Birthday party help

pixelvixen · April 2011

Ever since P's last birthday (August), she's been talking about her next party. For months, she wanted a "pink car party". Just as I decided to start looking for ideas, she changed her mind (this was February) and wanted a "butterfly cowgirl party". She talked about it for a month or so and then decided she didn't want butterflies - but a cowgirl princess party instead. So in the last couple of weeks I've resigned myself to looking for cowgirl and princess ideas. She's been helping me pick out ideas, and totally absorbed and interested in planning it.

Fast forward to today: she now wants a fairy princess party! She threw the biggest tantrum when I told her we've already started planning for a cowgirl princess party. She told my parents that "for her 5th birthday she was going to have a fairy princess party because her mommy said no for her 4th." I'm not kidding.

Now I'm all about putting my foot down, but at what point? Technically, her birthday is still 4 months away. Ugh. I've got a Drama Lama on my hands!!

WWYD?

Mrs.Kiltlifter · April 2011

OMG

4th birthday party Indifferent

!!!!!..........I need to regain my breath!

indigo91804 · April 2011

I'd tell her the that the party is still kind of far away and since she's changed her mind a couple of times you'll discuss it more when the time gets closer. She's going to change her mind about a dozen more times if given the opportunity but will love love love any kind of party you give her. If it were me, I'd settle more on where you are going to have the party so you can get that out of the way then what is it going to look like. If you decide location, you can kind of sway her toward what works best there.

The boys are the same exact way. Last year Liam was having a Pokeman/Super Mario/Star Wars party. After we did Super Mario he "ordered" his Pokeman party for next year. Now he wants to go to the Great Wolf.

doublem · April 2011

Unfortunately, that's classic 3-year-old behavior! I agree with PP's suggestion that you wait until it's closer, but you could bookmark ideas for multiple parties and start buying some basic pink things, since at least that seems pretty common despite the other changes.

One mama I know told her daughter she would have a surprise theme for her birthday that was something special she liked, which made it exciting for her daughter to have it be one of the indecisive themes and easier for the mama to plan. (not sure if that makes sense...)

Alli923 · April 2011

How about having her write down all her ideas and you guys can agree to come back to them in like 2 months when she'll (you) make a final decision? Then she feels like you are taking her opinions into consideration, but you can maintain some sanity!

keri1013 · April 2011

Oh that is hard! I was just talking with a friend at work about this, her daughter just turned four and up until the week before the party insisted she wanted a pirate party, then changed her mind to something else. Of course at that point it was too late to change, and she ended up loving her pirate party. I agree with maybe deciding on location and food, and then wait a couple more months to choose a theme. Whatever you do will be great!

StellaZ · April 2011

On the flipside...maybe talk to her about kids who don't get to have birthday parties...maybe go through her old toys and find things to donate so other kids can have nice birthdays too? It seems for her its more about the event than "things" ...but that might be a good way to give her a new perspective?

Also, the book "The Best Birthday Ever! By Me (Lana Kittie)
by Charise Mericle Harper " might be fun, but also teach her some birthday planning and throwing "etiquette"

Nancy_Drew · April 2011

I know exactly what you are talking about Kim! Audrey too has been so Excited for her birthday ever since her last one! We did princess last year and she now talks about a pony party and has for months. I resigned to a pony party then last month she said she wanted a rainbow party. Cool, I thought, I was thinking The Little Gym would be perfect for a Rainbow party. Now though she is insistent that it be at HER house and now she wants a princess party again.

I told her no to the princess party again, and now she is back on the pony party idea. I am sticking with it, but I KNOW she will change her mind again. But she seems to always come back around. Can't hurt that I hype it up. Lol

I have been looking at a bunch of party sites for cowgirl/farm/pony and have seen some princessy themes too. Of course I can't remember the sites now though. If you come across anything cool, let me know!

Seattle_JiLLn · April 2011

I would wait until 6 weeks before her party and make the plans then. Stop talking about it and wait til then and show her two paper plate ideas or something and just make her pick one.

MrsAmyB · April 2011

P is a lot like Meg. We just had the same thing happen the past few months. I had big plans to deck it all out just as she wanted but she changed her mind so often. I went the easy route and took her to a party store. She picked Ariel and that was that.

Looking back, I should have made her do a final pick and show her what I was doing along the way, that way she wouldn't have changed her mind. I'm not usually such a push-over, but it's HER day, the one day I will let her get what she wants.

If her party is half as awesome as her 3rd birthday, she'll be a happy girl!

pixelvixen · April 2011

Thanks ladies. I'm going to keep any birthday discussions on the DL for a while and see what happens. I'm sure we'll end up going with some sort of princessy party, just not sure if it'll be more western princess or pretty fairy princess.

Lauri - google cowgirl party or pony party and look at the images that come up. There are a ton of ideas!

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