You Are Your Child's Wingman

Your kid comes home from school with a birthday invite; they are jumping around with excitement as they hand you that brightly colored envelope. What does this mean for you? Another case of being your kid's wingman. What does this mean, you ask? Well let me give you the run down just in case you have not had the pleasure of experiencing this for yourself.

First of all this means that I need to add "gift for unknown kid" to my budget list. Yes you must buy a present, because showing up to a party without a present is a little tacky. What gets me about this is that I don't know this kid. This kid could be the temper tantrum thrower that I politely step over every time I drop my kid off to class. Do I really want to spend my hard earned $20 (that is usually my kid gift standard...yea I am frugal...not cheap) on this kid? Of course I will, because my child will never forgive me if he misses this 5 year old birthday party.

Next there's contacting the parent. Usually you call and RSVP, you all will have a small conversation about the party, any details that weren't mentioned on the invite, and then what type of gift to get the birthday kid. Usually after these items are covered there may be a little chatter about school and then awkward silence because guess what...you don't know each other. Then one of you will politely end the conversation.

So here comes the big day that your child has been marking down the days on the calendar for; party time. You walk into jumpy house central looking for the party. Most of the times you will have to depend on your child to point out the birthday kid, because you can't remember what he/she looks like when they aren't rolling around on the floor kicking and screaming. So you approach the group of party parents attempting to spark some type of interesting conversation, while your kid runs off into the sunset with all of their friends. Here you are stuck like chuck trying to figure out which parent you may have some type of connection with, to make this party go by a little faster.

Finally, you make it to the end of the party, the kids have eaten cake, and took twenty years to open presents, but guess what you made it through. Your child is in the car happy as pie, and for that reason, you are too. Now not all parties will be like this, some will be fun and sociable and a down right great time. I am just preparing you for the worst. If all else fails, play sick and send your husband!