Themed Inspiration: A Penguin Party!

I thought this penguin themed party was the cutest, from the decorations to the cupcakes and then some. But I think what inspired me most about Noah's First Birthday Party: Penguin Style was the celebratory aspect of friends and family for this one-year-old named Noah with his parents, Abby and Rick. This was the perfect birthday story of how one life can change another for the better in ways that are just awesome and wonderful.

This post truly inspired me with the application of what makes a child truly special--one of a kind--in reference to The Birthday Wall and how we can show this clearly as a visual in ways that help our children understand how much we love and appreciate them. Noah's story is a perfect example.

Outdoors, Anyone? It's a Summer Time Party!

Are you looking for some great summer-style ideas for your child's birthday? Well, Becky Sher provides quite a few, from food to activities, invite ideas and decor. This fun outdoor theme post is sure to spark some inspiration for the outdoors as you celebrate your child.

Some of the decor ideas Becky provides can be incorporated into the birthday wall you can create in conjunction with this very fun, summertime outdoor theme. I provide some terrific theme ideas in Chapter One, A Thoughtful Thread: Choosing a Theme in my e-book, The Birthday Wall: Create a Collage to Celebrate Your Child..

An Affirmation Celebration!

We all want our kids to feel special, don't we? And their special day, their birthday, is the perfect time to show them how much you appreciate them. My good friend, Sarah Bryant, who recently shared about her and her son's Birthday Wall experience, also shares how she affirms her son on a daily basis with her post, Affirming the Good in Your Child.

One of the distinct benefits of creating a Birthday Wall for your child is being able to affirm your children by showing them how much they are loved and valued with a custom visual display just for them.

Reconnecting with My Son through The Birthday Wall

Reconnecting with My Son through The Birthday Wall

By Sarah Joyce Bryant

My seven-year-old son, Cody, was hospitalized in a residential psychiatric treatment facility for eight months. There were two months when his aggressive behavior was so severe it was determined he was not safe to come home for his bi-weekly weekend visits. We were left with ten minute phone calls each night, and two hour visits every other weekend. The unique bond that we had shared suffered tremendously. Cody refused to take my phone calls, and when I came to visit he was distant, not the loving, cuddly boy I knew. I believed because of his Asperger’s, I had just become a person who visited him, not someone he really knew and loved. He started to call me by my first name. I was no longer mommy. 

Cody’s birthday was coming up, so I started reading “The Birthday Wall: Create a Collage to Celebrate Your Child” by Dawn Herring. Herring focuses on learning what is important to your child and what your child loves and making a beautiful birthday banner that celebrates your child using the things you’ve discovered. Displaying the banner on their birthday shows that you know who they are and you are listening. It is a keepsake for them, something they can look back on years from now and have a sense of who they have been and who they are now. I didn’t get a chance to make a birthday wall for Cody the way Herring suggested, but her book sparked an idea. Instead of making a birthday wall that Cody wouldn’t be able to display in the hospital, I decided to put it all into a binder with each page depicting a special time we had spent together over the last year or something special about him.

Cody with his Birthday Wall Binder

Cody's Favorite Things in his Birthday Wall Binder

The day I brought him the binder, his entire face lit up. He went through each page and read all about himself and his family. It was the first time in months he spent the entire visitation with me. He was so proud of it that he walked around showing all the staff. It was a reminder to him that I loved him, that I was listening to him, and that I knew who he was. Our relationship changed after that. He started taking my phone calls again. He started to call me mommy again. He had something beautiful to look at every day that was all about him, but that also served to remind him of his family and the times we had spent together and how much we loved him. He still goes through the binder even though he is at home now. Each time he has the same reaction of pure joy.

I am so appreciative to Dawn Herring for creating such an amazing book that helps parents celebrate their children. I am so grateful that it had such a positive impact on my son when nothing else seemed to work. He needed me to SHOW him that I loved him because words were not enough.

Editor's Note: This story was shared by Sarah Joyce Bryant who purchased my e-book, The Birthday Wall: Create a Collage to Celebrate Your Child; she took the idea of the Birthday Wall display and put it in binder form for her son. This shows there are different approaches you can take with The Birthday Wall and create a wonderful, self-esteem inducing effect for your child. Thanks to Sarah for sharing her story for her son Cody. 

Caution! Construction Ahead!

The theme for this birthday party looked like a construction zone...only this one the guests could actually enter! From bulldozed birthday cake to constructions signs and other decor, this one is a real hit for Lish's now 3 year old son. Or should I say, a real construction? (Awesome, colorful photos abound with some terrific, inexpensive ideas.)

Creating a theme for your child's birthday wall can be a super fun construction of your own, featuring all of your child's favorite things. I share many theme ideas in Chapter One, A Thoughtful Thread: Choosing a Theme in my e-book, The Birthday Wall: Create a Collage to Celebrate Your Child. The Fun Has Just Begun!

Celebrations: Give Them a Choice!

When we plan a celebration for our child's birthday, we may run into an unsatisfactory situation such as described by Sharon DeVellis with her two boys. She shares her experiences with birthday parties, the cost involved and where to have one in her post, Birthday Party Alternative.  She decided to give her boys a choice of party or family time. She shares their activities and what choices they made with memories in the making.


Our kids know what they like and they know what matters to them; when we highlight these all-important aspects of our kids' lives, creating that birthday wall becomes all the more meaningful and satisfying for them and for you.