On Childrens' Birthday Parties
Wow. I just saw an entry in which someone posted about their daughter's third birthday party, in which they played 'pin the letter on the owl' and ate a Hogwarts cake. I get the Harry Potter obsession, really I do, but jeez-us. Am I the only one in the universe planning on giving my future children a normal childhood? Sure, I had a HP cake for my birthday once. My fourteenth birthday. Before that, it was all the typical child designs, occasionally with sports-related themes (I was a total softball nut as a child). But my parents were smart enough to keep the commercialized birthday parties away unless I specifically asked for something.
This just... makes me angry for reasons I can't even fully articulate. Part of it is probably pent-up rage over not having a birthday party (or, like, any presents) for my last two birthdays (including my Sweet Sixteenth, damn it); but I'd rather no party over an entirely HP-themed one. It wouldn't be so bad if the child was old enough to even watch the movies; a seven year old's party I'd be slightly disturbed at, but would soon forget. But a three year old? Poor child.
(Of course, a later entry mentions that the mother in this case? Still breatfeeding. Maybe my ideas are off, since I was never breastfed - I was allergic - but aren't most children weaned off before then? I mean, Colin's been drinking juice and water for about a year now.)
Further investigation shows that themed birthday parties for toddlers are all the rage now. And I now have another criteria for marriage: I will not marry anyone who wants to give a child a themed birthday party for the first four birthdays.
This just... makes me angry for reasons I can't even fully articulate. Part of it is probably pent-up rage over not having a birthday party (or, like, any presents) for my last two birthdays (including my Sweet Sixteenth, damn it); but I'd rather no party over an entirely HP-themed one. It wouldn't be so bad if the child was old enough to even watch the movies; a seven year old's party I'd be slightly disturbed at, but would soon forget. But a three year old? Poor child.
(Of course, a later entry mentions that the mother in this case? Still breatfeeding. Maybe my ideas are off, since I was never breastfed - I was allergic - but aren't most children weaned off before then? I mean, Colin's been drinking juice and water for about a year now.)
Further investigation shows that themed birthday parties for toddlers are all the rage now. And I now have another criteria for marriage: I will not marry anyone who wants to give a child a themed birthday party for the first four birthdays.