What the heck is a "half birthday?"

[NoSoup4U]

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[goofyintoronto]

So your kid got to be the center of attention and and out goodies in the classroom. Shouldn't kids whose birthdays are in the summer also be allowed to "celebrate" in the classroom too? Even if it just means handing out loot bags?

Centre of attention?? LOL. Hardly. I gave out loot bags a couple times. Only reason I stopped is cause my son didnt care to celebrate that way. Maybe its a boy thing, I dunno.

To answer your question, if your kid wants to celebrate a half bday and be the 'centre of attention', then by all means. Nobody is saying you cant. I can understand why a kid would want it. But it doesnt change my point of view. I still think its silly. Your bday is in July, you cant change it. Its quite possible to have a July bday party with school friends. You have to think about the positives. July bdays are great cause you can have bbq's and a pool party. My DS bday is in April. Sure its in the school year, but it sucks cause we cant have a bbq/pool party. Its all up to the parents to talk to their kids about it.

BTW, Now that I think about it, I believe my DS school does celebrate summer bdays in the class room as well. But its one big party. Not individual.

 

[PebblesMK]

My guess is that it probably depends on the child. My DD's birthday is in August and the classroom birthday parties started in Kindergarten the same month school started (September). And yes, she wanted to celebrate with her friends at school the same as all the other kids celebrated. It's cool to be the center of attention when you're 5 or 6 and make other kids excited about your cake and loot bags. Even if you are Jack the Ripper . Her teacher suggested the half-birthday idea and we went with it through Elementary school. She's 13 and going into High School and she still mentions her half birthday in February but we don't "celebrate" it anymore.

One thing she has missed every year (until this upcoming August) is what's called a "birthday swim" where the birthday kid swims down a lane and the other kids line up on either side with kick boards to splash water on them. Her birthday is after summer swim season and before fall swim season. This year it will fall in HS swim practice. I hope her coach does the birthday swim thing for her swimmers .

Too funny! My daughter ultimately decided not to take her birthday off from gymnastics because then she'd miss the spankin' train- All the girls line up and the birthday kid crawls through the legs and get spanked. How that is fun is FAR beyond me, but whatever!

Mine wants a 1/2 birthday party because Wisconsin winters aren't all that exciting, or not as exciting as a pool party, and I don't have a car big enough to tote all of her friends to the Dells.

 

[marcyinPA]

We celebrate 1/2 birthdays in preschool for the kids who have summer birthdays. We actually call them the child's "special day". They have the same privilege that the other kids have on their birthdays: bring in a treat to share, and have mom or dad come in to read the story at snack time.

Birthdays are a big deal when you are 2- or 3- or 4- or 45.

 

[Ember]

In this case (in Australia) we will still be in school in December when the child has their actual birthday.

I have to admit I think I'm on the side with the people who think it's a silly idea. If you want to have a swimming party, have a swimming party. Why call it a "half birthday" unless the actual aim is attention and presents? This seems to be where the idea of self-celebration starts, along with parties for each "graduation," and then a slew of gift giving / centre of attention events around weddings. (Engagement party, multiple showers, bachelor / bachelorette parties...) Then we have vow renewals.... Why not celebrate our half anniversaries, too?

If we celebrate everything, then celebrations for actual events and accomplishments is diminished.

I'm a July baby. I never once felt left out having a birthday in the summer. I knew it was either something small with a lot of friends or something bigger with just a few.

Anyway, I did learn something new. I managed to go more than three decades having never heard of half birthdays until now.

 

[marcyinPA]

Unfair?? Lol. I wouldnt call it "unfair". If your bday is in July, tough luck kid. You cant change your bday. I think its silly to celebrate months ahead just because the kid is jealous that most kids have bdays that fall in the school year.

Whoa, that was rough! I have a summer birthday- and never had the chance to hold the American flag for the Pledge of Allegiance like the other birthday kids did in school. Jealous- maybe. But why couldn't I get a turn? They couldn't work it out somehow? Seriously. I am going to be 45 years old and I still remember this!

