There was an article in todays paper about this website and group.  I know around the holidays many of you had mentioned wanting to tone things down.  I thought this might help with the birthdays as well.

http://www.birthdayswithoutpressure.com/ ...

Love the article on birthdays.  I totally agree that they are getting out of hand.  I have seen parents spend hundreds on food, and party garb, all for what?  A few pictures to prove what a good parent you are for spending hundreds?  I know that birthdays are important to all of us, especially the little ones, but I also feel that a proper focus the lessons that we teach our children in them is even more important.  We like to lavish the things on our children that we did not have- all of us want more for them.  But if your main focus in childrearing is to raise children who do not expect that sort of thing, and to be content with what they have , then spoiling them in that way is no good.  Anyone ever seen Seet 16 on VH1- I know that is over the top, but in every income level, we can do the exact same thing to our kids!!

Thanks for the link. It will help me out. I'm planning a party right now for Jazz in April.

Great link - thanks for sharing!