What to do when a birthday is on a school day?

[Juniperberry]

Hi everyone!

My son's 5th birthday is coming up in a few weeks (!) and it's on a school day.

What I'm wondering is.. how did you organise the day?

did you do presents early in the morning, rushed before school, or did you wait till after school?

we're already planning cup cakes to take to school, so it's really just the presents I'm wondering about..

How did you do it?

Thanks!!!

[Alyantavid]

We always did presents at after school.  I might  give a small or something.  I hate to give presents that they can't play with all day.

[limabean]

I make a special breakfast and dinner for him that day, and we give him a couple of small presents and a cupcake or something after dinner, then we have his party with all the to-do on the weekend. 

[lyterae]

We did lollipops at school and then we had a birthday dinner with gifts and cake that evening.

[ollyoxenfree]

I find presents at dinner, with the cake, works really well. Especially if they will want to play with the gift right away, e.g. a game or a puzzle or a book that they're excited about. 

If you give a gift at breakfast, be prepared for requests (heartfelt pleas, actually) to take it to school for the day.  And then be prepared for it to come home, damaged or broken, after a day of hard play with all his classmates who are eager to try it out too.

If you want to celebrate in the morning, how about a special big breakfast?  You could serve up pancakes or cinnamon buns or quiche or omelettes and a fruit salad with all his favourites. You can decorate the table a little too and give him his birthday card and if you really want, a small token present. 

[mtiger]

Special breakfast and one gift in the morning. Birthday child picks dinner that day (in or out), and receives our gifts at dinner. Family party and friends party are done later.

[labdogs42]

I had this dilemma this year, too!  We went with one present in the morning, treats to school for snack, then special dinner at home that night with cake and presents.  Party for friends and extended family the nxt weekend.  Worked great! 

[annamama]

We got up 30 mins earlier and opened gifts from us in the morning. Family brought theirs round after school. DS was fine about not taking any in to school :)

[2lilsweetfoxes]

Ooh.  What I plan to do is, well, I'm off to work before DD is out of the shower, so maybe a card and a new pencil or something she can take and use at school, then she gets to select dinner and open family gifts.  I need to find out what the class culture is for birthdays--some don't observe at all, some do all birthdays for the month on like the first Friday (my personal favorite--and summer birthdays are done the last Friday of the school year--because it allows the celebrations, but the number are regulated--30 kids in a class, say 5 are summer babies, still, that would be 25 days of parties, in addition to all the holiday celebrations), and some go all out for each child.  I'd send a special treat for the celebration day if the class observes birthdays in that way.  (But, I'm inviting her entire class to her party, so...)

[elmh23]

I made her a breakfast that she wanted (cereal, yay!), sent donut holes for snack and then my mom came over for dinner (her pick) and we did ice cream and presents.

[Juniperberry]

Thank you so much for your very helpful answes!!!! :)

I think letting him choose a special breakfast (probably pancakes lol) and then presents straight after school so he can play with them all evening, and a dinner of his choice sounds good.

We'll also have it spread out as the weekend before my Dad is coming to stay so we'll have a pre-birthday lunch or something with him and his present, then his mid-week birthday, then his birthday party the weekend following his birthday!

Very useful input mamas, thank you :)

[mommy212]

When I was little my mom would always let us stay home if our b day was on a school day. We would go to the zoo, make cookies or cake, play outside and everything else fun. I remember them as being such awesome days!

[mattemma04]

I might let my kids stay home on their bday,or a day of their choice. I know one year I took the kids to the Y for swimming and out to lunch.Another time to a petting zoo/farm then dinner.

This year my dd went to school on her b-day,and at pick up we headed over to her favorite restaurant.My mom came the weekend before to birthday to celebrate.Then on her day we opened MORE presents.Then again when dh came home after her b-day.LOL,my dd had multiple birthdays this year!

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by mommy212 

When I was little my mom would always let us stay home if our b day was on a school day. We would go to the zoo, make cookies or cake, play outside and everything else fun. I remember them as being such awesome days!

I used to keep DS home from pre-school and school on his birthday and we would make a special trip to the museum or zoo, but when he was about 8 y.o. he asked to go to school instead. The school celebrated birthdays - their names were noted on morning P.A. announcements to the whole school, they got called to the office for a card and a lollipop and birthday wishes from the principal, the birthday child would bring in treats for the class....  He felt he was missing some of the celebration by staying home.  

[sewchris2642]

Cupcakes or muffins to school; birthday dinner on the actual date.  Birthday party/cake on the weekend.