I honestly don't see how celebrating a 1/2 birthday puts a cramp in anyone else' life. You need to lighten up a little!

 

[eliza61]

Whoa, that was rough! I have a summer birthday- and never had the chance to hold the American flag for the Pledge of Allegiance like the other birthday kids did in school. Jealous- maybe. But why couldn't I get a turn? They couldn't work it out somehow? Seriously. I am going to be 45 years old and I still remember this!

I honestly don't see how celebrating a 1/2 birthday puts a cramp in anyone else' life. You need to lighten up a little!

Let me ask you Marcy, why should they have? You seem to have turned out great, no underlying emotional issues. Why do we have to make every thing for every body? Are kids so emotionally fragile that they run home crying because they don't hold a flag? Do your kids all have to be equal in every thing?

 

[Disney Springs]

My birthday is at the end of August. So I was one of those kids in school who never celebrated with classmates anyway. School let out in June, and I never kept in touch with anyone during the summer. And I didn't meet my new classmates until after Labor Day, (remember when school used to start in Sept.?!) But I did have church friends, and since I saw them every week all year long, I always invited them to my B-Days.

Anyway, when DH and I kids, I would just celebrate the B-Day on the actual B-Day. Even if their B-Days landed near a holiday, I would make sure to separate the events, and not do 'duel' B-Day and holiday gifts. (Ugh that would annoy me!)

Only reason I've already thought about this, is because DH's B-Day is near Christmas. And his sister's B-Day is Nov. 25th, so sometimes it lands on Thanksgiving Day. Neither of them have ever been gypped out of a birthday celebration. So they don't really care about their B-days being near holidays.

 

[marcyinPA]

Let me ask you Marcy, why should they have? You seem to have turned out great, no underlying emotional issues. Why do we have to make every thing for every body?

In this case- holding the flag- why SHOULDN'T they have?

I understand what you are saying- and I agree to a certain extent. I don't believe that everyone is a winner in a game. There are losers. That is life. But everyone has a birthday, and if the treat is to hold a flag, or to have your parent come in and read, or whatever- then why can't summer birthday kids have the same treat, just a little earlier? You can't help when your birthday falls, but is it really that big of a deal to offer the same treat- just earlier in the year?

I turned out pretty well- but darn if I can't forget that I never was "flag holder"!

 

[GigglyFigment]

Let me ask you Marcy, why should they have? You seem to have turned out great, no underlying emotional issues. Why do we have to make every thing for every body? Are kids so emotionally fragile that they run home crying because they don't hold a flag?

Because it's ridiculous to give - or deny - a child privileges over something they cannot control - the date of their birth. In a classroom, a "special privilege" should be available to earn to all or none.

 

[DragonMomma]

Wow, I can't believe adults act like this.

Anyhoo, my family's December schedule is PACKED. And we're from Wisconsin. Birthdays, anniversaries, galore.

SO! My son and I have started celebrating our birthdays in our next favorite month...OCTOBER! It's just me and him doing it so far. We go to Disney, do MNSSHP, and wear our buttons. This year, I hope to drag my mom into the new tradition, as she's also a December birthday (the day after mine, actually).
I don't expect cake, or presents, but it's a damn fine way to celebrate.

At this point, I haven't done a summer party for him, but it has crossed my mind. I love the idea of a big BBQ at a local park. I was planning on theming it to be his 'un-birthday'. Yep, Disney to the core! I think I'll ask family to forget the presents, but I'd spring for an unbirthday cake. Any excuse for cake, dammitall. The idea of celebrating birthdays is to express how happy you are that your loved ones are alive and well. So long as you're not fishing for a second helping of presents, so what!

If I do go through with this, I'll probably still celebrate his DAY in December, but much more toned down, and he'll get his present from me then.

Bottom line, I never know how long I'm going to be on this earth. I intend to celebrate every opportunity I get with my little 'snow flake', and nobody can make me feel poorly about it.

