Complaint: Every month a damn cupcake.

What is it with the ultra-celebratory nature of our children’s accomplishments and/or major holidays?

I just got a three paragraph email from a highly intelligent, heavily employed mother who is all a-flutter over what Halloween games to play at the first grade Halloween party EVENT. She is concerned about logistics and needs input.

WTF?

It’s like the preschool graduations, and the cheering every time your kid eats something, or defecates, or rolls over in bed. Do we have to make everything an EVENT?

For freak’s sake, can we please stop making a big deal over every single thing that happens? Can we please stop applauding our children every time they do something?

My husband works with a lot of younger adults, Generation Y-ers, and they need accolades just for showing up to work.

This is not cool.

I’m not saying I’m not guilty of cheering everyday occurrences on occasion. I’m an enthusiastic person. But schools celebrate so many holidays, and there’s always a frenetic, exhausting "party" with a cupcake of some sort involved. Can we get a little more creative, please?

I mean, do I really care about what games are played at my son’s 45 minute Halloween party EVENT? He doesn't. Does it really matter if I go out and buy (or make) (ha ha!) candy corn cupcakes? Do we really even need to discuss a MENU?

It’s too much.

Let the kids wear their costumes and sing a few songs and be done with it. It’s not like they’re not going to get boatloads of sugar soon enough.

All this hoopla is overwhelming, exhausting, and is turning our little kids into needy, self-centered creatures who need to be congratulated for showing up at school on time or taking a whiz.

Enough.