Children's birthday parties are a minefield these days, aren't they? From sending invoices to the families who fail to turn up to your little one's party, to catering for those kids who aren't allowed within a one mile radius of sugar, it seems there's an endless list of difficult decisions to be made before you throw a birthday bash.
I say bring back the days when all you needed for a party was your friends, some cake and jelly, plus a few rounds of pass the parcel and musical statues. Now we're all scouring the internet for weeks in search of the perfect Disney Frozen party accessories, or watching YouTube tutorials to learn how to craft snowflakes from spun sugar.
Pinterest has a lot to answer for. I blame celeb parents, too. With their more-money-than-sense approach to parties for their beloved offspring they're leading us all astray, making us fall for the myth that a child's birthday party needs a colour-scheme, gift inventory for birthday presents (remember Myleene Klass' backlash against that?) and at least one special guest appearance.
But one mum thinks this is all perfectly reasonable. Metro reports:
"For some children, the definition of a treat is being bought a sweet after behaving well or getting a fiver extra in their pocket money for good grades. For others, it emerges, it involves getting ponies and red carpets for lavish birthday parties. And outspoken mum Sophie May Dixon is adamant that such luxuries are exactly what her children Princess Bliss (5) and Precious Bell (3) deserve."
Sophie told the show's presenters that she spent over £2,000 on her five-year-old daughter's last birthday party, arguing that spoiling a child is not the same as treating them.
Now, given that we're all pennywise parents, I'm going to wager that few of us spend anything like that on birthday parties for our kids.
So how much do you think is a reasonable budget for a child's birthday party? And if you had £2,000 burning a hole in your pocket, would you fork out for a pony party for your kid's birthday?
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