BIRTHDAYS
We love birthdays in our home. We really celebrate. This means decorations, change in schedules and party food. I have an internal struggle with how to feed my birthday girls each year. Do we honor our birthdays with sugar and junk food? Do we follow the “it’s only one day a year” philosophy? Do we honor our bodies and eat only whole food? Do we…do we…do we…?
A bit of parenting is damage control.
So, here is what I did this year. I looked at the span of parties and times we’d be celebrating. My girls’ birthdays are 4 days apart from each other. I thought through each child and their favorites. I then consulted them and created a menu that I felt comfortable with and would satisfy their needs, and honestly, I considered their friends needs as we want them to enjoy the party as well.
The top ask came from my oldest. She wanted cupcakes with icing. We have never allowed this is the past, but she’s 8 and my goal is to educate her. So, I decided ONCE (tapping into the Lazy Genius philosophy) that we were having cupcakes with icing. Then I set out to figure out how I could best make this happen so everyone would eat them and be satisfied, AND so I wouldn’t cringe with every bite. I settled on Simple Mills vanilla cupcakes and their vanilla icing. We then created an art pallet (SO FUN) of dye free, corn syrup free candy that each child could use to decorate their cupcake with. They had a blast. Ava and her friends really enjoyed the experience. This is a win.
Are there extra cupcakes laying around today? NOPE. Is there extra icing here? NOPE? Extra candy? NOPE.
Yesterday was a blast. Today it’s back to normal.
Guess what? I even decorated and ate one with her and so did her dad. I generally don’t roll this way. I rarely indulge with them, but this felt like a big deal! She thought it was a hoot watching her parents decorate and eat a cupcake. I’m unsure I’d eat another, but it was worth watching her face light up, and it felt GOOD that I found a compromise that I could live it. The Simple Mills ingredients and the specific candy I purchased still held tight to some strong values we hold, and my girl felt really loved.
My girl is growing up.
I have planted the nutrition seed in her and she needs some freedom to make some decisions.
I’m welcoming 8 and her growth.
