Sadly, I have come to realize that I am very easily overwhelmed.
It takes nothing to overwhelm me.
Little things like making a ham and salad roll at a picnic....overwhelming!
Going for a swim in the pool with the kids....overwhelming!
Having to pack to go away overnight or longer....overwhelming!!
Organizing my kids' birthday parties....OVERWHELMING!!!
And it seems to get worse for me every year.
It's an awful, physical sense of dread and panic.
I hate planning, I hate organizing, I find it completely stressful, I just want to run and hide.
But, I also want my kids to have a fun birthday.
I want them to celebrate with their friends and feel special on their special day.
I want to smack all those mothers who do elaborate birthday parties because now I'm feeling the pressure to measure up!
Well, "smack them" maybe a little harsh. But, you know...
Having my two children four days apart on the calendar was really bad planning, too.
It's twice the stress.
And I'm not even mentioning that Father's Day is the weekend before 'the birthdays' and our wedding anniversary is the day after. They're both almost forgotten now.
So anyway, today I ordered the cake decorations online.
Next I'm going to plan party food.
The birthdays are not until early next month, but if I do a bit at a time, I should feel less pressure, right?
Well, I'm not!
I'm still feeling it, and I don't like it.
It's making me look forward to the day where I'm sitting in a nursing home,
where everybody does everything for me and I don't have to worry about a thing.
A little extreme?
Probably.
Oh Thea. I feel your pain. The first few baby parties were fun. Now I feel like I am entering a warzone of a pressurized social contest.
ReplyDeleteIt's Poppy's 4th birthday in a couple of weeks, so I have started getting stuff ready now. Just do something small each day and before you know it you have everything you need you just need to put it all together!
ReplyDeleteIt can be fun. Really it can! No. Maybe I am just weird?!
I think we're very alike. I just don't like the 'planning' of such events. Except for maybe the invitations, because I love creating stuff on the computer etc (I know - you're shocked!). I haven't booked anything for my 40th next month. My 40th! It's supposed to be BIG - but it's kind of overwhelming me, and I'm a little worried no one will come! ha ha.... (I'm only half joking BTW. ;) )
ReplyDeleteBut yes - not leaving things to the last minute is the key. I say that as though that's what I do...NOT! But I'm guided by you, Thea. Guided by you. :)
i have just recently came across ur blog and have been enjoy reading it. oh kids birthday parties...i love them....i just love to entertain.
ReplyDeleteHonestly I think the easily overwhelmed thing is pretty normal for primary caregivers. Look at it this way: you have about 10,000 little things to do per day, all of them seemingly insignificant, but if one of those "insignificant" things is forgotten or goes wrong - forgot the bum wipes, didn't bring sunscreen, didn't get the chicken out to defrost in time - then you can pretty much screw up an entire day. It's no wonder that we're all a little on edge about everyday things - we've learnt from experience that there's potentially hell to pay if we don't get each and every little thing right.
ReplyDeleteRegarding perfect kids parties - yeah, I'd go with "smack" them. Metaphorically, of course, because I am totally an easy-going hippy-type person who has made a deep personal commitment to non-violence *ahem* but yeah, bugger that.
You are being too hard on yourself. Don't try to compete with the other mums. Give your kids plenty of food (not gourmet stuff) somewhere to run around, some party games and it will be great. Kids really don't care about the fancy schmancy stuff - only the mums do. It is not their party. LOL that sounded like a lecture - I'm like your mum! xx
ReplyDeleteWe put so much pressure on ourselves to make a party perfect and all fancy. That's why I didn't have one for my daughter's 1st birthday or my 30th - it was all too hard. And now it seems like a lot of work for her 2nd birthday - but I figure I have to start some time!
ReplyDeleteGreat post :)
I'm hopeless with kids' parties. Completely out of my element. Maxabella, on the other hand, is a genius at them. I'm planning to get her in to organise every party my kids ever have (not many). Everyone needs a family event organiser. Much less overwhelming (except, possibly, for her).
ReplyDeleteThe best parties my kids had ( in their eyes) were the simplest. A play ground, a sausage in bread, and some extras like fairly bread, fruit platters, cups of juice. I just do not do the over the top... well, OK there were the 2 years in a row my daughter had fairy parties, where I booked a fairy... and then paid the fairy shop to make up the lolly bags, do the games... money damn well spent.
ReplyDeleteBut, apart from that, my kids have happily handed out lolly bags that are home brand brown paper. I use packet mix for the cakes, because kids just lick off the icing. And keep it simple.
My theory? The fancy stuff is mostly to impress other adults. And who's that party for them or the kids?
So, don't worry, relax, and remember you can always say you're keeping it simple for the sake of the planet... less waste, small footprint. No one can out smug you with planet saving on your side!
xxx