I was at a 4-year old's birthday party today at our community pool. R was so excited to be at one of his favorite places (the pool) with one of his favorite things (cake). There is not usually cake at the pool, so could it get any better?
It was a really nice, low-key party. The cake was a Despicable Me cake, the decorations were one bunch of 8 multi-colored balloons, the goodie bags were Angry Birds bags stuffed with sports trinkets and a little candy. The invite had come via text message two weeks before. All this from a mother who I have always thought of as very high-strung, everything-must-be-perfect kind of mom.
The kids had a great time in the pool and running around the playground there. Some of the moms (including the birthday boy's mom) were talking around the party table sipping bottles of water, and people started taking about Pintrest.
"Great time-suck"
"Ugh...people just post picture after picture of stuff they like but will never make, places they want to visit but will never go, and food they want to eat but will never cook."
"I hate Pintrest - it makes me feel like a bad mom" one woman said with a laugh. "My kids will never have parties like on Pintrest."
Everyone agreed on this last point. I mean really, if you look at the kids section on Pintrest, you would think everyone's 1st birthday party must have a designer theme with a 5-tier "Cake Boss" fondant creation, complete with Martha Stewart designed place settings, banners and garlands. And of course the birthday child in a designer outfit posed in front a backdrop of dozens of white balloons and mason jars with candles in them. At dusk. With fireflies.
The birthday boy's mom spoke up at this point. "You know, it just wasn't going to happen this year. I had plans to do a themed party, but there was just too much going on, and I realized, he's four. He wants pizza, he doesn't really like cake, he just wants to run around with some friends. So that what he got."
And I thought back to R's fourth birthday party, which I had done plenty of Pintrest research for, looking for the perfect superhero-themed games and decorations and goodies. Now, I am a graphic designer, so part of me is programmed to think about how to do things creatively and make things I am proud of. And R's party was awesome - I wouldn't go back and change anything about the day. He had the BEST time, but it wasn't because I made special cake toppers, graphic BOOM! WHAM! decorations, and personalized every kid's goodie bag with superhero names for them. It was because he got to eat unlimited Cheese Curls (something I hardly ever let him have) run around with his friends, see all of his family members dressed up as superheroes, and eat cake. I could have eliminated a lot of stress on my part in the weeks prior to the party.
So I thoroughly enjoyed today's party, probably as much as R did. And I really respect moms who get that when it comes to kids, it's not the details - it's the big picture that counts for birthdays. Details are for graduations and weddings. I will try and remember that for R's 5th birthday.
-the good stepwitch
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