The Birthday Dance Party

Monday is Carly's 5th birthday. This year we decided to try something different for the party. A local multi-use space called Brite Studios opened up this September near our house offers hip-hop dance themed birthday parties so the thought we'd give it a try. Carly goes there for a dance class once a week and we knew her teacher (a U of C dance student and director of dance at this location) would put on a good party. The facility is used during the week as a preschool that provides before and after school care as well as other activities like dance and karate. The multi-use rooms can be rented out at night and on the weekends for other activities as well. So we rented the place for two hours for the party and that included the instructor, a room for dance and a room for food/cake/games. It was a great set-up and the party went really well. Having twelve kids over to the house for a party would have been stressful but having the party at this facility made it super easy for Penny and I to plan and execute.

Instead of gifts this year we asked all the kids to bring 10 dollars. We thought Carly could have half the money to buy one gift for herself that she really wanted and then the other half she could donate to a charity of her choice. It was the first time we had really explained to her what a charity was and that there are people out there that can't afford a place to live or food to eat. The charity she chose was the Ronald McDonald house at the Children's Hospital. We've had friends that have had to rely on the Ronald McDonald house in the past and it is one of a few places in Calgary where Carly could really understand what her money will be used for and who it will help. We plan to make a trip up there to show her around which will hopefully enhance her understanding of why its important to give to others. I'll let you know how it all goes.