The birthday weekend marathon is a weekend like no other, when your kids have two, three or four birthday parties to attend for the weekend. Sometimes this can be a birthday for every weekend of the month.

Birthday are special occasion that should be celebrated and children take this personal if the child happens to be in their year class, gym class or football club. Most especially when the invitation was given to them personally, this indicate a must attend for them. However, as parents, where do you draw the line? Understandably, you want your child to socialize, engage, interact and make friends outside the natural environment these friendship may have developed, but how do you choose on birthday marathon days.

Making the decision to attend all birthday parties on the same day or through out the month will result in:

• Buying gift for each celebrant, which some parents find as extra added cost.
• Your child not fully enjoying the full experience of the party and missing out on activities.
• Dealing with tantrums when leaving a party.
• Deciding what time will be best to leave during the party.
• Changing your own personal plan to accommodate your child’s social needs.
• The logistics of getting from one birthday party to the next, which in some cases can be stressful.

Minimising these hurdles may include planing ahead and talking with your child on which birthday party he/she will like to attend. Choosing can be a difficult task and also upsetting for the celebrant, but talking about it helps. RSVP and responding to the invitation will help the celebrant’s parent plan for the children attending. It also prepare the celebrant mentally, on which children will be attending. To minimise a birthday marathon weekend some birthday party invitations are accepted based on first come, except when your child is best friend with the celebrant.

Children birthday parties are unavoidable and should be celebrated with friends, when possible. However parent should ensure it is with joy, fun and celebration, reducing any stress the day may bring by being calm and enjoying it with their child.