Sunday, June 5, 2016

Annals of Parenting: The Birthday Deal

birthday party, buy-out, plan a birthday party

As I'm typing, I'm recovering from Mac's first ever "sleep" over. This was an 8th birthday perk, expertly negotiated by that wonder kid.  Here's the deal with birthdays in our house: Each kid gets to have a friend party every-other year on alternating years.  On your year, then, you can choose to actually have the party or take the buy-out. The buy-out is $150 cold hard cash that I will pay you to NOT have a birthday party.  It's totally worth it and almost always cheaper than having the party.

The kids discuss the pros and cons of the buy-out for months before the birthday, making lists and discussing what they'd do with one hundred and fifty buckaroos.  "But I still get a family party, right?" they'll ask as they scour Amazon for expensive sneakers and violent video games.  "Yes," I assure them, "you still get a family party."  Sorry, family - it's not about seeing you; it's about what you'll bring to the table that really matters. The kids will be happy to provide a list of helpful suggestions.

In any case, Mac wanted the buy-out this year, but he also wanted to have his very first sleepover with just one kid.  A nice kid, whose mom I like.  Deal, I said.  The evening went mostly well.  We went to The Angry Birds Movie, which was fine and, frankly, I didn't understand the white supremacy metaphor at all.  We turned the lights out at ten and then tried five different sleeping arrangements before I finally settled on the floor with Mac in his bedroom while his pal dozed on his bed.

Win-win-win.

1 comment:

mm said...

My birthday is November, but I've already decided. I will take the $150 instead of having you give me a birthday party!!