Nothing new here but thought I'd add my commentary to the hoopla...

Ah, birthday's. When did this happen to us? We find ourselves trying to outdo or match last years gig or last friends gig. It's got to be a huge deal and not enough unless you spend $350.00 or more. A simple cake and a few friends over for a few hours to play isn't enough any longer. It's got to be something like Dave&Busters, Boomers, an Amusement Park or something outrageous.

It's no wonder why all our children have such high expectations and feel entitled. Every kid gets a trophy, every kid is made to feel like a winner. Don't get me wrong, I think every child should celebrate the great day and every child should be encouraged to do their best but very child will not be a pro baseball star or a Lady Gaga for that matter. The championship team gets the trophies and the other get a good pat on the back and , "nice try, we'll get 'em next time", speech.

We as parents are to blame. We want OUR child to excel, and that is reasonable, but we also fail to place boundaries where we know they should be. It's ok to not have the largest birthday party. It's ok to lose. All offer good experiences that build life skills.

Humility is a great virtue to have and the sooner someone learns it the better!