Kids Birthday Parties: Out of Control or Just Part of the Fun? | The Parent Chat

In this episode of The Parent Chat, we’re talking kids’ birthday parties. Birthday season at Dylan Dreyer's house means a constantly morphing cake order (Ninjago is out, football is in), a calendar full of other kids' parties, and a lingering question: are kids' birthday parties just another arena for competitive parenting? Dylan gets honest about why she'd happily skip the big party, and what to do about "no gifts, please" invitations, gift-opening that's become a pile of bags, and a December birthday two days before Christmas. Whether you're hosting, RSVP-ing late, or wondering what to bring, the takeaway is simple: make the day about the kid, not the Instagram. 00:00 Planning Rusty's birthday (and the Captain America cake saga) 03:00 Why birthday parties feel like too much 05:00 RSVPs, forgotten parties, and what to bring as a gift 06:00 Are birthday parties competitive parenting? 07:00 "No gifts, please": what does it really mean? 08:00 How you celebrate: listener answers 09:00 Birthdays right before Christmas 11:30 Phone a Friend: Shannon Doherty 13:00 From over-the-top first birthdays to keeping it simple 15:00 Making a birthday feel special with less 16:00 Skipping goodie bags and easy DIY decorations 18:00 Celebrating a January 2nd birthday 20:00 "Five things I love about you" (the easiest birthday tradition) 20:30 Is social media driving party pressure? 21:30 Gift etiquette: what to bring and when invitations say no gifts 23:00 Opening presents, thank-you notes, and keeping parties short 25:00 How siblings sway every birthday theme 27:00 Dylan's takeaways: make your kid feel special » Subscribe to TODAY:    / @today   TODAY brings you the latest headlines and expert tips on money, health and parenting. We wake up every morning to give you and your family all you need to start your day. If it matters to you, it matters to us. We are in the people business. Subscribe to our channel for exclusive TODAY archival footage & our original web series. Connect with TODAY Online! Visit TODAY's Website: https://www.today.com/ Find TODAY on Facebook:   / today   Follow TODAY on Twitter:   / todayshow   Follow TODAY on Instagram:   / todayshow   » Stream TODAY All Day: https://www.today.com/allday About: TODAY All Day is a 24/7 streaming channel bringing you the top stories in news and pop culture, celebrity interviews, cooking, and more. All in one place.