys. He's one. He thinks a whisk is just as cool of a toy as a wooden train - and as I write this, he's enthusaistically playing with a pop-up sticky pad:
3. Ok, so how many of you have every been to a young kids' birthday party? You know, they are sat down (with a bunch of strangers staring at them), you give the baby a present, help him open it (when he's really more interested in playing with the wrapping paper and bow), let him admire it, and just when he starts to get excited to play with it, you take it away and force him to do the whole process all over again. Then he's REALLY overwhelmed with all the attention and new toys that, for some inexplicable reason, he's not allowed to play with - sounds pretty confusing and frustrating to me! I just don't want to overwhelm Cole at such a young age.
Now, this doesn't mean that I'm going to be a mean old mama and NEVER allow my child to have birthday presents - I do believe it's an important social skill to learn how to graciously accept a gift and write a thank-you. But not at age one.
What's your opinion on gift-giving at young ages?
I totally agree with you. We did presents at Mason's birthday, but once he got a present he was super excited about (a $1.99 ball LOL) he had no interest in opening any more and sobbed like we were killing him.
ReplyDeleteI knew the present opening wouldn't go well and had hoped to do it as NOT part of the party entertainment, but the guests rallied against me. No gifts or gifts of clothing would have been much better!
For Isaac's first birthday, we actually didn't open them in front of everyone. It was hot and sticky, Isaac was tired after being wound up on cake and attention, so we packed him up, and after a bath and a nap, we opened them up in an air conditioned room.
ReplyDeleteI'm not big on presents to begin with. I find it more fun to give than to get, so we're trying to convince Isaac of the same thing, and it's already working. He opened maybe two presents at his last birthday, then tried to run off and play...he had 4 gifts left!
I don't think you're mean parents at all. If guests really want to get him something, tell them to go to www.heifer.org and buy a flock of chicks, ducks or geese in Cole's name.