Why celebrating children’s birthdays is important, according to science

When a child’s birthday approaches, some parents get excited and prepare in advance to celebrate the occasion. But there are also those who prefer to save the money on the expenses involved in a birthday party and decide to do nothing. But this can be harmful for children, as a study shows.

O awesome.club shows, in this post, the importance of celebrating children’s birthdays and encourages parents not to lose sight of the genuine feeling of togetherness and joy.

Yes, everything has changed. What used to be just a simple birthday party has now become a themed celebration, held in a children’s buffet with more than 50 guests, tables of personalized sweets and expensive ornaments that will probably end up in the trash. Does it seem exaggerated? Well, the researcher in the field of Behavioral Psychology at the University of Texas (USA) Jacqueline Woolley defends the importance of celebrating birthdays in a meaningful way, as children, like adults, seek explanations for personal events. Still don’t understand? We will explain below.

Jacqueline conducted a study involving age and whether or not to hold a birthday party for young children. 99 children between 3 and 5 years old were examined. For all of them, a story about three fictional children who, in turn, were about to turn three🇧🇷 For the first, a big birthday party was held. In the case of the second, the party was “sliced”, with two small celebrations. The third child in history simply didn’t have a birthday party.

Then, the team interviewed the children to whom the story was told (the 99 between 3 and 5 years old) and asked them how old the characters in the story were. The results were surprising: in the case of children whose birthdays were divided into two, 38% answered that they would be turning four — as we said, they were turning three. As for the one that did not have a birthday party, many of the children believed that it was still two years old.🇧🇷 that is, the demarcation that there would be a change in age was not clear.

Evidence revealed that, for preschool-aged children, the annual experience of apparently sudden change from one age to another is of great importance: as there is no obvious or immediate physical change, as with other types of changes, to them, it’s like the birthday party was an event capable of, in itself, triggering his growth.

Jacqueline believes that, for a four-year-old child, the purpose of the party is to turn five. So it’s the celebration that counts. Therefore, parents can also consider the following advantages of these events:

They increase your self-esteem. When a child notices that a party is being held for him, he also feels loved and realizes that he has a significant weight in his family. She is clear that her birthday is important in her parents’ lives. Strengthen family ties. Having family traditions is a positive thing. It doesn’t matter the size of the celebration, the important thing is the feeling of unity to celebrate something special. They establish social relationships. Inviting a couple of friends, grandparents or the whole family for a birthday helps the child to bond better through feelings of companionship, kindness and friendship. Create positive memories. A study on memory during the preschool phase indicates that most childhood memories are not exactly memories. It is, instead, a kind of memory created from many data collected unconsciously from different sources, such as sensations, smells and music. Therefore, creating memories of a celebration can become something really meaningful. It helps to consolidate a perception of time. Children are not aware of their growth unless this is made clear through “milestones” and “references”. In this sense, one of the main ones is precisely the birthday party.

Some parents may feel pressured when it comes to celebrating their child’s birthday. However, celebrating another year of children’s lives does not have to be a spectacle. Children feel more motivated or excited by celebrations that address their true emotional needs and when they feel loved. Therefore, it may be enough to inflate some balloons, invite family members, eat a cake and blow out a candle to fill your heart with joy.

The important thing is not to make the most sophisticated birthday cake in the world, nor to give the most expensive gift from the most famous store in town, but to convey love in an environment where the child feels included, safe and respected.

Do you celebrate your children’s birthdays? Do you have a different or special celebration? Tell us in the comments!