One of the big city newspaper columnists wrote yesterday about a reality TV show I've failed to watch--"Outrageous Kid Parties." Specifically, she told about parents who spent $32,000 on their precious 6-year-old's Princess Party, complete with horse-drawn carriage, nine-tiered cake, and 200 guests. Actors and dancers were hired to perform; 2,000 flowers were purchased to add to the ambience. Obscene. Think about how much might have been spent if this country wasn't in a recession.
My one and only kid birthday party was for my #7. The evening event was in our backyard. We had grilled hamburgers, Kool-Aid, and cupcakes, which had little plastic flags attached to toothpicks stuck in each one. Ten friends showed up. I'm the one in the picture below with the big mouth full of crooked teeth. In spite of not coming from the royal class, I think we all look like a million bucks in our summer threads. Why, a few of the girls actually accessorized with plastic pop beads, a new fad in 1956.
I don't know if the Princess from the outrageous show had any more fun at her birthday celebration than I had at mine. I do know that this was the only kid party I ever had. Younger siblings came along the following summer and summer after that, and priorities changed. And that was okay. I wonder, however, how the little Princess is going to feel if, next year, Mom and Dad don't have an extra $30,000+ laying around to blow on her birthday. Personally, I think their money would be better used on some good ol' family therapy. By the time that little girl is 16, they're going to need it.
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