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Thoughts For Thursday: Birthday!!!

September 9, 2010 · 53 comments

in Life, Thoughts For Thursday

Last Thursday was my birthday (September 2nd).  I am not someone that wants a birthday party or a fancy meal.  As a matter of fact, my husband asks every year what I would like for my birthday, and I say “nothing”.  I really don’t need anything, I just want a card from each family member in the house.  My daughter takes to this like a fish in water.  She will spend hours in her room working on an elaborate card full of color and decoration.  My sons always write very nice sentiments in their cards, although I suspect that it does not take hours to draw stick figures.  I love these cards, and they mean the world to me.

However, there is one more part of my birthday that I love…

I don’t remember what year ‘birthday privileges’ were instituted, but it may be the best idea I have ever had. Birthday privileges last one week, and during that week, I can make any request I want, and the request must be granted.  For example, my son was leaving to school in a shirt I thought he had outgrown.  I asked him to change it, but he didn’t want to.  I then announced ‘birthday’, and he ran to his room and changed.  I don’t ask for people to scrub the floors or anything, it is just a week that I get treated extra well.  If there is a show I want to watch, I just announce “Birthday” and I can watch whatever I want.  Everyone knows that birthday privileges must be respected.

Some of you may think this is selfish of me, but I treasure that week.  I take care of everyone in the house for 51 weeks of the year, and that is the one week I can take a break.  That means more to me than a pair of earrings, or a small kitchen appliance.  By the way, birthday privileges apply to everyone’s birthday in the house.  I think I just make the most of it more than others.  (The kids do find it a great way to get out of chores though.)

Do you have any unique ways of celebrating your birthday?  (Or any holiday?)

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{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }

Nicole September 9, 2010 at 8:34 am

Happy birthday!

We’ve got a blog post queued up way in the future on our birthday traditions. But we make each other cakes.

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Kris September 9, 2010 at 1:58 pm

Thanks Nicole! I look forward to hearing about your traditions!

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Dianna September 9, 2010 at 9:47 am

Love the idea of birthday priviledges for the week. Might be stealing that!

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Kris September 9, 2010 at 1:58 pm

Dianna, you should steal it. I guarantee you will love it!

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Olga September 9, 2010 at 11:12 am

My birthday is coming up in a month, I am taking advantage of this thing:)

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Kris September 9, 2010 at 1:59 pm

Olga – You must take advantage, it is the best! I forgot to mention that I also get similar treatment for Mother’s Day too. (I need a week for that because Mother’s Day is always spent on a cold, rainy soccer field!

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Kevin@InvestItWisely September 9, 2010 at 11:52 am

Happy birthday! My own birthday is coming up soon. I am like you; I don’t want anything fancy or special for my birthday. I do like the idea of birthday privileges though 🙂

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Kris September 9, 2010 at 2:00 pm

Hi Kevin. Happy early birthday! Maybe you could make someone write a post for you. Just tell them to do it and announce ‘birthday’! You never know what you might get. 🙂

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Money Reasons September 9, 2010 at 1:02 pm

What an excellent idea!!!

I’ll ask my wife what she thinks, and then (if she gives her signoff) we’ll implement it in our household too! 🙂

Happy B-Day to you! And thanks for sharing your life online with us via this blog! You’re awesome!!! (and I’m not just saying that because you and I are similar in so many ways…)!

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Kris September 9, 2010 at 2:01 pm

Money Reasons – You are always too nice to me!

Definitely offer it to your wife, and let me know what she says. Maybe my celebration will start sweeping the nation.

Thanks for the birthday wishes. It was a very good week. Also, thanks for the encouragement to write about my life. I am never sure if people get bored with it or not!

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Money Reasons September 11, 2010 at 3:32 pm

After talking to my wife, we’re going to try a watered down version of your idea. We are shortening it to the day of and the day before… My wife was at one time an Accountant, so I don’t know if she likes giving up control over the kids, and I’m not sure I could handle my son bossing me around that much either…

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Kris September 11, 2010 at 6:01 pm

Money Reasons – You get to make the rules. I still parent during birthday privileges, it is just a chance to get out of doing some of the things you may not want to do, and getting people to do what they need to (like getting my son to change his shirt).

Let me know who the festivities work out!

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Budgeting in the Fun Stuff September 9, 2010 at 1:18 pm

Love the birthday privileges idea! I don’t want gifts from my husband anymore since we already buy what we really want, but I do like doing things we normally don’t do – picnics, Italian food, and walks just to talk and get some exercise. Hubby is very awesome about it and I’ve enjoyed my laid back birthdays alot lately! He prefers board gaming, so I host a gaming party for his bday every year. 🙂

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Kris September 9, 2010 at 2:03 pm

BFS – ooh, I love picnics, walks and such too. Sounds like you guys have it worked out pretty well already, but you may find that announcing ‘birthday’ is so much fun. 🙂

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Suba @ Wealth Informatics September 9, 2010 at 3:25 pm

Happy Birthday!

Love the privileges idea!! We don’t have anything like that,but we stopped giving each other “gifts” a few yrs ago. Now for the birth “weekend” I just get treated extra special. It is difficult to get my husband out of his work mode. But he never works on my birthday weekend, he cooks me my favorite food… we go on picnics, random drives… just whatever I like. I will suggest to my husband about this privileges idea, I think he will like it very much 🙂

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The Biz of Life September 9, 2010 at 4:33 pm

Happy Birthday. A little peace and quiet is enough reward for me.

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Roshawn @ Watson Inc September 9, 2010 at 5:06 pm

Love your idea of birthday privileges. We do something similar but never came up with a formal name. BTW, Happy B-day!!!!

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Mandy June September 9, 2010 at 6:01 pm

Ah I love birthdays! My family makes dinner for the entire family and even a small homemade ice cream birthday cake instead of going out to eat. We also get to choose one local place to go if it’s your birthday.

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Little House September 9, 2010 at 6:15 pm

Happy belated birthday! I love that idea of birthday privileges, I think I’m going to steal that from you! I normally can’t think of anything I usually want either, so this will be a terrific alternative.

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Mike - Saving Money Today September 10, 2010 at 1:40 pm

Happy Belated Birthday! 🙂

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Kris September 10, 2010 at 2:05 pm

Thanks Mike!!! Have a great weekend!

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Revanche September 14, 2010 at 5:47 pm

A very belated birthday well wishing to you!

I love discovering fellow September babies 🙂 I would steal birthday privileges but … (cue gagging), PiC and I get along well enough in general that except for the occasional bickering, we wouldn’t get much use out of it. It sounds awfully fun, though!

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