I know it wasn’t more than $360,000.
We can’t all roll like Daddy Diddy, but as parents we do want to make our children happy, and celebrating a milestone like a birthday with a big party, often means digging deep.
But how deep do you dig?
My five-year-old is dreaming of a huge bash to commemorate her sixth year of life (which thankfully doesn’t happen for a few more months). She has been begging for a safari-themed party at our local children’s museum. For three hours, up to 20 kids can dine on lion-shaped cake, make toilet paper roll binoculars, and take their stuffed animals on a safari around the museum. The package deal, designed by the museum, includes use of a party room; a staff member to help with safari-themed games, crafts and activities; cake; juice; all decorations; and a day pass to the museum for all party guests. Grand total for the animal extravaganza: $200 (not including taxes and a couple fees).
It comes out to about 10 bucks per kid, which I think is a bit steep. Then again, some might think the exact opposite. After all, can you really put a price tag on your child’s happiness?
This party means a lot to my daughter. She started half-day kindergarten last fall and in the four short months she’s been at “big kids school,” she has been invited to seven birthday parties. She’s made it to five of them, and each time she comes back with renewed enthusiasm for her own safari-themed soiree.
“When is it going to be my birthday, Mommy?” she asks.
“My party is going to be the best EVER!!”
Mind you she yells this each time I pick her up from one of her classmates’ shindigs, despite the fact that I have yet to commit to the museum party.
My daughter wants to invite all 19 kids in her class, which I think is the only fair thing to do. However, if all of the kids show, the $200 party price tag will inflate to roughly $250 because the museum charges for all adult chaperones. Mom, dad, grandma, grandpa and anyone else that steps foot in the party room must cough up 10 bucks to the museum.
Interestingly, Parents magazine recently conducted a poll regarding how much moms and dads would be willing to shell out for their kid’s next birthday party. According to the survey, 26 percent said they plan to spend less than $75, 49 percent said $75 to $200, 19 percent said $200 or more, and 6 percent said they didn’t know.
Magazine editors blame the recession for parents lowering the budget on their offspring’s birthday bashes. In addition, the folks at Parents say they don’t see the trend changing any time soon.
Is $200 too much to spend on a kid’s birthday party? How much do you plan to shell out for your child’s next shindig?
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