Rebuilding the Blocks by Sarah Herring

As we celebrate 10 years of our family tradition, The Birthday Wall, my eldest, Sarah, wanted to share a new view on The Birthday Wall in connection to the time she spends playing blocks with her son, somewhat of a life analogy for the meaningful message The Birthday Wall so many times contains with her being the recipient, as well as creator of one for her son now too. Enjoy!

Rebuilding The Blocks

By Sarah Herring

A decade ago my Mother invented a birthday tradition called, "The Birthday Wall." 

In short, it's a wall of choice, created and decorated of special moments, favorite songs, sayings, movies, books, celebrities. It includes unforgettable nicknames and personalized sentiments.

Friends and family are warmly welcomed to participate which makes the Birthday Wall even more special and unique. It's a rewarding version of my own personal holiday. 

The Birthday Wall is a bit like building and re-building blocks for me. 

When I'm creating a "masterpiece" from building toy blocks with my son, I build, edit, revise, and re-build each creation to best connect with what he likes and what matters to him.

It's symbolic of his baby steps and stepping stones.

In parallel, The Birthday Wall does the same thing, starting with the basics. Over the years it has become more complex and relates exactly to my interests, hobbies, talents and ideas, right where I'm at.

The Birthday Wall says goodbye to one year and hello to the next one, refreshingly, artistically, with inspiration. 

It grows with me. It's never boring. It's always exciting. It brings out who I really am and nurtures the child inside me. 

The Birthday Wall defines validation, originality, refreshment, nurture, acceptance, new ideas; loving your child to their core. 

It is what helps me define the entire year: my goals, aspirations, progress, expectations, and dreams for the future. It's also something priceless I have passed down a generation to my own child. 

There are no limits to The Birthday Wall's creativity, meaning and purpose. 

From young to old, It is a perfect present for anyone, in all of it's dimensions. 

A Big Brother: The Best Birthday Surprise!

It can be fun to plan a surprise party for your child, especially with all the planning that goes into not letting on about the party as you plan. But it can take on an even more interesting vibe when there's a BIG Brother coming home from deployment to surprise his little brother for his birthday. This inspiring birthday story is sure to touch your heart, especially from a Mom's point of view.

We all want our child's birthday to be a special as we can make it. Sometimes another family member that your child loves can make their birthday even more special. Be sure to include important memorabilia on your child's birthday wall to commemorate a special occasion such as being reunited with a loved one who is off to war. Family can truly make a birthday the best ever!

Happy Birthday: It's Playtime!

Instead of birthday parties being about all the amenities, perhaps a simpler approach, like playtime and a homemade cake, can be what the party planner ordered. Erin Guerrieri shares her view point on keeping simple traditions with her kids. It can be refreshing to just give them time to play with friends and family, making memories and having a good time.

You can keep things simple when you create a Birthday Wall for your child; just highlight the best of the best and what you know will matter most to your child. I give suggestions for keeping it lightweight and less complicated in How I Did It sections in each chapter.

Simple can be Sensational!

Fun at Home with Bounce!

I love the simplicity shared in today's featured post, In Praise of the Old-Fashioned, DIY Birthday Party by Katie Granju; it amazes me how something as simple as a bounce house can make a child's day on their birthday. You may be surprised when you ask your child what would make their birthday special; it is often met with something simple and doable.

One of the elements of The Birthday Wall is focusing on what makes your child happy. When we listen to what our children want and why, we can discover what is in the hearts of our kids. And that's what we really want to know anyway, isn't it?

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.

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.

16 Birthday Wishes for a Sweet 16

Children need the support and encouragement that only a truly loving and caring parent can give. They need to know they are not alone and that we believe in them and their place in this world. My good friend, Rus VanWestervelt, shared this beautiful love and light filled wish list for his daughter for her 16th birthday. I found it so inspiring and full of truth and encouragement, the kind of message every child should receive at some point in their life.

The message we can convey to our children when we create a birthday wall for their validation and nurture cannot be underestimated. Our children need to see, feel, and know our love both visually, tangibly, and with the heart.

Let Them Choose: Options

I love a creative simplicity, which Jamie, at Steady Mom, shares about celebrating birthdays. She recommends keeping it simple, stress free, and manageable. Plus she gives her kids a choice between family parties and friend parties. Sometimes all that matters with a birthday is time spent with those who love you most.

I give several tips throughout The Birthday Wall e-book on keeping it simple and sticking with what matters most to your child. That's really the whole purpose behind creating one: focusing on what your child cares about and what makes them special.

And when you focus on the things they choose every day in your birthday wall creation, it truly shows how well you know them and how much you care about what they love and why.

Do Less: Your Celebration

Your approach to celebrating your child's birthday is a very personal one, yet it reaches to loved ones as well. Christine Koh shares her choices in connection with family to have use a minimalist approach to her daughter's first birthday. Sometimes doing less is the right choice; keeping it simple and memorable at the same time.

Family traditions are often a part of how we celebrate our child's special day; The Birthday Wall has been the one I've created for the past 9 years. What kind of family traditions do you follow to show your child how special they are to you?

Bringing Birthdays Back Home: Keep It Simple!

I just love the heart-warming vibe of this birthday blog post on bringing your child's birthday home with its emphasis on simplicity and the enjoyment of planning and creating together. It's those simple and family-centered times that make birthdays so special.

That's why I love creating Birthday Walls for my children. It's such an intimate portrayal of my daughters from year to year that makes them feel so special. And when planned simply and timely, it can create a dimension of their birthday that can leave lasting memories they will always treasure.

Thanks to Heather Cahoon for her fabulous post and party ideas!