The Oasis - A spot for FORT parents - Page 445

ClosetNerd · 02-28-2007, 10:00 AM

When I turned 16 I got to pick out whatever special dinner and cake I wanted. I picked Lasagne and Cheesecake *with cherries* All homemade of course. It has been my traditional birthday dinner ever since.

The rest was all unmentionably lame. But that's because I had unmentionably lame friends.

To this day, it's the dinner and cake that mean most to me. Maybe you can start something like that? Then hopefully, if the party is not so cool, you'll have that nice little yearly meal to look foreward to.

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cricketeen · 02-28-2007, 10:50 AM

How about a mini-spa party? They could start out making their own pizzas and decorating cupcakes, hanging out and eating. Then you could get set out inexpensive facial mud, some thin sliced cucumbers for the eyes, face cream, warm water and washcloths and maybe manicure supplies, too. (Don't rule it out if she is inviting boys, they just might get a kick out of it.)

bbnbama · 03-01-2007, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cricketeen

How about a mini-spa party? They could start out making their own pizzas and decorating cupcakes, hanging out and eating. Then you could get set out inexpensive facial mud, some thin sliced cucumbers for the eyes, face cream, warm water and washcloths and maybe manicure supplies, too. (Don't rule it out if she is inviting boys, they just might get a kick out of it.)

I love this idea!!! Too bad I have a son who is about to turn 14 instead!

PWS · 03-02-2007, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScoutMom

My son was about 2 1/2 when he got it.

I agree - staying home for about a week is excellent advice. Try to keep to as normal a routine as possible while they're getting the hang of it. Then when you do go out, make sure you find out in advance where the bathrooms (in malls, etc.). The last thing you need when your son tells you he has to go to the bathroom is a frantic search through a store looking for one! That's an accident waiting to happen - literally.

My older son was over 3 when he got it---needless to say I was getting a little worried! I'd spent a whole miserable day at about 2 and a half doing the "toilet training in a day" thing, where you fill the kid up with fluids and trap him in the kitchen with the potty and no diapers so he can't mess up the carpets, and it didn't work...took my off him for a couple of minutes and we had a puddle. At that point I decided to wait til he was "ready". We had just moved home after being away 6 months, it was summer and very hot and the kids were running around outside in the yard in the nude, when #1 son urinated on the sidewalk. I was kind of exasperated and told him to go on the grass if he had to go. When we went in for lunch I was putting diapers on his little brother and he was waiting his turn, when suddenly he jumped up, ran outside and went on the grass!!! Whooo hoo!! The rest of the day I left him bottomless and he used the outside. Then I told him that after dark he should use the toilet and he did. And that was that. I think half the delay was the superabsorbent diapers they have now--the kid doesn't even notice he went, never wet, etc. And because it had been cold where we were before he hadn't been nude outside the tub for over a year.
I'm getting deja vu, that I told this story before, but anyway, put me in the camp of, they need to be ready. FYI his 20 month younger brother trained himself shortly thereafter, wanting to be like big bro.

canuckinchile · 03-02-2007, 06:34 PM

Yep it's all about being ready, and summer is a lot easier! However, I still feel that kids can tell if the parents want it too much. A friend of mine was having a ton of problems training twins. I suggested she try to train the one that seemed the most ready, and guess what? The other one, who was out of the spotlight, trained first. Kids at that age are always being told what to do (and rightfully so), so this is one area that they have TOTAL control over....and they'll use it.

remote_goddess · 03-02-2007, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Anyone have any good ideas for a 16th birthday party on a budget?

My daughter is going to be 16 soon and wants to have about 4-5 people to celebrate. I think 16 is a big deal, but we have to do it inexpensively. I've asked her and she says: "I don't know what I want".

Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.

mrd - One of the best birthday parties I went to was a "Scavenger Hunt" theme. I can't remember how old we were, but there were a few driving already, so 15-16 sounds about right. We started off with drawing numbers from a hat - that put us into teams. Then we had to search the neighborhood for certain weird items, but there were twists to it. At one point, when we found one item there was a clue attached to it that told us for extra "points" we had to drive or find someone to drive us to point X (the mall, a convenience store, etc...) and find this extra goodie. Then there might be a clue there that took us somewhere else. Sometimes it wasn't an item we had to find but a person. (as in, a person with a green shirt at the mall - get them to take a picture with you in the $2.00 photobooth) It took a lot of planning on the adults' part (because a lot of the items were planted at neighbors houses and with store clerks, etc, just waiting for us to come find them. Weird stuff, like hot pink nail polishes, and cheap earrings, and a packet of water balloons that we were supposed to use on the next team we saw... stuff like that that we could/would use after the party was over!), but it seems to me now that it was probably relatively inexpensive, and besides I remember it being really fun.

But that was a while ago. Scavenger hunts might be totally lame to 16 yr olds now.

veejer · 03-02-2007, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by remote_goddess

But that was a while ago. Scavenger hunts might be totally lame to 16 yr olds now.

Change it slightly to be in the guise of Amazing Race.

A way to make zip-open envelopes similar to TAR is to run the sealed envelopes through a thread-less sewing machine about half an inch from the top edge. The needle-perforations make it easy to zip off. Make sure your "clue" is down low enough in the envelope not to get perforated too.

myrosiedog · 03-02-2007, 08:10 PM

WOW!!! You guys are amazing! What great ideas and they are giving me even more ideas. THANKS!

I will talk all this over with the birthday girl and see what she wants to do. We did decide to just do pizza, cake and chips and sodas for food. Nothing to extravagant.

