tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738470884790711412.post7343425778664433331..comments2023-05-22T04:26:10.375-04:00Comments on Notes From the Edge of the Spectrum: Birthday SeasonKrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14934033119198457032noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738470884790711412.post-88179798335029840052010-06-02T13:01:38.759-04:002010-06-02T13:01:38.759-04:00My son had a friend who has an August birthday and...My son had a friend who has an August birthday and although he was the type of kid who had plenty of friends, the typical birthday party was non existent for him because of the time of year.<br /><br />It's always hard when our kids can't have something we want them to have. Just recently my now grown son experienced the "I have no friends" sadness when his girlfriend and I had planned a surprise party for him to which most of the invited guests did not show, even though they'd said they were. I think part of our mistake was that I didn't do the inviting and had I done so it would have been more difficult for these young adults to sluff off their commitment to show up.<br /><br />Ultimately my son and the couple of friends that showed had a really good time, had more food to eat than they could handle (rare for growing young men) and we all got over the disappointment of our unmet expectations but it served as a reminder to appreciate quality over quantity, something I've being trying to teach my "normal" kid who's felt he's lacked in the friends department his whole life.<br /><br />Also, as I recall, those big, multi school friend birthday parties mostly cost too much, my son was always inevitably under the weather, and they always seemed to bring out the worst in him. This bossy, unappreciative, sulky boy I rarely experienced would always appear at some point during the day. Those parties were never all they were cracked up to be and we always enjoyed the family parties much more.Campbellhttp://campbellscoup.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738470884790711412.post-58605149371943448232010-05-21T22:42:30.271-04:002010-05-21T22:42:30.271-04:00I hear what you're saying - my son is only 4yr...I hear what you're saying - my son is only 4yrs old but birthday parties are a constant source of stress for us. He's been invited to many during the school year (by way of bulk invitations in the backpack) but for his party this year I invited friends of ours with kids that he knows (only one is his age) and my cousin's kids, and kept it small. <br />What my friend has done for her HFA 9 yr old's birthdays is instead of having a party, she asks him each year to pick a special place and the whole family goes together for his special day. One year it was the Museum of Science, another year it was something else...<br />I think with kiddos like ours sometimes we have to take a step back and re-evaluate the whole "birthday party" thing. As much as I want a regular party for my son, I know he couldn't handle 20 kids at a playspace, opening 20 presents and surrounded by food he can't eat. Sometimes we have to take our lead from them. Good luck to you with the planning!<br />Alysia<br />http://trydefyinggravity.wordpress.com/Alysiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17214949515460359731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738470884790711412.post-39149853416134609102010-05-20T11:11:45.606-04:002010-05-20T11:11:45.606-04:00Gosh I sooooo know what you mean
I am also always...Gosh I sooooo know what you mean <br />I am also always chastising myself on doing more playdates <br />You know I finally had to abandon all my preconceived notions of what a birthday party is and we finally got it right this year his 5th birthday <br />I wrote about it here <br />http://drycappucino.blogspot.com/2009/11/special-birthday-for-special-boy.htmlFloortime Lite Mamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07988840423227903784noreply@blogger.com