Birthday Traditions

I have a friend who tells each child the story of the night (afternoon, whatever) when they were born--especially funny little details like the car ride to the hospital, who was there, what other names they considered, etc.

For a birthday tradition - I always have something called our "birthday wall", in which pictures that have been taken of them over the years are displayed for about a week. I put it up after they've gone to sleep the night before their birthday, and it's the first thing they look for in the morning. I found it's a great way to use the baby pictures taken that would normally sit in an album or storage somewhere.

Kindergarten - I wish I could tell you the name of the book I used, but since I've just moved, it's not readily accessable, but, have a special book about the first day of kindergarten that you can read to her for a couple nights before school starts and then let her take that book with her on the first day. Put a little note inside the book that she can look at, or even a family picture for it she gets nervous during the day.
Sing a special song with her, or play some of her favorite music on the way to school -
Hope it's helpful!!

For birthdays- how about hiding a balloon and when they wake up have the balloon tied to "their seat" at the dinner table. Also, tell your daughter her birth story every year on that date.

School- write a note on a napkin for her lunch (if it's full day) with just a smile or heart, I doubt she can read a whole note yet! Ha ha! Let her pick out her outfit. Maybe help you prepare her lunch.

Hi T.,

My Mom always left our first B-Day gift at the foot of our bed. She also always gave a small gift to my siblings even on my b-day. Now I do the same with my kids.

Hi T., We only have a couple of b-day traditions with our three girls (now ages 12, 15 & 17). First we go to the Oakmont bakery on the nearest Saturday to pick out their cake. Then they get to choose a place for the family to go out to dinner (we started that when our oldest hit about age 9). The birthday girl also gets to choose a movie to rent (or pay-per-view) we all watch together unless there is a movie in the theater that we have been waiting to see. On their 13th birthday we do a "girls night out" and I take the b-day girl for her first make-up shopping trip and a dinner. (I don't allow make-up wearing until 13). For their sweet 16 we hold two big parties, one for their friends and one for the extended family. We also get the b-day girl her school class ring for her 16th birthday present. (This doesn't have to be otragously expensive if you check out Wal*Mart's jewerly dept.) I have two more "biggy's to figure out...18th and 21st, but since all three of our girls will be turning 18 right before they graduate high school I think 18 will be more low-key with all the senior expenses. Personally I feel that b-days are a real family event and I don't like to do big parties with giftbags and tons of kids running around my house or the expense of pool parties, bowling parties etc. My other issue is that all three of my girls' b-days are within 3 weeks of each other and start only 6 weeks after Christmas. By the time we get to #3 we are sick of cake no matter how great and the budget is streched to the limit. So we do what we can to make the day for each girl...and I sit back at bedtime and wonder at the amazing young women they are becomming...and how on earth I got so blessed! So do what you feel and make the day your own, there is no right or wrong despite what others may think or feel! Best wishes.

T. P. Here is something I wish I did with my kids but did not. My girlfriends mother had 10 children, on each one of their birthdays she would decorate a central located mirror in the house with pictures of the birthday child and their siblings. This tradition continued to carry on even when the children moved out. They all enjoy looking at the pictures and all the memories that go along with it. Good Luck I hope you find lots of fun traditions for your family. J.

I don't have much for the b-days, you're doing all that I would have said to try. As for school here are some of my ideas.
Draw a picture on a napkin for her snack. I told my Daughter that it was my way to reminder her that I'm thinking of her even when she is away from me. She learned to read as the year went on so the pictures soon turned to small words and then short phrases. On the way home I would ask her to tell me what was on her napkin as part of the review of her day.

Some nights we would work together to pack her snack and talk about what she thought the teacher would do on the next day. She would draw a picture of me or something from home to look at when she was at school eating her snack.

I also got one of those daily organizers for her closet to set her outfits into so she should plan what she would wear each day. Here's the blog I wrote about that.

http://jewelrymama.blogspot.com/2009/03/manic-monday.html

I hope some of those ideas help.
Good Luck (It's ok to cry that first day(week).

I agree with Denise. We have started something similar. Our kids are younger- 8 & 5. Neither will ever have to go to school on their day because one is in July and one is Dec 21! But they get to do whatever they want to do that day. My husband tries to get off work but if he can't the 3 of us are out having fun. They pick the food or restaurant & the activity. Whether it is mini- golf or ice skating they pick and the other has to go along with no complaints. They love the fact that the day does stop and we celebrate them and they are "in- charge" for the day. We do also have parties for them but it is always on another day. Needles to say- they love their birthdays!!!
Good Luck!

PS- on the first and last day of school I always have a party for the kids- neighborhood kids or just a couple of close friends. It's a fun way to celebrate school!

You might find a special birthday book to read. Dr. Seuss has a birthday book that I think is called "Happy Birthday to You". I'm sure there are others out there.

For school, what if you buy a small scrapbook for school accomplishments and start to create it out together. The first day you could take her picture, write her teacher's name, room #, etc and document her feelings that morning. Add to the book at various times throught the year. Or you could search for fun school-related songs to sing to her to wake her up. Have fun!

I got my daughters a porcelain doll every year for their birthday. They are 19 & 15 and still love opening it every year. My son we get a collectors nascar. My sister in-law always got a music box from her parents and I get one of my nieces, one a precious moments and the other one a collectors bear. They all seem to really look forward to it every year.

As far as school goes make it an extra special breakfast... pack a special little note in their lunch box with a special treat..and most important don't forget to take the pictures in front of the house and getting on the bus (thats for you when they get older to look back on and remember fondly.)

Enjoy, it all goes way to fast!
Barb

We do a 'time capsule' each year - it contains various items & memoirs from us and other family members who attend the party. As our kid(s) get older, they'll ceremoniously tape it up and take it to the basement for storage. Then at their 18th birthday, they get them all back and can decide what to do with them.

When I was growing up, I think I had the best birthdays ever because of my mom. Birthdays were the one day of the year that you were the VERY MOST IMPORTANT PERSON on earth. Firstly, we never went to school on our birthdays. Not many will agree with that choice but my mother felt that there was nothing more important than celebrating our beginnings in this world! So the everyday mind numbing stuff stopped for us while we celebrated birthdays.

She also did that because she felt it was a day we should spend TOGETHER. It was a special day for both of us. and having more than one child, you will understand that it is rare for one child to get undivided attention. But that day we were GUARANTEED as much of mom as we wanted.

So we'd wake up and my sisters would go to school. (which makes you feel WAY special to get to break the rules and stay home!!) Then we'd get dressed and go to breakfast. After that we'd go to the mall (no matter how old we were) or basic shopping to browse and shop. My mother never bought us a birthday gift before our birthdays. That's what we shopped for that day. So it was like a treasure hunt. OOOOOOOOOOH what do I want!?! oh! look at that!!!

We'd stop and have lunch together and then either finish shopping or just go do something we felt like doing impromptu. It was great to not have the day completely planned out. Something magical in "what will we do next" and knowing we had time to be together and make that decision.

and parties were held on a weekend so it didn't interfere with our day.

I can tell you that of all the things my mom ever did or bought for me on my birthday.....NONE of it was nearly as important or wonderful as having her to MYSELF all day. She made arrangements for my sisters and left the day open for us to experience. and that was priceless.

My mom didn't do alot right...but birthdays she did up perfectly!