So it should be no surprise that X is full of posts where moms and dads have described their children’s funny birthday party requests. Whether it’s huskies or Starbucks, some have also shared how they tried to make them a reality. Continue scrolling to check out the ones that we thought were the absolute best, and don’t miss the chat we had with our parenting expert Vicki Broadbent — you’ll find it in between the pictures. “The people your child cares most about should ideally be present,” she told Bored Panda. “Of course, delicious treats and a birthday cake (homemade is wonderful) with some thoughtful presents are usually the ingredients for a fun party and will meet most children’s expectations. Kids just want to feel special and loved on their big day just like adults.” “My middle child shunned parties for years while they were young in favor of smaller family gatherings in restaurants, the cinema, a bowling trip, or even staying in a hotel for the weekend.” The mom-of-three suggests simply asking your little one what they would like to do—if they’re old enough, you can also provide feedback on their thoughts. According to Jacqueline Woolley, Ph.D., who is a professor of psychology and director of the Children’s Research Lab at the University of Texas at Austin, what this conversation hints at is the intriguing possibility that young children might believe that birthday parties actually cause them to get older. “If you thought about it, you may have assumed that he or she was most distressed for fear of not receiving presents, or not eating cake, or not seeing friends. What I will suggest instead is that a more basic fear may underlie this reaction — a fear that if the party is not held, the child might not age!” The team at Woolley’s lab at the University of Texas told kids three stories about children who were each 2 years old and who were about to celebrate their third birthday. One child had a party on his birthday. Another child, due to various circumstances, did not have a party. The third child, due to various other circumstances, had two parties. The children were asked to indicate how old each child would be. Many children said that the child who didn’t have a party would remain 3, and many responded that the child who had two parties would actually become 5 years old. “Children, like adults, are driven to seek explanations for personal, meaningful events. To children, the annual experience of the seemingly sudden change from one age to another is of great significance. Yet there is no obvious physical cause, as there is with other sorts of changes. Thus, children may grab onto the event that regularly co-occurs with this age change – the party – and assign it a causal role,” Woolley explained. According to parents, kids expect their favorite foods (67%) and clowns or costumed characters (56%) for their birthday party, more so than inflatable playsets (44%) or laser tag (43%). As for party themes, 81% of parents receive a specific request from their kids, with unicorns (46%) rising to the top, and video game-themed (41%) birthdays among kids’ popular picks. At least the little ones know what they want. Working with an already established theme (albeit a funny one) sounds easier than coming up with something from scratch. However, since the budget is often also a point of consideration, she suggests the family calmly discuss what is possible, making a party plan and brainstorming what might work for the get-together. “I like to offer a few choices with my kids, including some options in a smaller group too,” she explained. “Compromise might be required on both parts, so for example paying for entertainment might mean fewer numbers. We like to make a list of close friends as inviting the whole class isn’t always possible and not everyone gets on! You want an easy-going and fun day!” Follow Bored Panda on Google News! Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda! Please use high-res photos without watermarks Ooops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.
