The Bowling Alley Birthday Party

On Saturday one of Paige's friends had a birthday party at the local bowling alley. Since Kindergarten has started, naturally, there have been more birthday parties to attend. As a mother, I dread these parties for a couple of reasons: 1. They do not always fall during times that money is not already stretched on our single income, and 2. Inevitably, location parties give Paige ideas about new places to have a party when her birthday comes around. Parties away from home on our finances mean advanced budgeting to be able to afford them and bargaining on how many friends can be invited since these places always charge you by the child.

The Party's Highlights:

• Paige, my social butterfly, met some new friends and she had a great time.
• Paige (and Amberlyn, the birthday girl) got to see their teacher, Mrs. Huffman, since she came to the party.
• Paige got a strike and was stoked.
• Watching all of the smaller kids bowl with the 6 pound ball, which was the smallest, was cute. Paige would set it on the floor and give it a push. Most of the time, she gave the ball just enough umph to get it all the way down the lane (it only got stuck once).

The Party's Lowlights:

• Several times, Paige came up to me and said that she was tired of bowling and wanted to take the bowling shoes off and put on her own. Each time was very short lived though, and within seconds she was back over taking her turn.
• I brought Braedon, my little non-joiner along with us. He spent the entire two hours hanging, wiggling and climbing all over me like a monkey.
• All of the other mothers there already knew each other and immediately began socializing amongst themselves and sticking together, leaving me completely bored for most of the 2 hour party.
• By the end of the party I was completely wasted, mentally and physically.

Regardless of any negatives or any lowlights of birthday parties, I look forward to them as much as I dread them. I love that they give my children an opportunity to attend these special events. They have so much fun and that is the key to what childhood is all about, not the dreads or financial burdens that these events can cause me. I strive to make sure that all they know of special events like birthday parties are the fun and special traditions involved with them.