Hence, the need for a new (low maintenance) birthday tradition. We started the Big Day with a special breakfast for just him and me at his favorite local breakfast spot (Dad had to work, the other two kids were with a babysitter.) As we sat enjoying our hot chocolate and reminiscing about his year, I remembered an idea I’d seen various places online for interviewing your kids once a year — and decided now was a great time. I pulled out my notebook (I know, kind of dorky to keep a notebook in your purse, but you never know when you’re going to need to make a list!) and just started jotting down notes from our conversation, since I knew I’d never remember it all.
You, of course, can go with whatever questions are appropriate for your kiddo, but here are some of the ones we used:
Birthday Questions for Kids
- What is your favorite food?
- What do you hope you never have to eat again?
- What’s your favorite thing about school?
- What makes you happiest? (His answer: “You” Melted my heart. Made up for the later comment from his sister “You’re the meanest mommy in the whole world.” Motherhood – always a balance.)
- What is one new thing you’d like to try this year?
- What would you like to be when you grow up? (Answer to this one was also priceless. “That plane guy who has the orange sticks. He stands on the ground at the airport and tells the planes where to go.”)
It was such a fun conversation, and I know we will all LOVE looking back on these treasured memories. So I went the extra mile and typed up our interview in Powerpoint, added a picture, and plan to add a picture of his name, handwritten by H himself (also fun to see how handwriting evolves over time.) (Bonus: you can do this anytime after the fact.) This will be a neat thing to put in his keepsake folder and pull out year after year.
Bottom line, this tradition struck the perfect balance between effort and reward – so I think it’s a keeper. But I’m still on the look-out for new ones.
Please share: what are your birthday traditions??
