by Linsey Knerl
We consider ourselves a large family, even though there are only seven of us. Because there are enough of us to have our own birthday party (and practically fill a room), birthday planning can be quite the ordeal.
We recently held a sixth birthday bowling party for my son Moses. He requested an Angry Birds theme, and all the kids chipped in and helped make the occasion special. My children were so involved with the process, they inspired me to share some of the ways that they - and your children - can help create an amazing birthday experience without breaking the budget.
Shop Small.
When asked what they would like for their birthday, most kids will tell you about the grandest and most expensive presents they can think of. In reality, however, those kids could probably tell you 4-5 items that they would just as well love to play with that cost less than $10. For kids that receive an allowance, it’s possible to have them shop for siblings within this price range. Even if they only have a few dollars, they can choose to chip in their money, or parents can help out by matching funds at 50 to 100%.
Consider Cards.
My kids love getting greeting cards, even those without money inside. They’ve loved to make cards for one another for almost every holiday or occasion. The cards can be fancy, made with construction paper, glitter, glue, and stickers. They can also be simple; even my two-year-old enjoys scribbling an original masterpiece down on a piece of printer paper with a washable colored marker. Teach kids early on to appreciate these types of homemade gifts, and help them to realize that these can often have the most sentimental value in the years to come.
Cover Consumerism.
If you don’t take the birthday party experience as an easy opportunity to teach your kids about wants, needs, and the best ways to plan for gift shopping, you are really missing out. I have tried to include my kids in nearly every step of the birthday party planning process, both to teach them valuable life skills and to help them understand that everything we do in regards to the party will cost time or money. My oldest daughter, for instance, was able to use her prepaid debit card to buy the cake supplies needed to create her amazing Angry Birds cake. The younger boys learned a little about patience and multiplication; they realized how many weeks it would take to save up for just the perfect gift for their brother. For additional lessons that can be applied to the birthday process, I recommend you check out our list of the best books that teach kids about money.
In the end, I think this is one of the best birthday parties we have had. Every single family member was involved in some way, from the baking to the decorating to the shopping to creating their own unique wrapping paper. The photos from the event will serve to preserve these amazing memories; the lessons learned in the finance category will hopefully serve to create more responsible spending and saving patterns in my children.
The information contained in this article does not constitute financial, legal or tax advice and its authors make no claims about its accuracy or completeness. The authors of this article do not hold themselves out as providing any legal, tax, financial or other advice and do not make any recommendations or endorsements as to any investment, financial plan or any other product or services. The materials contained in this article do not constitute advice and you should not rely on any material in this article to make, or refrain from making, any decision. As laws and regulations change frequently, we cannot guarantee that the information contained in this article is current or applicable to your specific circumstances. Laws and regulations may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Legal, tax and financial advice must always be tailored to your specific circumstances and nothing in this article should be viewed as a substitute for the advice of competent legal, tax or financial advisors.