Son Turning 10 Have a Birthday Party or Not?

I would do what he wants to do -it's his birthday! Depending on the activity, if he wants to do something with expensive tickets, let him know how many friends you can afford. If he just wants a sleepover, 8-10 should be fine. I have no problem with big parties for any age as long as the kid wants that and the party is the main attraction. If my child wants to go to an amusement park or something -then I'll say "Limit it to ------ amount."

We've kind of decided that this year (age 8) was the last year of the "big kid party" for us. From now on he can pick 1, 2 or 3 buds and do something like a movie/sleepover, Dave & Busters, etc.

We were just talking about this the other night b/c my girlfriend's son is turning 11 and she has always done a "big party" for him. She was sad b/c this year he just wanted to "hang out" with his friends.

Last year (10), they took 9 of his friends and played lazer tag. Afterwards, the boys "camped" in the basement with movies and pizza. They had a blast. This year it's looking like basement, movies, pizza and XBox.

Pretty soon he's not going to want you involved at all, so enjoy it while you can!

I am so thankful for each day that I get to have my kids in my life that I gave them whatever kind of birthday party they wanted EVERY year! It's ONE party a year, celebrating how freaking cool your kid is (even when they aren't that cool!)

I never understood why parents wouldn't give their kid a party...or one every other year. Are those the only years that count?

By the way, all four of my kids (and my husbands and my) birthdays fall within a six week period starting late January and ending in first week of March...it was six solid weeks of parties...and I love every one of them!

Life is entirely TOO short NOT to celebrate every minute God gives you!

Ask him what he would like to do. If he wants 8-10 and you can afford that, go for it!

This is the age where they will remember their parties, if they choose to have them. We never had big parties until around 6 - they didn't remember them before then, they would've only been for the parents, and we are glad we saved the money!

Ideas:

- Some activity park (like Dave and Busters Denise mentioned, or a water park)
- Bowling
- Miniature Golf
- Batting cages

For us it was around the age of 10. Then it became just the family on thier birthday for cake and presents and then thier couple of friends on a Friday night and did a movie and pizza night with cupcakes.

My son is turning ten next week and we have pretty much stopped having the "big" birthday parties as of last year. This year he is having five of his buddies over for a sleepover with swimming, food, games, movies etc. We did that last year as well and everyone had a great time. The kiddo's really entertain themselves. We get Mcdonalds for dinner and make frozen waffles and bacon for breakfast. Very easy and less stress. Happy Birthday to your son!

I had a friends birthday party until my senior year in high school. After about 3rd grade it changed into a sleep over with no boys. We spent hours on the phone crank calling the boys though. I always invited all the girls in my class (about 12-15) because I didn't want anyone left out. On a good year I had 10 show up. We always did pizza for supper, popcorn for our midnight snack and then my mom made pancakes for breakfast. Everyone was normally gone by 9 and I was back in bed. :) I loved those days. We still do family parties I feel that it gives us more of a reason to get together for a party. No gifts now, but just hanging out with the fam is awesome.

At ten most girls have sleep overs. I think it would be fun for your son to have the eight go play paint ball , lazor tag, skating, swim party, or something that would be quick and fun not a huge event. When we had sleep overs we would watch movies and play games.

It is his day, what does he want to do. Boys at 10 think they are Men so the embarrising birthday party thing can be... well embarising. If he wants it then great he has not reached that point. I would do some cool thing like laser tag then pitch tents and sleep over in the yard, smores or hobo pies fun boy stuff but all in all let the birthday boy choose from your picks what he wants.

Ten was a "big" year. SD had a big sleepover and SS had a laser tag party. Maybe have 9 friends, plus him for 10 for his 10th. We never really stopped having biggish parties, but the theme and amount of work on our end changed. Teenage boys + router + 3 xboxes and tvs + game + food = happy.

8-10 is a good amount.

I stopped at about 15. At that age, I stopped knowing a lot of their friends, and it seemed like they were old enough to create their own parties, if they wanted one.

It's his birthday so you should let him decide.

I started having smaller parties for my girls around that age, but it was their choice. They wanted to start having sleepovers.

how do you feel about setting your budget and any limits you have and let him choose what he wants within that framework? that can work and evolve as he gets older and things change.

i think 10 is a big birthday (double digits!) i had a big (about 15 girls) fun pizza party (homemade pizza at my house) when i turned 16. it was a friday night after school then we all went to the HS football game after. no presents, and not much expense but it was one of my favorite birthdays.

I had smaller parties when they were changing friends or wanted to go somewhere and we could not keep track of a pack of preteens.

I love parties and I do them as long as they want them. I think the older they get the less they will want a party, so this is still a good age, so if he wants one, why not ?