I want to cancel my son's birthday

[Anonymous 1]

He will be 11 on May 2nd.

He is having the worst attitiude about going to Great Wolf Lodge. He wants to go but we simply cannot afford it. It costs several hundred dollars and according to their website you can't just buy tickets to the water park-you have to stay there too.

I only have about $100 max to spend doing things on his birthday. I have already bought his gifts and cupcakes. I told him he could invite a friend to do whatever but he's stuck on GWL.

Now not only is his attitude getting nastier by the day, he thinks he's going to stop doing chores over it. I told him I would cancel his bday if he thought he was going to stop doing his normal chores.

I'm seriously thisclose to canceling it. I cannot stand this nastiness all because he wants to go somewhere we can't afford. I have explained it to him and told him how much it costs but he doesn't care.

Other waterparks in the area are out too as they would cost more than what I have for him, his friend, me and DH to go to.

[Anonymous 2]

Honestly I think you should have planned better unless you’ve recently had a bunch of unexpected expenses. He probably only wants what his other friend’s get for their birthdays, and spending a few hundred dollars doesn’t sound outrageous to me.

[MrsDavidB]

Forgetting his nasty attitude for a minute. I would return his gifts and use that money for the waterpark. That would be his gift. And how did you buy cupcakes a month in advance already? Won't they be stale? Maybe you just mean you ordered them. If that is the case I would cancel the order and use that money as well.

[Anonymous 1]

Forgetting his nasty attitude for a minute. I would return his gifts and use that money for the waterpark. That would be his gift. And how did you buy cupcakes a month in advance already? Won't they be stale? Maybe you just mean you ordered them. If that is the case I would cancel the order and use that money as well.

I meant that I ordered and paid for them, yes.

Even if I returned all his gifts, that would only give me about $100. That's still not enough for 4 people to spend the night at GWL.

[Anonymous 3]

Honestly I think you should have planned better unless you’ve recently had a bunch of unexpected expenses. He probably only wants what his other friend’s get for their birthdays, and spending a few hundred dollars doesn’t sound outrageous to me.

Are you serious with this bullshit

[owl0210]

It's understandable that he is upset but unfortunately this is just part of life. If you truly don't have the money then you can't get blood out of a stone. If it makes you feel any better there was a GWL in my area that had bed bugs

[MrsDavidB]

Forgetting his nasty attitude for a minute. I would return his gifts and use that money for the waterpark. That would be his gift. And how did you buy cupcakes a month in advance already? Won't they be stale? Maybe you just mean you ordered them. If that is the case I would cancel the order and use that money as well.

I meant that I ordered and paid for them, yes.

Even if I returned all his gifts, that would only give me about $100. That's still not enough for 4 people to spend the night at GWL.

Yes I know GWL is pretty expensive. Maybe look into a hotel with a pool? You may be able to find one around $100 a night. And him and his friend can swim in the hotel pool. Just an idea.

[Anonymous 4]

just tell him that great wolf is too expensive and he can't do that for his bday. tell him if he improves his attitude and continues to do his chores, then he can invite 1-2 (or how many you want to allow) over to your house for some cupcakes.

[Lotus]

I would engage him in conversation.

He is disappointed and he is behaving like an 11-year-old.
Talk to him about it, allow him to honor his emotions by feeling sad and disappointed, then devise a plan to have a family trip there.

Use this time to start a family vacation jar of sorts with an end date in mind like August. The lesson of saving and planning for something you want is invaluable.

[CotterpinDoozer]

IDK, maybe it's just me, but I think it's unreasonable for a kid to request to do something that costs several hundred dollars for their birthday. I've been to Great Wolf Lodge and they will nickel and dime you to death because there will be other things he'll want to do that aren't included in the room and park price. He's old enough to express his disappointment without being a brat. Since I'm "mean" I'd give him exactly one last warning to let it go, if he didn't he'd be having an extremely sad and pathetic birthday grounded in his room. No friends over, no presents, no cake. Once he could be respectful again, then he'd have his makeup birthday with a friend or two, cake, and gifts.