Every child’s one year old party is significant for the fact that it is the child’s first birthday celebration. In Nigeria however, many parents are in the habit of making this funny and unwise decision to throw a big party for their one year old. Yes. I said unwise. All I have ever observed at one year old birthday parties are just a waste of time, energy, money and unnecessary frustration in trying to make things look perfect. I once took my daughter a couple of years back to a one year old’s birthday party. There were canopies and chairs arranged outside; a DJ was blasting music that was unfit for kids (but wetin parents wey dey there sabi? It’s just music abi?) and lots of food and drink was being served and wasted; most of which were being consumed by adults, the kids (who were way older than the celebrant) did much of the food wasting. Then they hit the dance floor for games and fooling around with the party clown/M.C. And where was the celebrant? The little guy was fast asleep in his mother’s room! When it came to cutting the cake and snapping photographs, the little fella just screamed and bawled all over the place; as far as he was concerned as a baby, his peace was being destroyed by all the loud music, cheering and fun. All he needed to do was to sleep, wake up later in the day to eat and eventually crap his diapers. The party was just plain meaningless chaos that robbed him of his baby peace. Eventually they had to postpone the cake cutting and photos. All the photos they ever took had him with an unhappy and nasty expression on his face. Meanwhile the party continued and at the end of the day I asked the question: And what has been achieved with all this waste of money? This past Sunday, I witnessed another one of these pointless one year old parties next door to where I live on almost exactly in the same fashion as the first one I just explained above. We never even saw the celebrant. Seven to ten year olds were just busy having fun and dancing as usual to music that’s inappropriate for children . To one corner, some male adults sat drinking different kinds of alcohol and engaging in beer parlour or football gist. Other adults sat flanking the kids, eating food and waiting for the party to end so that they could take their children home. And the celebrant, an innocent one year old who had no foggy idea of what the hell was going on was nowhere to be found. I presumed he was probably asleep somewhere too. (One year olds don’t joke with their sleep!). I remember when little Timi struck one, we celebrated it for her in-house with food, drinks, snacks, cake and just a few friends, and we took photos with her. Our Pastor came around and prayed for her, and we had fun playing with her till she decided to go to sleep. When A.Y struck one, we did the same and got a lot of good stuff for him to eat (because he loves to eat). Family and friends came around to see him and take pictures with him till he started protesting the need to nap. We never started doing the party thingy until Timi got into school at 2 years. At this point, we just got variety snacks, drinks, take-away goodies and cake for the party celebration in her class. Timi by now knew what was going on and understood that she was being celebrated. We were aware that we made her day and she beamed all day about it. If I had done a big noisy party at one year old for her, she probably would have been terrified and confused. This is my take on one year old birthday parties. I don’t think it’s a good idea to throw a big party for a one year old. For a 3 year old and upwards it’s okay but for the little one year old fella or lady who’s still trying to understand what the heck is going on in the world around him, it’s a sheer waste of money, energy and time.

You could have at least credited the author of this post.

Let them celebrate,it's their party,their child,their money and their business.

I think it is fun,and it hold's a lot of importance to some people, after all its is the child's first birthday.

I think it's a waste of money and time. For my kids, i never threw a one year party. I just make sure i take pictures every year and frame them. I think i started when the first was 4 to pack a little take away bag for school.

Birthday parties are over-rated. Although, my husband is of the opinion that is a good opportunity to network and bring friends and family together.

Hmm I see

Bad belle

I am sure you won't embrace such

LilNetty. I think it's a matter of choice. I've witness many 1 year ol' birthday parties, and sometimes, the celebrant do dance and share in the fun...

Find a way to put the money for the party in a trust fund for the kid and he'll appreciate it when he's grown.

I used to visit someone inside the slums of Bariga, Lagos, I saw many people living in one room apartments in terrible buildings in abominable, flooded and swamped areas, having these parties and I often wondered why they don't use the money to get accommodation in better areas.

Hmm I'm conflicted.

