Are kids nowadays having birthday parties every year? I know my kids have, but they are only 10 and 6. It just seems that it gets overboard. I can only remember one party when I was little and that was when I turned five. Granted my parents were not ones to throw parties, but we did have cake to celebrate the person's birthday. I guess what I am asking is there an age where you don't feel like you have to celebrate with your child's friends? I hope this makes sense and please know that I am not trying to be a "party pooper", but gosh these parties can get so elaborate.

Just depends on your family I suppose...I don't really care what other people do, I ask my kids each year what they want to do - sometimes we have a family party, sometimes they want to invite a bunch of friends to go to a movie or other event, sometimes they want a sleepover, sometimes they don't care if we do a party and we celebrate with a trip or weekend, just our immediate family.

I offer my girls a party OR we can spend the money that we would spend on the party on them. It varies from year to year.

My kids weren't really into parties. I think they had a big one when they were 11. They are the same age for one day!!!!!!
Now my youngest will be 11 on Friday and we have to have a big sleepover party. What a fiasco!! We are having a "pampering" party.

We do a family birthday party each year but limit the "friends" party every other year as it gets pretty expensive since my dd has a hard time limiting the number of friends to invite.

Ds will be turning 6 this year and this is the first year everyone from his class will be invited, since he will be in K. We told him other years are not going to be like this, that everyone will be invited. Probably next year we'll just have a few of his friends over but then he'll be 7 and maybe will have more of an idea of what he'll want. Right now, he really doesn't get it.

Our school does groups classes by 3 years, as in preprimary I, II and K in the same class. Then 1,2,3 rd grade in the same class, etc. So we'll probably end up doing large parties the 'oldest' of the years - as in the next large party when he's in 3rd grade, then 6th grade, etc.

I have to admit we're having it at Pump It Up this year and it's been so easy. Ds's birthday is in December and while I love having it for him it does end up being super stressful for me around the holidays. This year I'm looking forward to just letting someone else do the work for me this year.