Mom Worries That Throwing Her 7-Year-Old A Cartoon-Themed Birthday Party Will Get Her Bullied
She hasn't grown up quite as fast as her classmates — and lots of people think that's a good thing.
pixelshot / Canva Pro Kids grow up faster than ever nowadays, and for one mom on Reddit, the lightning pace at which her little girl's schoolmates are maturing has left her concerned about the soon-to-be eight-year-old's upcoming birthday.
The mom is worried that her daughter will get bullied for having a "Bluey"-themed 8th birthday party.
"Bluey," the sweet Australian cartoon show about a family of blue and red heeler dogs, has become a near-universal favorite among small kids — as well as their parents — in recent years.
Bluey and her little sister Bingo are seven and five, and the show is wildly popular among kids of many ages. But its biggest fanbase is preschoolers, and that's left this mom in a bit of a quandary about her daughter's birthday party.
Kids at her daughter's school 'act so much older,' and she's concerned they won't like her 'Bluey' birthday party.
"I don’t think she’s too old at all," the mom wrote in her post, "plus I’m 41 and love Bluey too."
Still, she's noticed that her little girl seems a bit less mature than the other kids in her school.
"My daughter absolutely loves baby dolls," she wrote, "still loves playing house and family." It's made it a challenge for her when it comes to "finding kids who also like the same things."
Photo: Maryna Kulchytska / Shutterstock
"She wants to invite some girls from school and I’m afraid they won’t be very interested?" the mom went on to say. She's anxious about the party because of "how kids can be" towards other children they perceive as different. "I just wish she could find a couple girls who still like to play like little girls. It’s kind of frustrating," she wrote.
Many urged the mom to just let her daughter love what she loves and not feel pressured to rush her childhood along.
One fellow mom responded by saying that she recently found herself in a similar situation. "What I have come to realize is my kid has no issues with herself and I’m not going to give her a complex just because other kids are growing up fast around her," the mom wrote. "I say enjoy the fact that your kid just wants to be a kid."
Nearly everyone agreed, and some spoke from their own childhood experiences of how damaging it was to have their parents take away beloved toys or stuffed animals they thought were too childish for their age.
"Definitely have the type of party she wants," one Redditor wrote, "supporting her is way more important than others and trying to please them. She is a young girl and likes what she likes."
Experts say that immaturity can sometimes be an indicator that a kid is struggling or might have issues with hyperactivity. But usually, it just means they're developing certain skills at a different pace than many of their peers — which all kids experience to one degree or another.
Others shared that their seven, eight and even nine-year-olds still love "Bluey" and the mom likely has nothing to worry about anyway. And kids who have matured past "Bluey" might still love the party anyway. As one parent put it, "Sometimes kids just love the nostalgia but are too afraid to ask for it themselves!"
I have a seven-year-old nephew who insists "Bluey is for babies" and pitches a fit whenever his four-year-old sister wants to watch it. But by about 45 seconds into the episode he's watching in rapt attention. Even when kids seem to have grown up a lot, they're often still little kids at heart.
Ultimately, children just need to know that their parents accept them as they are, even if other kids don't. That's what will matter most to her little girl, whether her classmates love the party or not. Childhood goes by in a flash. Might as well let them enjoy it for as long as they can.
John Sundholm is a news and entertainment writer who covers pop culture, social justice and human interest topics.