The Story Of My 10 Year Old’s Non-Cake Birthday Cake

It was Oscar’s 10^th birthday on the day we drove home from our first ever week long family snowboarding holiday. It was an 8 hour journey. I knew we were driving home on his birthday. I had a couple of ideas up my sleeve, although actual plans for his birthday day on the run were a bit scant.

Our only stop for a play and leg stretch was at Canberra’s Arboretum. I’d heard about it’s unique playground and thought it would be a perfect recharge stop for a 10 year old and a 6 year old. After a play in the playground, we took it easy in the large, well grassed amphitheatre. A picnic area with plenty of sunshine and a wonderful vista of Canberra.

I had birthday candles, sparklers, party poppers and a birthday card. No cake. Oh well, I’ll just pop the candles in the grass, sing happy birthday and end with a big hooray! Who could really refuse the biggest, greenest birthday cake ever?

My newbie 10 year old was shattered. There was no real cake. He could only see the candles in the grass for what they were. Not for what they could be!

Worst Parents Ever.

We made up for it after the snow trip with plenty of birthday cake celebrations. One with family, one with friends, one with his Birth Day friend and one with school mates.

As a family, we love and savour this story.  Oscar now sees the funny side of getting a grassy cake for his birthday. As parents, we learned that an edible birthday cake is the most basic ingredient for making your kids birthday a Birthday.