Do the Duggar littles seriously not get birthday parties?

[jenny_islander]

Or is it just that they don't get them on camera?

[IReallyAmHopewell]

No they don't get them UNLESS the camera is there is my guess! Since we complained about Josie totally overshadowing Jordyn my bet is an eventual tv party for Jordyn.

[Sister Mary Savage]

I hope that there are parties we don't see but this is the Duggars after all. Poor Jordyn just keeps on getting whipped with the Josie belt. Her first birthday was overshadowed by the birth and the second by Josie's first birthday (not Josie's fault but still).

I also wonder about Mack's first birthday. Was she sharing it with Hannie?

[IReallyAmHopewell]

They had a special about McKenzyie's birthday I think it was Mac--they let the little kids dress up in costumes. I haven't bothered to watch that episode though! It's probably on youtube....

[Deleted06]

I think a birthday party would be a rare occasion in the Duggar house. Maybe they do something else like letting the birthday boy/girl chose dinner and what kind of cake? They sure don't do a "birthday bash" like the Jeub's do or we'd have heard about it.

[skrmom]

There are birthday parties. Several episodes of the TV show are devoted to parties,

[OnceModestTwiceShy]

I think a birthday party would be a rare occasion in the Duggar house. Maybe they do something else like letting the birthday boy/girl chose dinner and what kind of cake? They sure don't do a "birthday bash" like the Jeub's do or we'd have heard about it.

I think you might be thinking of the Maxwells? I remember a typically soul-sucking post from Teri (or was it Steve?) about how birthday parties breed selfishness. :roll:

[emmiedahl]

I think the big birthday parties on episodes are probably just for television.

I don't do big birthday parties, especially not with little kids. If the older ones request it, I will spring for it. A typical birthday in my house is you get to choose all the meals that day, maybe some sort of family activity of your choice, a cake and decorations, and then presents of course. dh and I both have large families, so the kids get a lot of presents and that is totally the main attraction. If they get gift cards, we plan a separate day of one-on-one shopping with Mom.

I personally dislike the big blown-out Chuck-E-Cheese parties, especially for babies and toddlers who are generally crying the whole time from the commotion. I understand if other people want to do them, it just is not worth it to me.

[deelaem]

I think the big birthday parties on episodes are probably just for television.

I don't do big birthday parties, especially not with little kids. If the older ones request it, I will spring for it. A typical birthday in my house is you get to choose all the meals that day, maybe some sort of family activity of your choice, a cake and decorations, and then presents of course. dh and I both have large families, so the kids get a lot of presents and that is totally the main attraction. If they get gift cards, we plan a separate day of one-on-one shopping with Mom.

I personally dislike the big blown-out Chuck-E-Cheese parties, especially for babies and toddlers who are generally crying the whole time from the commotion. I understand if other people want to do them, it just is not worth it to me.

I feel the same way you do. I let my kids drive what we would do for their birthdays. My oldest wanted to spend time in San Francisco doing the zoo and aquarium 5 years in a row. Not all kids want the typical birthday party.

[bananacat]

I think Mackynzie and Jordyn got a joint second birthday part and Josie's first was part of it. I'm sure it was all for the cameras though because otherwise Michelle would not share her trophies' parties with her lowly grandkid. But it was a weird thing like all three of them were 1 year old for 8 days so they kind of made a big deal about it.

[Jenesis Jexodus]

It looks to me that the Duggar's have a show life now and not a regular life anymore. They needed the money so badly that their show provides them that their lives seem to revolve around that now. They have to be "on display" so much that the 'reality' is now all just for show imo. I think their lives would be completely different if they weren't watched by the world.

[Boltingmadonna]

Yeah, I agree that big parties at a burger restaurant or whatever are not for everyone and probably not the most enjoyable for kids anyway. When I was a child, my parents were sort of fundy-like in that they didn't like having people over and thought it was a waste of time and money to give us birthday parties. The one time I talked my mother into it, it was a disaster because she had no idea how to do it. I remember the prize for one of the strange games she made up was a stick of chewing gum. I never tried that again. But when I was a teenager, I got to invite a couple of friends over for dinner and a sleepover, and that was fun.

I really wanted my kids to feel special, and not the way I did as a child. So when they were little, I did all kinds of stuff--but it was always stuff they liked, with just a few of their good friends. We'd go to the park and have a picnic with cake and games, or make cookies and decorate them . . . just fun kid stuff. One thing I did with the girls when they were little was make a treasure hunt with hidden clues. The prize at the end was bags of candy wrapped in silver and gold paper. They loved that and they still remember it. Every year they eagerly awaited their treasure hunt, and I had to keep coming up with new hiding places. We had no money at the time. It doesn't have to be expensive or showy, but I just think it's a real shame not to make one day a year feel special for your child.

[m0drnmoonlight]

I think they only get birthday parties when TLC is willing to spring for something to revolve an episode around. Though I have a feeling JimBoob's awkward "We're happy you're a part of our family!" speeches are always included, camera or no camera.

