Sunday, April 20, 2008 
Honest to Betsy, these parents need help. I stumbled on a story about an over the top birthday party (hmm… yes, I believe it was Tom Cruise who wants to spend half a million for Suri's second), and the link jumping just went from there to places no one should ever go. I found links for over the top planning companies (oddly enough, called Over The Top Productions), cake purveyors whose wares started at one thousand dollars (Confetti Cakes), a refreshing link to a site run by parents who want to help stop the madness (Birthdays Without Pressure), and finally to a site that offers up to $50 for a monthly prize for the best party idea (Birthday Party Ideas). One of the recent winners was a woman who threw a Medieval party for her sons. That sounded interesting, so I clicked through to her description.
Holy mother of all that is cool and classy, this woman is insane. I couldn't even read the whole post. I finally pasted it into a word counting widget. THIRTY-FIVE HUNDRED words this woman write about her fabulous party. That's seven pages of single-spaced type. If you're a glutton for insanity you can read it here. I wish I were still a Psychology student needing a thesis topic. I nearly peed myself reading just this little bit:
We found some simple catapults the kids could build online. One used wooden clothes pegs and a plastic spoon, the other uses a wire clothes hanger [ed. note: NO. WIRE. HANGERS!], elastic bands and a plastic spoon. The kids could build what they preferred and try them out. We gave them pieces of sponges for ammunition. Once they were finished their building, we lined them up and gave them each a bucket of water to wet their ammunition. We put a silk scarf behind each castle and explained the rules of the game. Each team could use their catapults to attack the other team. The goal was to steal the other team's flag without losing your own first. Anyone tagged by the other side had to go to the tower and have a ball and chain attached to their leg (a black water balloon tied to their leg). They were freed when one of their own team members stomped on the balloon for them. We played this game twice, and they would have gone on forever if we'd let them. One tip: if you use glue on your catapult, make sure it dries waterproof if you intend to use wet ammunition.CNN, who wrote a piece on the subject of crazy-expensive parties, had a terrific list of sites not written by lunatics living their own fantisies through their children.
Here are some sites that offer tips on low-cost party planning for kids:I bookmarked them immediately. My eldest is turning ten in a few weeks.
Join the Momversation
I write. A lot. I wrote a book
I'm on Momversation.com Hire me for web and graphic design I made some free WordPress Party Themes I like Tenderness and Grace My Latest Videos My Latest Press
There are 39 people reading.
Subscribe to the Feed
- © The MommyBlog.com and Wonderbelly.com
- illustration by TearDrop
- website design by Moxie Design Studios™
The Mommy Blog™, Wonderbelly™, Mommy Confidential™, and PearSoup™ are trademarks of Wonderbelly™. All rights reserved. -
| 
| 
| Blog Listings |
GeekySpeaky: Submit Your Site!
04.20.08 at 03:16 PM |
Hmm, that medieval one doesn’t sound too expensive, just a bunch of pain in the arse errands. We did a medieval party once and found the neatest helmets to make out of posterboard here http://www.clevelandart.org/downloads/helmet.pdf . They went on a quest which involved finding coins in a wooden castle, jousting on a wooden horse using paper rings, and a few other things. My hubby “knighted” them when they completed their quest. Cheap and the kids LOVEd it!
There’s my 3500 words. Har har.
04.20.08 at 09:19 PM |
You know, back in my early 20’s, I had a friend the same age who was just an awful alcoholic. I worried so much about her, obviously, but I also sat and wondered how someone my same age could have arrived at such a dire place in their life at such a young age.
Now, some years later, I wonder how some women of my same generation have arrived at a place that allows them to have such parties, and then write 3500 words about it.
Maybe there’s a connection in there somewhere. (ha - or maybe I just need to drink more and enjoy the party already!.)
04.20.08 at 10:35 PM |
The only thing that makes me feel better about this party insanity is the fact that I thought it was an OC thing. I’m glad that I’m not isolated. The craziness is everywhere for us slackers to deal with.
04.21.08 at 03:35 AM |
I wrote an article about loot bags awhile back - they drive me INSANE! http://motherhoodtheultimatesurvivor.blogspot.com/2007/11/stop-loot-bag-insanity.html
04.21.08 at 08:55 AM |
Wow,
That’s just crazy. I thought that some of the moms of the kids my daughter goes to school with were going over the top (hotel sleep overs for an 8th b-day party!) but that medival one just takes the cake (no pun intended).
Now I feel so boring for taking my kids bowling on their birthdays http://themommyblog.net/ee/images/smileys/smile.gif
04.21.08 at 09:36 AM |
I have noticed that b-day parties are becoming so competitive, I feel like very party is to see whose can be better. This was a great post because it is so true…