I am apparently the World's Worst Mom.
How innocently we do things for our children when they are small, endeavoring to make their lives fun and meaningful and full of special times. Then as they grow up and life gets busy, we put away childish things, not realizing that they view them as Traditions Etched in Stone.
Because it's such a big deal to a preschooler to reach the milestone of being, say, 3 and a half, I used to celebrate it. I would make my kids half of a cake, put the current number of candles plus half of a candle on it, and we would sing Happy Half-Birthday to You. No gifts (or half-gifts) were involved, and since their birthdays are 12 days apart, it was a piece of cake (so to speak!) to do it. I'd make a whole recipe of our traditional chocolate cake, pop one layer in the freezer for the next 1/2 birthday, and cut, stack, and frost the other one for the first child's half-birthday.
And since all 4 of our birthdays are clumped together in just over a month, it brought some fun to the other half of the year. Of course, my man and I don't care to commemorate such half-milestones for ourselves; the whole birthdays come fast enough as it is! But it was a sweet family time when the kids were young and we continued through elementary school.
I really thought my kids were past this stage, as a couple of years ago both of their half-birthdays came and went without any of us realizing it. What a
But alas, yesterday, my girl remembered hers. And in spite of the fact that we were home a whopping 10 minutes between 9 AM and 8 PM, she bemoaned the fact that she didn't have her 1/2 cake. She was marginally placated with a wrap & a slush from Sonic.
Maybe I should have given them a wretched, miserable childhood so they wouldn't have such high expectations!
Beware, young moms: it all comes back to bite you when they're teenagers!
View blog reactions
Posts
13 comments:
LOL! So what you're saying is that we should stop doing fun things with the kids so they won't expect it later?
The 1/2 birthday celebration is a really cute idea, BTW!
Xandra
What a neat idea! I love your idea - we did not do it so I don't have a teen pouting about it, thank goodness, I am not sure I could find the time for a cake. BUT I wish I did. Maybe I will break out the calendar and see if I have missed it, if not, maybe I will confuse them and have a half birthday!
Smiles!
I really like this idea. Thanks for the laugh as I read this morning!
I always thought if I ever had a child around the holidays that I'd do a half birthday!
Very true, Linda. Either way you're in trouble. I bet if you remember next time she'll chastize you for being so corny and remind you she's not a baby anymore!
Linda, I can so relate!!! I tell all the young moms I know not to start any tradition they don't want to keep doing FOREVER!!!
I so know what you mean....."mom remember when you used to so this for us......" Ugh, yes I do remember, but now I do not have time because I spend my waking hours hauling you all over God's green creation, washing your clothes, cooking and trying to be super mom for you!!!!
Wow, I feel better, odd!!
I loved the half cake thing though, I think I will do that for my husband, you know how we love getting older!!! :)
NOW you tell me! Thanks. ;-) We're getting ready to celebrate birthday #5 this weekend. I can't wait!
It's always something. If you remembered next time, she'd probably resent being treated like a baby. Or maybe she's nicer than mine.
LOL! Girl you are so right to worn the young moms! ;)
Great idea! The book came in the mail today.... Thank you so much! I can't wait to read it!
Hey, I think it's pretty sweet that you did it at all! My mom used to do that for me when I was very little, until one year I insisted I was older than I was because I had mistook all the half birthdays for real ones!
Oh you terrible terrible mom! The tragedy! Oh the horror!!! Aren't our kids just the sweetest to remind us of our every little slip! Precious, just precious!!!
That is really cute!
Post a Comment