Why is it that birthday parties give me a headache? Why do I feel stress or anxiety at the thought of organizing one of these celebratory events for my child? My child has turned a new age! My child has grown up! My child has some friends and wants to celebrate! Why does this all make me feel like running for cover and crying. The expectations on parents today to produce "the best" birthday party make moms like me feel anxious. Even the most organized moms feel it. The worries are there…What if I forget to pick up the cake?! What if my kid has a tantrum at the party?! What if... What if...

I found a way to deal with birthday party anxiety and it doesn’t involve running, screaming or crying. It is the simple idea of “think it and it will come”! If I feel anxiety about the birthday party, the birthday party becomes a negative event.  If I flip the images around and start to picture a birthday party where things go right, and where I am relaxed throughout, I attract a calmer experience by virtue of my expectations.  It works, you must try it and you will be amazed. Test it out on a day with the kids at the park and see how you can impact the experience just with your positive thoughts. The truth is that all the bumps in the road are easy to deal because we are (for the most part…) competent Mommies - we are wired to handle stress of all kinds! Thinking I can handle the birthday party event and whatever it brings is 90% of the battle. Switching my thinking has helped me in immeasurable ways.

If my child has a tantrum, I will calmly and lovingly take her outside where we can be alone and I will stay with her until she calms down. If I forget to pick up the cake, one of my dear Mommy-friends will dash to the corner store and buy 20 ice cream sandwiches and I will spell my daughter’s name out with candles!  See, all Mommies have the best solutions in their back pockets when they most need them. The birthday party is our opportunity as Moms to show our kids, and ourselves, that a positive attitude (and a little deep breathing) goes a very long way.

This blog was written by Debbie Zinman, Co-Founder of ECHOage.com
ECHOage is a birthday party website that makes it easy for children to get the birthday gift of their dreams and make a donation to the charity of their choice while having the same great birthday party! www.echoage.com