Mums of Older Kids, Teens, and Tweens

For those of you who have older children and would like advice, to vent, whatever. Post here

Ok, so my 8 year old is turning 9 this weekend, and we are getting a hotel room (my husband travels, so we have a million free nights) anyway, getting a room and having a pool party!! I am really excited, because our budget is really tight right now, and I was feeling bad about not being able to come up wtih something fun that wouldn't break the bank.
As a rule in our house, we only do bigger friend birthdays every other year, In between we still have a family party, etc...
Anyway, this year is his friend party, so I am excited that we found a way to make it work. He invited 12 kids!!! Then you have to add my 3 boys too!! I am not sure what I was thinking there but it should still be fun!

Does anyone have any ideas for good, inexpensive party favors for a pool party????
( oh and for 8 to 9 year old boys!)
Crystal

I am laughing, as I was reading that this is how my thoughts went:
I read:
"hehe you could get them all water or squirt guns from the dollar store! "

I thought, oh my gosh, what a cute idea!!

Then I read on:
"all though, i can just imaging 15 boys with squirt guns running around a hotel....."

And got that clear image you created! Your right probly not a good idea! But! I could maybe do that, for them to take home and use later! I am sure all the moms will love me then!!
But you have me thinking, I bet I can get water goggles at the doller store!! hmmmm They won't last and probly won't work, but who knows! hee hee
Crystal

In case anyone is interested the birthday party was a huge success. Which is very hard for a boy with OCD worrying and Aspergers. Anyway, he had a great day. We reserved a room at the La Quinta Inn and Suites and had a pool party.

I could not find goggles anywhere! Wrong time of year I guess, but just got some fun treats and put them in bags. The boys all swam for about and hour and a half, and the we had cake and presents in the breakfast room! It went very smooth and everyone had a great time. After all the boys left, we went out to pizza hut, (his choice) as a family and then went back to the room and watched a movie and went to sleep. It was a nice night.

So that one down, Thanksgiving next......
Crystal

Aw I am glad he had a good night and everything went smoothly for you !

I am kinda worn out emotionally. The older kids go through this cycle every holiday. I guess it has something to do with their trauma from their past (adopted) but I am just over it and have no patience any more.

Every single flippin holiday they get up totally emotionally charged. Some litttle thing sets them off, and here we go again. My daughter has big emotional outburst. Crying, screaming, and yelling. Saying the most awful things about how she hates us and she knows she could get better parents, living anywhere else would be better than living with us, etc etc etc. My son usually has a slightly longer fuse but then has his own emotional outbursts, usually getting in trouble then getting angry and crying and arguing about it. Not the drama like my daughter though, who has never totally attached to us. Yesterday he spent most of the day in the office at school because he couldn't get himself under control, and missed part of their valentine's day celebration.

Then later it is out of their system and they are all bright and chipper and act like it never happened. But I don't let go of things that easy - I expect an apology to start with. It just sucks all the joy and fun out of holidays, and I don't k now how to change it or break the pattern. Not to mention the husband and I have been fighting this week so there's no support there - but I know he has about had it too. Sometimes I wish we could pack her off to a group home for the weekend so she could see how much worse life could be, but with my luck she'd probably have a fun weekend and decide that was the life for her.

Don't really expect any solutions, just wanted to went a little.....

I'm sorry DM ***hugs*** I think it's probably just as hard with kids that arent adopted if I'm anytig to go by,My parents would dispair with me,I would repeatedly tell them I hated them in my early teens and by age 16 I left home because I was ready and there would have been a death among s if I didn't.I am probably not making you feel any better coz i know it's hard but you are not alone in the world for sure and I am also sue that one day she WILL appreciate you and tell you so,she just probably can't right now! **hugs***