Will you survive the start of school and kids birthday party season? - RI Magician Kids Party Ventriloquist Steve Zany
It’s kids birthday party season, again.
Do you feel pressured into organizing an extravagant kids birthday party for your child?
The majority of parents in a recent survey say “yes.”
As a magician, you might guess I know a thing or two about magic. One thing is for sure — a kids birthday is a magical time when you’re a child.
Unfortunately, for many moms and dads, receiving a birthday party invitation from yet another of their child’s friends conjures up the thought of more money disappearing from their wallet to pay for a gift in order to attend the festivities.
To add to what parents tend to face as their child becomes school-age is what happens when it’s time to host a birthday party for your own child–especially after your child has just attended a fancy friend’s birthday party.
A recent survey, conducted in the UK by children’s charity Lumos and YouGov, found that two-thirds of parents think throwing a kids birthday party has become too expensive and much more so, in the past five years. And why wouldn’t they? Have you seen what places like Chuck E Cheese’s and Monkey Joes charge to host a kids party?
Two-of-every-five parents say they feel under pressure to make their kids birthday party something that will impress others.
More than 500 parents with kids under the age of 18 participated in the survey.
Over 40 percent of parents they spent between $160 and $800 on their own kids birthday parties last year.
The survey also found that, on average, children attended up to five birthday parties in the last year. Two-of-every-ten kids went to more than six birthday parties, and seven percent went to 11 kids parties or more.
Now, forget for a moment your own kids birthday party.
What would you guess the survey revealed about the cost of attending another kids birthday party? A quarter of the parents said they’d spent over $150 on presents for their kid’s friends last year. About one percent revealed they spent more than $1,500. (Wow! I think I need some fresh air!)
“Some years back, everyone went party crazy and started trying to outdo each other with bigger, better and more lavish parties,” says Siobhan Freegard, co-founder of Netmums, a parents’ social networking site. She observes that trends for kids parties also run in cycles.
Will there be a backlash to the pricey and showy kids birthday party? Will such celebrations stop being cool? Will the coming year be the return of the more intimate home birthday party?
Freegard points out that the most recent trend for a more traditional kids birthday party didn’t last long. During the past few years ”I have seen it get ridiculous again,” she says
But on the Netmums forums, conversations seem to indicate that extravagant birthday parties are on the decline again.
The over-the top party bubble may be bursting once again, Freegard says. So don’t feel pressured by others.
RI Magician Kids Party Ventriloquist Steve Zany - Nickelodeon Parents Pick Award Winner!