[Feberin]

My guess is the big parties are for the cameras but they do make mention of the birthday. It might not be driven by their parents but I bet Jill bakes a cake or something for the birthday child. Michelle also talked about birthdays when the kids were growing up so I think they started out doing parties and then had to stop when it turned into a monthly occurance.

We did a small party for my son's first and plan to do something similar for his second. Just close family with cake or cupcakes and a favorite food of his for dinner. We actually angered people by not inviting them but I saw no reason for a one year old to have a party with 20+ people.

[Witsec7]

We never did big birthday parties no less Micky Ds or Chuckies.

At age 5 we had a fairy party for my DD and the neighborhood girls she played with. I made wings, the other parental unit made killer fairy wands and each girl had a flower crown I made from stuff in the garden. I was Oberon and told a made up story while dusting the girls with glitter. The Bucky-sphere was bedecked with ribbons and silk scarves. We played pin the wings on the fairy.

Needless to say the girls had a great time, afterwards I got a call from one mother complaining that I hadn't told her it was a pagan party theme.

riffles

[QAF_Rocks]

If it weren't for the cameras, I have a feeling that none of the little Duggars would be having traditional parties.

I had wonderful birthday parties when I was growing up, so I tend to feel bad for kids who don't have them. I know a lot of parents go overboard (ponies! bouncy castle!) so I don't think it has to be a big, expensive bash. It could just be a small, at-home party with relatives and a few friends from school, but it's still nice to have something where the child is the center of attention. If they want that, of course. I imagine some shy children might not like all the fuss.

[Hane]

We never did big birthday parties no less Micky Ds or Chuckies.

At age 5 we had a fairy party for my DD and the neighborhood girls she played with. I made wings, the other parental unit made killer fairy wands and each girl had a flower crown I made from stuff in the garden. I was Oberon and told a made up story while dusting the girls with glitter. The Bucky-sphere was bedecked with ribbons and silk scarves. We played pin the wings on the fairy.

Needless to say the girls had a great time, afterwards I got a call from one mother complaining that I hadn't told her it was a pagan party theme.

riffles

"Pagan party theme"? I bet that mother wouldn't have objected to a Disney-branded party with Tinkerbell crap.

OMG, experiencedd, are you me? That's almost EXACTLY what I did for my niece/goddaughter's fifth birthday! (She, a prickly little tyke, had recently become the big sister of a preternaturally adorable baby brother, and I wanted to do something to make her feel special.) I did a "princess party," with coronets and drawstring skirts I made out of cheap remnants and craft store odds and ends. I made a castle-shaped cake and dressed up as the Fairy Godmother, and gave each princess a special individual fortune (which stressed things like education, diplomacy, generosity, justice--no stereotypical girly crap like beauty and finding a prince). Some of the moms even saved the fortunes (little bits of doggerel I typed up while sleep-deprived) for the kids' memory books.

[Witsec7]

OMG, experiencedd, are you me? That's almost EXACTLY what I did for my niece/goddaughter's fifth birthday! (She, a prickly little tyke, had recently become the big sister of a preternaturally adorable baby brother, and I wanted to do something to make her feel special.) I did a "princess party," with coronets and drawstring skirts I made out of cheap remnants and craft store odds and ends. I made a castle-shaped cake and dressed up as the Fairy Godmother, and gave each princess a special individual fortune (which stressed things like education, diplomacy, generosity, justice--no stereotypical girly crap like beauty and finding a prince). Some of the moms even saved the fortunes (little bits of doggerel I typed up while sleep-deprived) for the kids' memory books.

My inner happy child was pretty much shat upon and destroyed before I became a tween. My DD's father, my DD, and my MIL, taught me to imagine and play. This party was as much for me as for her :D

But yes, imagination, dress up, non store bought favors. Something the Duggar kids will never have as birthday memories.

[emmiedahl]

I once did a princess party with hat decorating (ever notice how those birthday hats are just a veil and some glitter glue away from the stereotypical princess hat?). It was super fun.

[WanderingStar]

You know, the way the Duggars are, I have to wonder if some of the kids are actually happy they're not being embarrassed on TV by their parents. Especially any of the girls, in the future, when it's time for them to be presented with their purity ring. >_< I do hope all of the children are acknowledged on their birthday somehow, there is nothing wrong about letting everything revolve around your child just on that one day. You'd be amazed at the effects a forgotten birthday can have on a kid.

For the record, the way my extended family is, I was more than happy to quit having birthday parties when I was about eighteen. I'd much rather do things I don't get to do too often like going out to eat somewhere special or taking a day trip to New Orleans, or somewhere even further occasionally.

[sassyNoz47]

I remember this being asked in several episodes.. or rather mentioned.. JB said they celebrate a group of birthdays at once.. seems like every other month they will take the children whos birthdays are that month or whatever out together for a dinner and I remember a time they also took a couple boys out to buy bikes for thier birthday gift. So I'm prety sure they celebrate them but not individually... this also as stated by jb gave those birthday children some special one on one time with mom or dad.. seems like michelle doesn't always go. I remember when they celebrated a group of older kids birthdays they took them to a skate rink or bumber cars something like that. idk they also did that with Josh and Anna with some siblings to celebrate something or other I think Amy went to.