What do you do when your child's birthday is coming up and you have no money?

I dont know if this helps, but some of my friends sometimes have joint birthdays/ parties/ celebrations as it splits the costs and more people come making it more fun. Sometimes of my friends even have their parties half month before or after their actual birthday, I dont mind as long as I get to help them celebrate. Maybe you could get family and friends to help make decorations for that theme and ask if they can contribute food and drink- but organise with people who is bringing what (you dont want five bowls of homemade coslaw lol). Im sure people will be willing to help if they know that your about to move. Good luck.

Maybe she is old enough to explaing the situation and tell her that you will give her a party in the new house and it will be a special party because is is a late one so that means it will be extra special....

Oh that's rough. Well, I can think of maybe a few suggestions, however I don't know if they would help any. Perhaps you can talk to your family. When you are with them for the wedding, perhaps you can have a dora themed dinner one night for her. Maybe the family will help pitch in with some decorations. And then explain to your daughter that she will be celebrating her birthday with all her family.

And nobody has ever said a party needs to be big with all the party favors and stuff. Perhaps invite 2-3 of her friends over, maybe a sleep over. All you really need is maybe some pizza and a cake. Is that affordable? I realize it's the new house, but maybe they can build a fort in the living room. Keep it small. You'll just have to explain to your daughter that having a few good friends at a birthday is better than 100 aquantances. Yeah, that's tough for a four year old to understand. But at some points you just have to play the parent.

Good luck with this.

It happens to the best of us, something comes up and it gets in the way of our children's birthdays.

What I'd suggest is talk with your daughter and tell her that because you are moving that you are going to let her have TWO birthdays.

before you move have some of her friends over to you house and get them to dress up ( in dora things), you can go to one of those cheap stores that sell sweets and little kids things (you don't have to spend a fortune) and have a little tea party, with the little kids gifts you can wrap something in newspaper and play pass the parcel, you can have dancing games and play moving statues these all cost nothing and if you want to give them a prize a lolly pop is enough,they are only 4 and will be just happy to get something.

Then explain to your daughter that when you have moved that you will have a party for her then and you should be on your feet by then, she'll be delighted at the thought of having 2 birthday's they don't understand the dates at this age. good luck

Yes, this can be heart breaking for children. have thought of letting her have just a few friends over and cooking something cheap like hotdogs. You could also make a few cupcakes or even bake your own cake (or let the girls cook and decrate them) this way she has a little celebration that is not hard on the check book. Just keep it small and cheap and I am sure she will be fine with that.

I had the same problem when I moved one summer. As we have four of the five our birthsday in the summer. I suggest have a party for her after you move in. After you can get settled. Get her something simple in the mean time and explain she will have a party for her..But later. It doesn't matter how later..just as long as you take the time to do celebrate hers like you do the rest of the kids. Cause I am telling you if you don't. Than you decide to continue to have parties for the other kids. You will have problems later on..I should know because my dad and stepmother did the same to me. Because we went to the lake every summer on the weekends. My birthday was never celebrated. But all my sisters and brother were..Guess how that made me feel? I know she is only four. But she is old enough to remember everthing now.

The way I perceive it, the question is time, as well as money. Either I would celebrate on the Saturday before., amidst the packing. It will be a celebration of leaving this old place that they have good memories of. Find an inexpensive way to carry out the Dora theme. Either that, or I would tell her, we are moving and taking this trip, so we will have a "It isn't my birthday" party after you move to her new house. At four, the date should not be so important.I am not a big promoter of big parties every year, as eventually you cannot meat anyone's expectation. My children were both born Thanksgiving week, and so we did most of our celebration on Thanksgiving, and it was family. I can think of maybe a handful of big parties, and they are thirty and twenty seven.

I know what's you mean.At that age Kids are so impressionable.My mom and I decided that it would best just to have maybe just one of her friends over and just order a pizza and cake for her party.As long as she has fun.She is satisfied.

That's kinda tough. How big are your party's usually?
She is young so, her idea of what a "party" is could be flexible and could be manipulated.

My kids used to equate birthdays to the birthday cake. It's hard to explain but if it was a party there had to be cake. If there was cake. It was a party.

One year we were stuck indoors with hurricane warnings on my daugthers birthday. I bought cake beforehand and we had a small "party". You could do that on moving day. Have your "party" at dinner time.

After the bulk of the moving is done. You could set aside an hour or two for your family and have Birthday Pizza and cake.

It might work.

I can't even remember my birthday parties. I suppose I did have some later on.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just explain the situation and just have a couple of best friends over.

This whole birthday party thing has got way out of hand and is a follow on to designer labels and all the rest of the 'keeping up with the Jones' nightmare.

Maybe different will be good?