My nephew's turning 8 next month and my sister's torn between renting out a place with activities versus just having a few friends over at home. She feels like she's falling behind because some parents are doing these crazy themed events that cost hundreds. Is this still the norm or are more people scaling back?
It's honestly all over the place right now - some families go massive with themed venues and entertainers, others do backyard hangouts with pizza and games, and honestly both camps seem happy. The social media thing makes it look like everyone's doing elaborate stuff, but from what I see around me, plenty of parents are just doing low-key home parties because it's less stressful and the kids have just as much fun. Your sister shouldn't feel pressured; an 8-year-old having close friends over for a few hours beats an expensive event where they're overwhelmed any day.
Log into answer.
