Adventures in Food
Look for my latest article in KIWI Magazine: Service Birthdays
Photo credit: Calico_13
With its emphasis on organic foods and healthy living, KIWI magazine is one of my new go-to places for parenting advice. In the June/July issue you can read about how to create “Birthday Parties with a Purpose” (from KIWI’s front cover) which was inspired in part by my kids’ efforts to have a different kind of celebration.
Kids’ parties are fun, but sometimes they lack, well, substance. My oldest daughter has been asking for a ‘give-back’ party this year instead of your standard bash. She doesn’t want presents, she wants to collect donations from friends to give to our local animal shelter. And as for party games, she wants to make dog and cat beds for the shelter. As a parent I couldn’t be more thrilled–she’ll be helping out someone else on her special day instead of just itching for more gifts (presents that are usually forgotten after a week anyway!).
Has anyone else tried service birthday parties with their kids?
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about 2 years ago
Can’t wait to read the article. Congrats Kristen!
about 2 years ago
Oh, and to answer your question: we’ve been doing this a lot in our family. In lieu of presents, we’ve been giving money to Wildlife Images (a local charity that helps rehabilitate wild animals) and Friends of Trees (an amazing organization that plants trees in urban areas). We also try to do recycled gifts or handmade gifts whenever we can (both giving and getting), which feels so much better than brand new stuff.
about 2 years ago
Thanks.
about 2 years ago
Yeah, presents are quickly forgotten anyway, aren’t they? Good for you.
about 2 years ago
First of all, congrats on your article. And second, that is just fabulous. I always dreaded all the “junk” my kids would accumulate from birthday gifts. It never seemed to do anything but clutter up the house and make me wish there was another way. Why didn’t I think of this??
about 2 years ago
Plus, when kids get to a certain age, they don’t even want presents. (Not that you have to wait until that age to try this!)
about 2 years ago
I’ve heard of this, and I think it’s a fabulous idea! I’ve also heard of kids doing this for their mitzahs. Congrats on the article!
about 2 years ago
Great idea for getting kids involved with the community and the world.
about 2 years ago
I just LOVE this idea. How wonderful. I wish I were back in the US so I could pick up a copy of the magazine. I’ll have to ask someone to get it for me. Birthday presents are always such a difficult thing for us – so I was so glad when we moved abroad and birthday parties weren’t de rigeur anymore. Here, they are celebrated small and sweet, mostly with family and just a close friend or two, and are every bit as special without all the material waste.
about 2 years ago
We have a tradition of parties every other year. So we do family parties one year and then a friend party on the next. Cool to hear about traditions in other parts of the world.
about 1 year ago
Great information