Overwhelmed with the rising prices of goods due to inflation, a mom took to Reddit and expressed her frustration of being unable to afford a celebration for her child's birthday. She was surprised that the online community sent her a generous amount of love, support, and advice.
The mom shared that it was her child's 1st birthday, and she felt like a failure because she could not even afford to provide him with cake or ice cream. She asked the Reddit community for advice on how to cope and move on. She shared that in the past, she was able to celebrate her other kid's birthday. But with the rising inflation, she could not afford to do so. She said that she is huge on birthdays, so not being able to celebrate her baby's first year is heartbreaking for her.
Overwhelming response
The mom got an overwhelming response. Some Redditors assured her that her child would not remember their first birthday, so she must not be pressured to have a big celebration. Several also suggested that she open up her creative side and offer some cost-friendly options to celebrate the day, according to She Knows.
Another suggested that she should probably pack some sandwiches and spend the day having a picnic at the playground. Another suggested buying a cupcake from the store for the little treat, adding that it does not need spending a lot and she is a good mother. Another suggested getting bubbles by putting on three cups of water, 1 cup of dishwashing liquid, and ½ cup of white corn syrup.
Others suggested helpful Facebook groups that might be able to offer her supplies. One shared that there are local moms/parents' Facebook groups where moms donate cakes, balloons, and other small gifts for a birthday. Another suggested the idea of joining a buy nothing Facebook group as she might be able to get a boxed cake mix and decorations from the group.
Another expressed that she understood the mom as a kid whose mom could not afford birthdays. However, she assured her that how she would handle it could make a lot of difference. She told her to give what she could but ensure she took lots of photos. She also asked other kids to make decorations or cards on whatever paper or cardboard was at hand. More importantly, she should give her baby lots of birthday hugs and kisses as it's the extra love and attention the baby needs most.
Wonderful encouragement
The overwhelming responses became a tremendous encouragement to the mom. She thanked the community, adding that she will use Redditor's ideas in the future.
As per CBS News, a recent study revealed that 45 percent of American families had experienced severe or moderate difficulties as a result of the rising inflation.