 

[chobie]

People keep saying your birthday is your birthday, you can't change it for convenience. But we do that all the time. Take a trip a week, 2 weeks a month after a birthday or anniversary and yet still call it the "birthday/anniversary" trip. Plan the party on the weekend even if it falls in the middle if the week. Sometimes even holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving are celebrated on a different day if someone has to work or is ill, etc.

So, what's the big deal of letting a child celebrate a half-birthday so it can be during the school year?

 

[Ember]

In some ways I concede I see a the point (I dont really agree with it, but I can see it). However, I can also see a link between this and no longer getting candy from the artist at Epcot. Or now having to line up for Jedi Training because it was unfair to have children selected at random. Or the canceling of any number of special pixi dust moments at Disney because there were so many complaints that not everyone was chosen or got to participate... Not everyone has to be exactly the same so life can be fair.

 

[Colleen27]

I suppose we can tell a 7-year old "Too bad, so sad" your team sucks or your birthday is in July so "man up" because life is not fair. IMO there is time enough to learn those hard life lessons when kids are older.

I think there's a world of difference between rewarding an accomplishment like a championship season and celebrating something that just happens like a birthday.

I'm not a big fan of participation trophies - I don't think there's anything wrong with recognizing the kids who worked hard and excelled, and I like that most of our sports leagues have participation medals/ribbons for every child but only give trophies to the top competitors. That's a good middle ground, IMO; everyone's effort is recognized and the kids get a little keepsake to tape to their wall, but the achievement of the champion teams isn't diminished by treating it as equal teams that didn't perform as well.

But when it comes to birthdays, there's no extra effort or accomplishment being celebrated. No one worked harder to have a birthday during the school year, or displayed particular talent by not being born around Christmas. Everyone's birthday is equal, just an accident of nature, and as such I see absolutely nothing wrong with making sure every student gets to experience the same special day.

 

[marcyinPA]

I think there's a world of difference between rewarding an accomplishment like a championship season and celebrating something that just happens like a birthday.

I'm not a big fan of participation trophies - I don't think there's anything wrong with recognizing the kids who worked hard and excelled, and I like that most of our sports leagues have participation medals/ribbons for every child but only give trophies to the top competitors. That's a good middle ground, IMO; everyone's effort is recognized and the kids get a little keepsake to tape to their wall, but the achievement of the champion teams isn't diminished by treating it as equal teams that didn't perform as well.

But when it comes to birthdays, there's no extra effort or accomplishment being celebrated. No one worked harder to have a birthday during the school year, or displayed particular talent by not being born around Christmas. Everyone's birthday is equal, just an accident of nature, and as such I see absolutely nothing wrong with making sure every student gets to experience the same special day.

I feel the same way!

 

[EmJay2001]

I am 43 and I still remember the few birthday parties my mom had for me. They were modest (a few friends, cake and hot dogs) and I loved them. It brings back great memories. I want those memories for my kids too. Up until now, it has not been an issue (my first 2 have easy bday dates for parties) but my last does not. He is September 1st, here, school starts the day after Labour Day. So no class stuff for him. I still remember my first son coming home from JK with his birthday crown. This thread has made me really think that you cant win. If you have a half birthday then you are not letting your kid "suck it up". We don't really have half birthdays around here so this idea is interesting to me. He is still young so no parties for him yet but my 12 year old had a big skating party for her's that was fabulous (she invited her whole class). Not sure how I am going to go with his, but what I do for one, I like to do for all of them.

 

[Colleen27]

Don't misunderstand WD, I don't think any thing is wrong if some one else has one either. But I do see OVERALL a general slide into what I call "snow flake ville".
Like I said, in my township school district we now have 4 graduations between kindergarten and high school. And while every one swears celebrations are small and "just" cupcakes, in my township parents most definitely are hiring ponies (big business), moon bounces and clowns to make each and every celebration spectacular.

