Kids Life Jacket

- My child's upcoming birthday?
So here's the deal. I am a mom who is trying to teach the kids (an almost 5 year old and an almost 2 year old) not to be selfish, greedy or snotty. Birthday parties- since age 1 I have put "No Gifts Please" on the invites. This has worked out fantastically. 1st and 2nd birthdays were at home and she usually fell asleep mid- party, 3rd was with family at the lake on our personal house boat, 4th was a pool party and the kids were so occupied by all the fun, they forgot about presents (almost didn't want to sit down to eat cake). My daughter will be turning 5 (lake/ boat party, bring your life jacket!!!) and for the last year she's been to a few birthday parties and I am afraid with her age, wheels will start turning and I don't want her to feel bad that her friends get gifts at their birthdays but she doesn't. Then again I don't want her acting spoiled. When she gets invited, she makes them a card by hand and we get them a gift certificate (who needs more plastic crap?!) and she's never thought twice about the whole gift giving thing. I'm afraid she might in the near future. But is there a way to give a little to her now that she's older, make her feel special but at the same time not turn her into a spoiled little turkey with a mountain full of new toys that she probably won't even play with?? And to all the parents who think I'm "robbing" my daughter of her childhood, it's bologna. Since she's turned 3, she has had 2 birthday parties, one for friends one for family. My family and my husband's family are the ones to buy the gifts (she never gets a ton of stuff), things they KNOW she likes, things they KNOW she will use. My husband and I, every year set up our kitchen table with presents (3 if she's 3, 4 if she's 4, 5 if she's 5, etc). We do buy her things, we just don't spoil her. Just because it's her birthday doesn't mean she should be allowed to act spoiled. She doesn't suffer in any way, shape or form. She's not little miss SPOILED princess who think she's entitled to everything, she's a very loving, caring person and I want to keep that in her. She LOVES the water, wakeboarding, swimming, she does tae kwon do (martial arts), LOVES sports (except soccer!), likes green and pink and HATES purple. LOL. Ideas?? Thanks for the apology. I did forget those details and rereading it made me feel bad inside. Cristina likes inviting close friends from school and Tae Kwon Do, we give out invitations outside school/ class. Parents are asked to bring swim suit, swim shoes (we have extras in case) and some kind of life jacket or water wings (we have a ton extra). I wonder how it will turn out at the lake-- it's a swimming specific part of the lake we are going to, no fishing is allowed at this part of the lake. It also has a nearby playground. Parents were expecting Chuck E Cheese or Bananas. NOPE! Not from this girl!

A Now that your daughter is turning 5 maybe she will start to realize the whole gift idea! I do not think this will result in your child becoming spoiled! I think that everybody deserves a little extra on there birthday, but you're right, it shouldn't be a spoiling day. After all it is just another year older! Maybe try the present thing out, just warn the parents to not over do it with the spending! Make sure you let them know the gift should be something she will use, but don't make them feel like they have to go out and buy from special places! You know just simple stuff like hair accesories, cute girly stuff she might like. Then so she doesn't feel like she's missing out maybe you buy her something special that isn't necessarily a necessity but something she has never had before! Maybe a game gadget or ipod. If that's not what your thinking, then maybe something like a dress up kit that she could use with friends. I don't know exactly what your daughter likes. But just try something she's not used to!