Birthday parties

I underwent the normal routine of life – birth (naturally), primary school, high school, university and than of we go into working life.

There were heavy parties throughout my life – especially during the end of my high school period and increasingly in university. Long nights, lots of drinks, wild music, and long sleeps into the days. Fantastic and nothing to regret.

This continued even in Malaysia although “the intensity” decreased. The beginning of my time here and after I met my many friends, there were the visits to the Hard Rock Café, and others in that area – yeah, Hard Rock was very much in at that time.

Once my kid was born in 1997 – I was in Indonesia at that time – the intensity was out. No more parties. It is tough to party knowing that your boy isn’t understanding the concept of sleeping in. I remember that one day, on a Sunday shortly after 7.00 AM, he crawled up on our bed, sat on me, opened one of my eyes and leant forward shouting “Papa, wake up. Playyyyyyy”. That was that.

Once he grew older, things changed a bit again. He now understands or got used to me sleeping a bit longer on a Sunday – may be he even gave up – that is the assumption of my wife.
However, recently, things started to change again. He starts to go on parties – and because this is Asia or Malaysia, parents are coming along.

Not so in Germany, at least not when I was young. My mum organised the parties for the "Little Ones" and we played. There weren’t that many invited.

My kid is now planning his own birthday party – he turns seven next Sunday. Invited are all his friends from school, kids from relatives that live in Kuala Lumpur, and other kids, he meets from time to time. A LOT of kids. It isn’t organised in our house, of course – to invite 30 or 40 kids plus parents would just go way beyond my capacity, so we organize it outside – also something that is new to me. I dont mind the parents - it is great to meet them, most or all of them are nice, I ca learn a lot from their experience, and how they live their life and may be even make a new friend o two.

Last Saturday was the second or third party in a row that he is going to and now comes his turn to throw a party. One of my friends just confirmed her attendance with kids and said the same is happening to her. She said that nowadays, her daughter is constantly on the row – and her daughter is four years old, I think.

So basically, I am back to the cycle – I look forward to school holidays since I can sleep in one more hour before going to work. I am not on the road that long in the morning as well. Next similarities – birthday parties with my kid.

I wonder what is next? I wouldn’t mind going with him to discos or pubs, when the time comes, but what would I have thought when my father would have come along? Well, may be for a The Tarik or two, when the time comes. In the meantime, I hang on, and follow him to his activities.