This article is brought to you by our friends at Little Sleepies.
Before the keyboard warriors come for me, I’ve gotta be clear that my stance on birthdays is not a dig at the moms who aren’t into “Pinterest Parenting” because that’s totally valid. In my opinion, birthdays don’t need 20-foot-tall balloon arches, aesthetic bounce houses, and a Ms. Rachel impersonator to be memorable. It’s amazing if that’s what you can afford (TBH, I am guilty of hopping on the aesthetic bounce house trend), but what kids remember most is how wholly and unconditionally loved they felt on their birthdays, however your family chooses to express that.
For me, I enjoy being a little extra. I mean, I’m the girl who planned her own bridal and baby showers (my family provided their wallets; I provided the creative direction). Planning events genuinely brings me joy, and my kids’ birthday parties are no different. Alas, I’m also a girl perpetually on a budget. So “going all out” often means serving potluck-style food (shout out to my Tití for building gorgeous charcuterie boards every year), surrounded by an onslaught of DIY decorations and grocery store flowers. Not to downplay my skills, because regardless of our budget, my parties are pretty phenomenal. But most importantly, my kids absolutely love their birthdays. Although the cool party is definitely a big factor in their excitement, it’s mostly because we make their birthday all about them. So, my true secret to going all out for their birthdays? How closely I pay attention.
As moms, we have a special talent for listening and taking note of our kids’ favorite things—from the small stuff like how to cut a sandwich to their preference to the big stuff like their favorite characters. So I pay attention to all of that well before their big day. And, as any good romance novel reader will tell you, the anticipation is the best part. First, I build excitement by letting them help me choose their party theme or a birthday activity. I have a “Birthday parties” board on Pinterest, and a couple of months prior, I’ll start saving ideas based on what they’re currently into. I show them pictures of party ideas—realistically achievable ones, for my own sake—to have them help me narrow down the theme. We do the same with birthday presents. Anytime we go to the store and they inevitably ask for toys, we’ll say, “Let’s add it to your birthday list!” and take a photo of it. It’s a good hack for avoiding meltdowns and another way of adding to the excitement.
But our favorite birthday-lead-up tradition is picking special birthday PJs. My kids love the ultra-soft pajamas from Little Sleepies, so I let them pick their favorite pattern from the birthday collection a month or so before their big day. Little Sleepies even has family matching PJs in case the whole family wants to match in celebration and birthday prints in their Play collection, so they can stay on theme all day. The kids can wear their PJs as often as they want beforehand, but, of course, they wear them the night before their birthday so they wake up already dressed for the festivities. Love is in the details like this, and my kids notice it all.
The biggest reason my kids enjoy their birthday so much is that the whole day is all about them. The older they get, the more autonomy they have when deciding what we do. And since kids are constantly at the mercy of their parents’ plans, they get really excited to make all the decisions for a little while. They usually pick an activity, the food they want to eat that day, and whatever show or movie they want to watch. If their birthday party is during the weekend and their actual birthday is on a weekday, then my husband and I take the day off to spend the day with them.
So while the party is an exciting part of their birthday plans, it’s not always super fancy or decked out. It genuinely depends on what the kids want at the end of the day. Now that my son is out of the toddler years, he prefers birthday parties that are centered around a fun activity like a water park or Chuck-E-Cheese. Going all out for him is less about a curated party and more about the experience—and whatever character decor he’s currently obsessing over.
Chances are, if you had incredible birthday memories growing up, there was one person behind the scenes pulling all the strings and making all the calls: Mom. I remember when I was turning 15, all my friends were having quinceañeras. But when it was my turn, my mom let me choose between having a party or booking a hotel room with all my friends for a “fancy” slumber party (supervised by her, of course). I chose the slumber party. She understood me well enough to know that while I enjoyed my friends’ quinces, it just wasn’t for me. But she still wanted me to feel special, so she went above and beyond (effort- and budget-wise, probably) to pull it all off. It’s still one of my all-time favorite memories.
It’s moms who create the birthday magic. And if you didn’t have the best birthday memories growing up, I know you are extra intentional about changing that for your own kids. We know our kids better than anyone, and we’ll do whatever we can to make them feel valued and adored. Whether that’s by celebrating their birthday with a big party, a yes day, or a new adventure, our kids will grow up knowing their mom always puts in the effort to make them feel loved. And that’s why I’ll never apologize for going all out for my kids’ birthdays.
Since becoming a young mama in 2020, Steph has found joy in creating beautiful yet relatable content surrounding the raw realities of motherhood. She believes showcasing both the wonders and struggles of being a parent helps other mothers understand that they are not alone in their journey.
This article is brought to you by our friends at Little Sleepies. As a fellow women-founded brand that understands the importance of enjoying the little moments, community is at the heart of their craftsmanship and brand mission.
