I have a bone to pick with Party City, Oriental Trading Company, and thousands upon thousands of parents out there...
It's about goodie bags at parties.
Has your child ever received a bag filled with candy, toys and other "goodies". The recipient gets 2 minutes of joy opening up something new and exciting... and you get a house filled with clutter.
Some parents are great at making the stuff magically disappear, but others are frustrated trying to organize and arrange it all.
One solution: Stop giving goodie bags.
First, they create children who are addicted to "new" and the rush of opening up presents. Most kids handle this just fine. Others will grow up to have overstuffed closets and drawers as they keep trying to recreate the excitement of having something new, getting a rush every time they make a purchase.
Second, I have also noticed a few children who get so excited they forget to be gracious. They grab for their goodies, even ask at the beginning of a party what they're getting.
Third, do we really need all that stuff anyway?
Fourth, isn't the party supposed to be about celebrating someone's birthday? What ever happened to the days when you got cake & ice cream and said thank you.
Another solution: If you like the idea of giving a souvenir to party attendees, make it one nice thing instead of many cheap items and candy that our kids clearly don't need more of.
How 'bout a bucket and shovel or a noodle in the summer. In winter it can be a coloring book and markers. Create a craft at the party that kids can take home. Take a Polaroid or digital photo of each child with the birthday child and send home the photo as a memento.
What are some of your best gift ideas for party attendees?
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