Around here, celebrations really are small. That's probably why I don't think they diminish the "specialness" of more major milestones or events. And I've never encountered a kid who celebrated both a birthday and half-birthday - the half-birthday thing is instead of, not in addition to.

I'm not a big fan of the graduation thing, though! My 4yo just "graduated" from preschool. She'll also "graduate" next year from kindergarten even though she'll just be moving on with all the same kids to 1st grade in the same school. Then she'll graduate from 8th grade. If she were attending public school, she'd also have a 5th grade graduation but since our private school is pre-K to 8 they skip that one. I can understand the 8th grade graduation - it is their graduation from that particular school and the last time they're together with that group of classmates because kids from our school split between the Catholic HS and the three public districts our elem draws from. But I don't get why an end of the year celebration for a 4 or 5 year old who is simply moving up to the next grade with his/her peers needs to be marked by a "graduation ceremony" complete with cardboard graduate hats and yarn tassels.

 

[The Princess]

When my dd turned 16 for whatever reason we didn't celebrate it... no cake nothing!! Well for months she never let me forget it so when she was 16 1/2 we got her a cake and put happy 16 1/2 birthday!! She thought it was funny and loved that I did it (guess I'm not that bad of a mom huh??)

 

[eliza61]

Around here, celebrations really are small. That's probably why I don't think they diminish the "specialness" of more major milestones or events. And I've never encountered a kid who celebrated both a birthday and half-birthday - the half-birthday thing is instead of, not in addition to.

I'm not a big fan of the graduation thing, though! My 4yo just "graduated" from preschool. She'll also "graduate" next year from kindergarten even though she'll just be moving on with all the same kids to 1st grade in the same school. Then she'll graduate from 8th grade. If she were attending public school, she'd also have a 5th grade graduation but since our private school is pre-K to 8 they skip that one. I can understand the 8th grade graduation - it is their graduation from that particular school and the last time they're together with that group of classmates because kids from our school split between the Catholic HS and the three public districts our elem draws from. But I don't get why an end of the year celebration for a 4 or 5 year old who is simply moving up to the next grade with his/her peers needs to be marked by a "graduation ceremony" complete with cardboard graduate hats and yarn tassels.

do you really think the kids who have 1/2 birthdays go without some celebration on the birthday? I highly doubt it.
So the parents who do the 1/2 birthday thing on the actual date, do your kids do nothing?

Around here birthdays are ridiculous which may explain why many elementary schools now have nixed the classroom celebrations. first it started with cupcakes, then it moved onto a piñata in class, then a few moms wanted to decorate the classroom for preciouses birthday.

 

[eliza61]

I am 43 and I still remember the few birthday parties my mom had for me. They were modest (a few friends, cake and hot dogs) and I loved them. It brings back great memories. I want those memories for my kids too. Up until now, it has not been an issue (my first 2 have easy bday dates for parties) but my last does not. He is September 1st, here, school starts the day after Labour Day. So no class stuff for him. I still remember my first son coming home from JK with his birthday crown. This thread has made me really think that you cant win. If you have a half birthday then you are not letting your kid "suck it up". We don't really have half birthdays around here so this idea is interesting to me. He is still young so no parties for him yet but my 12 year old had a big skating party for her's that was fabulous (she invited her whole class). Not sure how I am going to go with his, but what I do for one, I like to do for all of them.

I don't think the kids are "sucking any thing up" because dollars to donuts they ARE getting a birthday celebration.

I do have a hard time believing that kids who are born on a holiday get no cards, no cake, zippo. so in essence they aren't sucking up. my kid got a birthday party each and every year of his life for the first 8 years. I was a nys birthday. My parents managed to get a cake darn near until a few years ago when my pop died at 85

I think most folks think kids should be, as it has been said "center of attention" and if they aren't they make up these holidays so they can be.

Don't go by me though, we also don't get a birthday button at Disney in August when our birthdays are jan, dec, feb and march. seems ridiculous to us.