This family had three birthday in the same week. The father (40 years, the older boy four years, the little girl one year).
The mother told me that’s a very busy week, but they celebrate all those birthdays together and they have an excuse to get together with other family members.
Why is it important to celebrate a child’s birthday?
- Strengthens their self-esteem and identity
- Solidifies family relations
- Helps them create social relationships
- Teaches them about the passage of time
- Makes them happy.
What is your fondest childhood memory? Most people would say their happiest moments would be during their birthdays. There’s no denying that these celebrations are fundamental parts of our lives. In fact, parents know that celebrating their child’s birthday is important, but what exactly are the reasons why it’s important to celebrate a child’s birthday?
It’s easy to think that those parties are more for the adults because the kids don’t understand it yet. But your child is benefitting from parties more than you know. In this article, we explore the importance of birthday parties for children and how exactly it affects them. Keep reading to learn more.
Strengthens Their Self-Esteem and Identity
Birthday parties put your child at the center of attention. It celebrates them as much as it celebrates the day they were born. By celebrating them, your child would definitely feel important and loved.
These emotions will help them see themselves in a better light. As parents, you are your child’s most trusted adult, and your actions towards them will definitely affect their view of themselves. At a birthday party, everyone is showering your child with positivity. Think of how great it must feel for them!
Other than that, children’s parties often have themes. It is usually the child’s favorite cartoon character or superhero or whatever they prefer. Showing off their interests to other children who they can talk to would help your child distinguish themselves from other people. It helps them form a better sense of self if they see how different they are from other kids.
You might not know it yet, but celebrating your child’s birthdays could actually help with their personal development.
Solidifies Family Relations
The family is the child’s first and main social group. Most of their learning comes from the family, so it’s important to keep family relationships healthy. Celebrating a child’s birthday can both show the child how much they mean to their immediate family, and connect them with more distant family members.
Throwing a birthday party for your child shows them that simply being there, simply being alive is worth celebrating. This social event is also to strengthen your bond with your child, and not just with other kids. Children often think about what makes them happy, and reminders that you love them will surely make them a lot happier.
Other family members are also invited to these parties, so your child gets to know them too! It expands their idea of family and widens their connection with people they can trust.
Helps Them Create Social Relationships
Of course, a child’s birthday party wouldn’t be complete without inviting their friends. A birthday party is a social event. Along with family members, the presence of the child’s friends will help them create better relationships. It encourages them to socialize in a context outside of their usual classroom.
Playing with other kids will also introduce them to people they don’t know yet. Making new friends, socializing with other people, and spending time with family are all good practices for the child’s social skills.
Teaches Them about the Passage of Time
A birthday marks another year of being alive. Younger children often don’t fully understand the passage of time. What better way for them to learn than by celebrating?
Children often learn the concept of time from their parents. By celebrating on the same date every year, your child will also learn about growth, age, and the calendar. They’ll understand why we say “years old” after the number of their age. Also, making each birthday a special and positive experience shows them that growing up is something that should be celebrated.
There is even a study that shows how annual birthday parties help the child understand the aging process. With birthday parties, they understand that they grow older every year even when other concepts of time still confuse them.
A fun idea is to create photo albums, physical or digital, where the birthday photos are placed and compared one year versus the other. That way every one can see how much a child has grown and changed from one year to the other.
Makes Them Happy
This is perhaps the best reason for any parent to celebrate their child’s birthday. In their earlier years, your child wouldn’t remember any exact details of their memories. They won’t be able to recall most of what happened then when they grow up. But they will remember how it made them feel.
Filling your child’s early years in the world with happiness will surely help them become better people as they grow. Their grasp on their emotions might just be affected by how they were able to handle it when they were still young.
After all, what parent wouldn’t want their child to be happy?
Key Takeaway
Birthday celebrations only happen once a year, but they still have many positive effects on your child. The many reasons why it’s important to celebrate a child’s birthday show how much these celebrations could benefit your child.
Is your child’s birthday coming up? Then you should throw a party to celebrate! If you need a photographer in Montreal, I will be happy to help you record those memories.