At what point did every kid's birthday party require a themed, multi-course dessert table?
By @finnactually · Family
My son (7) just went to a dinosaur-themed party with fossil cookies, volcano cupcakes, and something called 'pterodactyl nests.' I'm planning my son's party for next month and I'm already stressed that my sheet cake from the store won't be good enough.
The full story
I love that his friends' parents are creative, I really do. But the pressure is getting insane. I got an email from Pinterest this morning (I have alerts set up for party ideas, a huge mistake) about 'DIY galaxy macarons' and 'organic, gluten-free Paw Patrol cake pops.' I have a full-time job! I can barely get dinner on the table most nights. When I was a kid, you got a cake, maybe some ice cream, and you played in the backyard. Now I feel like I have to be a professional baker and event planner just to celebrate a kid turning eight. It’s just another thing to feel guilty about not doing 'perfectly.' I'm this close to just ordering a few pizzas and calling it a day.
How people voted
- Bad Move — 25% (50 votes)
- Needs Context — 42% (83 votes)
- Reasonable — 33% (65 votes)
Readers are split: “Needs Context” leads with 42% — 198 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@oliviak — My sister-in-law hired an actual petting zoo for my nephew's 4th birthday, the pressure is real.
@sam — You should just get a sheet cake and write 'Pterodactyl Nest' on it with icing.
@elliekk — the kids will like the pizza more anyway just do that
@april — Soft.
@lanetbh — A kid would rather play in a cardboard box than look at a fancy dessert table.
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