Tradition

Monkey see monkey do.
     When I was very little I spent most summers at my cousin's house.  We played out side all day.  We generally only came in for lunch, dinner and the street lights.  His mom loved to do mom type things.  She would put on face mask and chase us around the house or claw at the door with her nails until we screamed with delight. Every birthday involved bobbing for apples and milk jug games. Every holiday had a theme.  I remember Halloween.
     Each  Halloween my cousin would have a Halloween party and my aunt was a fantastic host.  She made the bowls of mysterious things you had to stick your hand in.  She played scary music, had a big bowl of goblin punch and games to keep us busy.  Those are memories that I will never forget.  As we got older and his younger sister came to be we took over.  
     We made fantastic parties.  Of course we had to take it up a notch.  We rigged the basement with lights and noises so that the girls were sure it was haunted.  Sometimes it was so well done it made us jump.  His little sisters parties were the talk of the school and everyone loved them.  
     I did not get to do as much for my own daughter.  We did not live in a place were groups of children could come over.  I can only hope to teach her by throwing great parties for her children.  I know I will help some other cousins with their children's parties.  Great childrens parties and play dates are so important to the social structure at school.  I do not mean in a way that leads to popularity.  I hate cliques and popularity contest.  If a child is shy and does not know how to make friends it is the parents responsibility to step in.  Setting up play dates and parties for a shy child just helps them open up and feel like they fit in.  Once a child feels accepted they naturally blossom to become their own unique individual.