Well, the madness that was Zoë’s birthday weekend is over and I am ready to recover from the over indulgence in sugar.

Each of our kids gets one BIG blowout part with all of their friends (okay–Noah got 2, but we don’t focus on that.  Thankfully memories are short when kids are young).  Each of these parties happen when the kids turn 5. Five is a big birthday in the minds of the kids.

So, we splurged for a party at BounceU.  And it was an great decision.  The kids could not have had more fun.  They ran and jumped and bounced and slid for 60 minutes and the filled up on the best cake ever.

The trade-off is that they don’t get presents at these parties.  In stead we collect money for Ethiopian Orphan Relief.  This helps the kids realize that it isn’t just about getting stuff.  They get plenty of stuff from their own family–they don’t need random gifts from their friends.  Zoë didn’t flinch (but needed reassurance that she would get something from Mom and Dad and her grandparents).

She doesn’t completely understand that the money will go towards bringing clean water and what that means.  She does agree that kids in Ethiopia should be able to buy water than have to walk a long way to get water.  So, the lesson isn’t quite clear in her 5-year-old head.  You buy stuff with money and it’s for Ethiopia and her conclusion is somewhat logical.  We’ll keep working on that and talking about charity.  I think this is more important.  My kids have so much (as do all of the kids in their classes).

If we are honest, we have to admit that our kids have way too much.  I don’t like that my kids expect others to buy them something.  I want them to value what they have and to value their friends for their friendship not that they give them gifts.  I want them to not expect things.  We were really lucky with Noah that only 1 parent brought him a gift (all of the other families didn’t bring a gift and/or donated to charity).  This year, Zoë, received a few couple gifts–because it is clearly hard for some parents to grasp the no gift giving.  But she raise over $200 for charity and she was happy about that.

I’m am happy to be done with the big birthday extravaganzas.  I say that now, until Noah’s first sleepover b-day party in May.