She has always had a special meal since she was really small. On her birthday, we always have shepard's pie (she gets her own mini one in a small casserole dish) and chocolate mayonaisse cake. Hubby has his own special meal as well. As for me. Mine changes every year, although I always have yellow cake with chocolate icing. But I can never decide on one special meal, but we do usually have sushi and something else.

This year her actual birthday falls on Easter Sunday. This is the first year ever, so instead of our usual Easter meal, I guess we will have Shepard's pie.
I told her that this year since she will be 16 and her birthday is on Easter, I didn't have to do an Easter basket and she got really upset. I guess you are never too old for a chocolate bunny?

Her first birthday, we did a bunny theme and had an Easter Egg hunt (we had some slightly older kids there as well), but 15 years later when its appropriate, she has outgrown that. Come to think of it, we've had a couple Easter Egg hunts for activities at her birthday parties as her birthday is always close to Easter.
The party will be the week before.

Wow, thinking if we do a TAR theme, I could make the invitations look like clues too. My mind is now racing. I knew you guys would come through.

applesauce · 03-04-2007, 02:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cricketeen

One afternoon my second son didn't want to poop in the potty because: 'I don't want the clunking noise to wake up the owls'.

How funny! I love that.

lildago, every child is so different as you know. My son had no desire to P.T. and we didn't push him. When he was finally ready, he went in, did it and decided he never wanted to wear another diaper...and he didn't. Not even to bed. Plus, he only had a few minor accidents. On the down side, he was 3 1/2.

I guess that isn't what you were hoping for.

Audrey was early and eager and Viv hopefully will be too. We've been buying diapers (and changing) them for over 7 years and are ready to stop.

Good luck and I hope you are doing well.

Gutmutter · 03-04-2007, 07:39 AM

I remember reading that it isn't good to start potty training after a big, stressful event like having another baby, moving, whatever, so I wasn't going to start my 2nd child when the 3rd was born, but he decided on his own that baby = diapers and he wasn't a baby anymore. (How's that for a run-on sentence?)

02-28-2007, 10:00 AM	#4441
ClosetNerd Stayin alive stayin alive Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Northern NY Posts: 2,291	When I turned 16 I got to pick out whatever special dinner and cake I wanted. I picked Lasagne and Cheesecake with cherries All homemade of course. It has been my traditional birthday dinner ever since. The rest was all unmentionably lame. But that's because I had unmentionably lame friends. To this day, it's the dinner and cake that mean most to me. Maybe you can start something like that? Then hopefully, if the party is not so cool, you'll have that nice little yearly meal to look foreward to. __________________ "We cannot change the way we are perceived. We can only change the way, we are presented. ~TG

02-28-2007, 10:50 AM	#4442
cricketeen FORT Fogey Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,696	How about a mini-spa party? They could start out making their own pizzas and decorating cupcakes, hanging out and eating. Then you could get set out inexpensive facial mud, some thin sliced cucumbers for the eyes, face cream, warm water and washcloths and maybe manicure supplies, too. (Don't rule it out if she is inviting boys, they just might get a kick out of it.) __________________ "If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough." - Mario Andretti

03-02-2007, 08:10 PM	#4448
myrosiedog FORT Fogey Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: In National Championship Land! Florida Gators #1 Age: 46 Posts: 12,078 Blog Entries: 7	WOW!!! You guys are amazing! What great ideas and they are giving me even more ideas. THANKS! I will talk all this over with the birthday girl and see what she wants to do. We did decide to just do pizza, cake and chips and sodas for food. Nothing to extravagant. She has always had a special meal since she was really small. On her birthday, we always have shepard's pie (she gets her own mini one in a small casserole dish) and chocolate mayonaisse cake. Hubby has his own special meal as well. As for me. Mine changes every year, although I always have yellow cake with chocolate icing. But I can never decide on one special meal, but we do usually have sushi and something else. This year her actual birthday falls on Easter Sunday. This is the first year ever, so instead of our usual Easter meal, I guess we will have Shepard's pie. I told her that this year since she will be 16 and her birthday is on Easter, I didn't have to do an Easter basket and she got really upset. I guess you are never too old for a chocolate bunny? Her first birthday, we did a bunny theme and had an Easter Egg hunt (we had some slightly older kids there as well), but 15 years later when its appropriate, she has outgrown that. Come to think of it, we've had a couple Easter Egg hunts for activities at her birthday parties as her birthday is always close to Easter. The party will be the week before. Wow, thinking if we do a TAR theme, I could make the invitations look like clues too. My mind is now racing. I knew you guys would come through. __________________ Emancipate yourself from mental slavery; none but ourselves can free our minds. - Bob Marley Que me amat, amet et canem meum (Who loves me will love my dog also)

03-04-2007, 07:39 AM	#4450
Gutmutter Blessed Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Cupid's prey Posts: 5,054	I remember reading that it isn't good to start potty training after a big, stressful event like having another baby, moving, whatever, so I wasn't going to start my 2nd child when the 3rd was born, but he decided on his own that baby = diapers and he wasn't a baby anymore. (How's that for a run-on sentence?) __________________ Count your blessings!

03-02-2007, 06:34 PM	#4445
canuckinchile Forum Assistant Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: back in "The Big Smoke" Posts: 4,504	Yep it's all about being ready, and summer is a lot easier! However, I still feel that kids can tell if the parents want it too much. A friend of mine was having a ton of problems training twins. I suggested she try to train the one that seemed the most ready, and guess what? The other one, who was out of the spotlight, trained first. Kids at that age are always being told what to do (and rightfully so), so this is one area that they have TOTAL control over....and they'll use it.