Lydia’s fifth birthday isn’t for six months, but Carol and I are already thinking about it. Her fourth birthday was a family event, with her grandparents, two cousins, and uncle and aunt and her parents; all the relatives, BTW, are my wife’s, since mine are so far away. I was lobbying for more, since all of her friends had had an expanded roster of guests. Moreover, some of them had massive gatherings at a Chucky Cheese type place or a baseball training place, to name two that I attended. I’m not into competing with these, but on the other hand, I don’t want her to be always the one going to other parties.
Am I experiencing party envy? Not exactly. Wouldn’t want to have had to wrangle those big events. I think many of them invited the whole day care class, and that many children in one place under my responsibility, even with other parents there, would have made me verklempt.
I had heard this rule long ago: one should have for little child the number of children numbering their age plus one. So Lydia will have six friends at her next birthday at our house. This is a function too of the fact that her best friends don’t even go to to her daycare any more. Indeed, she had a [dreaded term] play date with two of them just this past Sunday.
Good thing she doesn’t read my blog; I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise. Meanwhile, happy four and a half, Lydia.
ROG