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Spice of Life: Magical birthday at airport and the greatest gift of all

BySeerat Kaur
Jan 14, 2025 10:50 PM IST

While waiting for our connecting flight, I picked up a muffin from the airport lounge and inserted a coffee stirrer right through its puffy middle. Covering the stirrer like it was a candle flame, I took the muffin to our little one.

Our younger child has had one birthday “celebration” since she was born. For better perspective, allow me to clarify. She will turn eight this year, but she’s had one conventional birthday celebration with friends, cake and a party.

The following year, the guilty, determined mother (a recipe for disaster if you ask) in me planned for a birthday party well in advance. It had all the works. There was a theme-based cake, balloons, bunnies, a play area, friends to celebrate with and well thought returns. (MCT/ Representational image)
The following year, the guilty, determined mother (a recipe for disaster if you ask) in me planned for a birthday party well in advance. It had all the works. There was a theme-based cake, balloons, bunnies, a play area, friends to celebrate with and well thought returns. (MCT/ Representational image)

There’s a host of reasons why the other seven didn’t happen in similar ways. I will pin blame on the global epidemic, switching of schools (offline to online), switching of countries (India to Canada) and sometimes, I’ll admit, an overwhelmed, exhausted mother. As any parent would relate, especially mothers, we are wired to feel constant guilt. Do I work enough to have my own identity? Do I work more than I should that it overshadows everything else? Do I feed my children enough vegetables and protein? Are my kids intellectually challenged? Are they under stimulated? Do I celebrate their milestones? Do they feel unappreciated?

The emotional floodgates are always bursting to swing open! In those moments, some perspective from fellow mothers/parents and podcasts and books from parenting experts help. But most of all, hearing it from our own children in moments of self-doubt is the greatest gift of all.

It was one such birthday when we were in the middle of transit (switching countries). Our younger child’s birthday happened to be that very night. I worked up myself to unbearable guilt about not being able to celebrate with a party yet another year. However, while waiting for our connecting flight, I picked up a muffin from the airport lounge and inserted a coffee stirrer right through its puffy middle. Covering the wooden stirrer like it was a candle flame, I took the muffin to our little one and placed it carefully in front of her. She was then asked to make a wish and pretend-blow the stirrer. She played along enthusiastically. Her eyes widened with surprise, a big grin spreading across her cherubic face. She puffed up her cheeks and blew the stirrer with all of her five-year old strength and sliced the crumbly muffin with a plastic knife. All of us (husband, older child and I) broke into a happy birthday song, fervently attacking her with cuddles and kisses, for all and sundry to watch at the busy airport!

The following year, the guilty, determined mother (a recipe for disaster if you ask) in me planned for a birthday party well in advance. It had all the works. There was a theme-based cake, balloons, bunnies, a play area, friends to celebrate with and well thought returns. Later that night, while tucking our big little birthday girl in bed, she said, “This was the fun-est birthday party ever. But my bestest birthday remains the one at the airport.”

My instant reaction was, “You remember that? Why was it your favourite?” Without missing a beat, she said, “It was magical. The wooden stick became my candle, the muffin my birthday cake, and it had three of my favourite people with me.”

Child is the father of the man, indeed. Despite several less-than-glorious parenting moments, I believe no parent can intend to inflict any harm towards their child. They educate, clothe, celebrate, build, provide with the best of intentions under the given set of circumstances. However, we sometimes forget that the most important of them all is to simply instil in our children a quiet confidence that no matter what, you are loved, you are seen. The rest is important for sure, but it is the cherry on the top, of utmost importance.

The writer is a Canada-based freelance contributor and can be contacted at seeratsandhu25@yahoo.com

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