We didn't have parties, we mostly got shares and stocks bought in our names. I wanted to do the same and add cake, thanksgiving at church and a photoshoot but people are pressuring me, saying "this is your firstborn o!" I've been to a few birthday parties and truly the babies are overwhelmed and it ends up as a party for adults and shrieky kids running around (baby E gets quiet when she's around unknown faces that she sees regularly, talkless of strangers). And the economy has crashed, so it seems wasteful. But it feels like I'm denying my child of something, so I get it if parents want to throw that party. It's their money, Let them spend it as they seem.

And for goodness' sake is there no DJ that can play more appropriate music than Davido and all that grinding bum-shaking cacophony?? Does appropriate Naija music which is not church music exist?

Nice write up!

@LilNetty,
beautiful use of punctuations, nice moderation and articulation. nicely written.

@LilNetty,
beautiful use of punctuations, nice moderation and articulation. nicely written.

ogaOp forget dat one, we must celebrate o
na the papa go sponsor the parry,

i might consider hosting a birthday party for a 3 year old. but 1, nahhh. wetin he or she go understand?

My parents celebrated my one year birthday. I will do the same for my kids.
nonsense!

I love to go to parties but never threw one, either for myself or children.

@Topic, their money, their prerogative.

When i was making plans for my son"s first birthday, i had a budget of 600k. i felt it really doesnt make sense blowing that kind of money for such an event.

i remembered one of my bosses who bought shares for his son.

then it occured to me that a piece of land could be bought for him. i discussed it with my husband and he agreed to buy the land.

Right now, my son owns a plot of land in his own name at the age of 1.

on his birthday, we had cakes, drinks only. we only invited alffas for prayers and photographer for the pictures. Granma and Big aunty were around. no other person.

I think its a matter of choice, you can still hold a party and buy shares
You can choose not to have a party and not buy shares
Its a matter of choice
Personally Id rather go on a world cruise with Mr Rose than throw a landmark birthday party......My choice.

bolseas:
When i was making plans for my son"s first birthday, i had a budget of 600k. i felt it really doesnt make sense blowing that kind of money for such an event.

i remembered one of my bosses who bought shares for his son.

then it occured to me that a piece of land could be bought for him. i discussed it with my husband and he agreed to buy the land.

Right now, my son owns a plot of land in his own name at the age of 1.

on his birthday, we had cakes, drinks only. we only invited alffas for prayers and photographer for the pictures. Granma and Big aunty were around. no other person.

Our budget was crazy as well! I found a wonderful venue, N150,000 (it has enough activities to keep kids entertained plus a DJ). No food, drinks or even photographer, talk less of a cake. The photog I liked gave me a N75,000 fee. So i cancelled everything and I will collect money and keep in her bank account and invest in shares when the economy picks up again. At least I remember being very happy to know Coca-Cola, NBC and Guiness were giving me money as a child, even though I had no idea why I thought it was because I was given a bottle of Fanta on special occasions.

Is it ur money and energy? What you like can never be what someone else likes so please leave them to celebrate! What if they found it difficult to conceive that child? U never know the story so don't judge just do ur own simple party and mind ur business. I also don't like loud parties for babies but wetin concern me if serah and Patrick like am?

I think if one has the cash and time u can organise one.for the sake of memories.we all love looking at pictures of our birthdays at one

All I had then as a one year old was just pics with my siblings, drinks,a cake arranged on a stool and shares!
I will always thank my parents for that

lilnetty try put sauce next time

http://thekushchronicles..com.ng/2012/11/the-pointless-1-year-old-birthday-party.html

Yeah the big budget party for one year olds is mos def a waste, I think they should all be in-house till they are like 4/5 upward. But for some peeps a party isn't party if it's not big. Plus not all 1yr olds are like that, I was surprised when I went for my nephew's in-house party and the lil dude didn't even cry for one moment and was giving lil baby steps to all the music all through, he didn't even snooze for a minute.

But on the flip, pray you don't have kids who will grow to doubt if they were ever loved or if their parents where their real parents and will start looking for evidence to prove they were right. When they get to find out they were never celebrated not even once don't be surprised they when they ask for a DNA to prove if you're their real parents. That's the advantage of big parties like this or at least something little to mark the day and serve as records that they were once loved if at one point they start doubting their origins. Events like this are part of what helps in building their psych and assures them of being loved.