Since the girls turned 18 months, I've been giving them a half birthday party. It's nothing big. I make them a cake, we sing the birthday song, blow out candles and eat it. No friends, no presents, just a marking of time past. I started it way back then because I wasn't doing anything else and I thought it was a nice thing to do for them.
Since then, I've gotten (and increasingly with their age, as they grow) a lot of good-natured flack. Half birthdays are ridiculous, no wonder I have spoiled kids, what the hell is my problem, etc.
Side note: Firstly, my kids have hit the 4.5 golden age! I don't know who came in and exchanged my hoodlums for these angelic, cute, happy kids, but I will take it. I will take it and never look back. Please, dear everything, let me keep these reasonable, expressing-themselves, not-tantruming kids. So, right now, I wouldn't say I spoiled them after all! Huzzah!
But, ignoring that, let's say I have spoiled them. The half-birthday isn't the spoiling. That would be in the da-to-day mistakes and inconsistencies I allow. An extra cake a year does not a spoiled child make.
Okay, now, here's why my twins get a half-birthday party:
They are twins.
If I had two children in the normal way, you know, one at a time, they would each get a party. As it stands, they share a cake, share a party, share everything. They only get one.
So what's the harm in doing two? Anyone else with two kids gives two parties. And I still get off the hook because I don't have to invite anyone over or worry about presents.
And it really helps us mark the time. For instance, now that they're 4.5, they've accepted that they are to clean their toys up everyday, make their beds, and get themselves dress (and wipe their own bums). They wouldn't do those things at four, so I made a big deal out of the 4.5 meaning new responsibilities.
Natalina has taken it to a new level and has started staying dry overnight. (LOL, my kid would pee in bed for funsies, right?) Dulce has been dry for a long time.
Anyway, it's a nice marker for us, and I'll keep doing it until we don't want to anymore.
Here are some party pictures!
What's wrong with a party? I think that's been my motto since college, to be honest.
I thought this was sound logic. Two kids, two parties, no problem! No extra fuss really for Mom and everyone is happy. Twins means sharing EVERYTHING and usually that means half of everything, doesn't seem fair really.
ReplyDeleteI realised the fly in my logic ointment when they figured out they were two people, so if twin people got two parties then the individual twin should get two parties so there should be four parties!! (having been a kid once I kinda saw their point). This happened around the age of 10.
My solution was that one twin celebrates the day before, one the day after and the day they were actually born was just for the family. This worked well into teenage years. (I guess I figure three instead of two or four is a happy compromise :)) Plus I only had to deal with extended family for one day because 'the boys have their friend birthdays before and after and that's really important to them'. Win :) Keep fighting the good fight against the nay sayers, glad the half birthday is working for you!
That's a really good idea and I'll remember that for my two!
Deletei always announce to everyone when its my half birthday, so i see no problem! i like that you use it as a tool though. honestly, every day is a celebration and i think it's sweet that you give them an extra party for being twins :) definitely awesome that you give them new responsibilities too!
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