[.ca] The Birthday Book: Creative Ways to Celebrate Your ... (ISBN 0310247047)

A welcome shift in perspective:
This is not just another party idea book. Too often we (myself included) have these thoughts running through our heads about a month or two before our child's birthday: "what am I going to DO for junior's birthday this year" and "how am I going to top last year's party?" This book shifts our thoughts from 'doing' for our child to 'being there' for our child. I especially liked Shelly's discussion about birthday traditions to begin and continue (with age-appropriate modification) throughout the teen years. She gives a particurlarly good suggestion which I won't give away here! Speaking from my point of view as a mom raising children in one of the most materialistic areas of the entire world, I can tell you that bigger \oparties\c is not always better. Shelly was able to articulate this in her book in a way that I've always felt but was not able to put into words. Yes, this book is a great reference for party ideas and I know I will use it and give it to other moms for years to come. However, I feel that the book's strength is in the encouragement it gives parents to shift the focus of the birthday celebration from event-oriented activities to child-centered love and care.