Party Peer Pressure

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I really don’t remember having birthday parties when I was young. That’s not to say that I didn’t. I just don’t remember them.

I know I had at least one party during my primary school days because I still recall mum wondering why I had invited Murray Lorimer. She knew all my friends and she’d never heard of Murray before. I know I invited him but I can’t even remember whether he was at the party because I don’t remember the party. It was a long time ago.

Parties these days are a little different. They’re a major event. If your five year old doesn’t remember the $4000 you spent on their birthday I guess you’d make sure that there were enough photos of the day so that they could never forget. Yep … that’s right … $4000 for a five year old’s birthday party.

Parents are going to great lengths to pull off large-scale events, some worth thousands of dollars, for their beloved children, says director of Bash Events Alison Chibnall.

“We did a party that cost about $4000; that one was for a five-year-old,” she says.

“I think the cheapest one we’ve done was about $1200.

”It is almost like parents feel they need to outdo the other parents. Each party needs to be bigger, better and have more.” – News.com.au

I do wonder if it’s about providing something wonderful for their children or more about how the parents are perceived by others. Have you felt pressured to put on a big party for your children?

Peer pressure doesn’t end when you reach a certain age. It’s always there.

Maybe you’ve felt pressured in other ways to live up to the expectation of others. You may not even have children but there are still lots of ways that we feel we have to live up to the standards that others are setting.

I’d love to hear about how you feel pressured to do things a certain way or focus your attention on certain things. When have you been swayed to go down a certain road because it was an expectation from peers, parents, children, co-workers or someone else?

Do you regret actions you took at some stage because you felt pressured?



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National Day of Thanksgiving 2013

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Have you ever noticed how good it feels when someone gives a simple but heartfelt thank you? A simple acknowledgement can lift our spirits and give us a greater reason to keep going and to increase our efforts.

We know what a difference it can make to our attitude and how it can really lift us, which makes me wonder why we don’t make more of an effort to thank others.

Who is there in your life who deserves to be thanked?

On Saturday the 25th of May Australians are invited to celebrate the National Day of Thanksgiving . The day was first celebrated on the 17th of June in 2003 and has endorsed by the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition and the Governor General.

It’s simply a day to say thank you. The official website emphasises that this isn’t just another event, but an opportunity to thank those who help make up our community.

The National Day of Thanksgiving is a unique opportunity for Australians to celebrate and give thanks for our God given heritage as a nation and to demonstrate the God given values of honour, respect, thankfulness and gratitude towards our fellow man that have made us the great nation we are.

It is a day for us to pause as a nation and say thank you to God and to each other for those many things we often take for granted but which really make our lives worth living. Let us use this day to be a blessing to those who have been a blessing to us during the past year.

Who will you be thanking? Maybe you can give the local police a call to thank them for the tough work they do within our community. What about hospital workers? Do you know someone who provides a service the community that deserves a pat on the back?

How about someone at work who makes your day easier but often misses out on any recognition?

Is there someone in your family that deserves some thanks for the unseen things they do that help things run smoothly at your place?

When was the last time you said thanks to God for the gift of life itself?

Even though this is an Australian initiative, you don’t have to be living down under to take a few moments to reflect on those people who deserve to hear you say thank you.

Each year, as well as giving opportunity for us to thank the many people who make our lives and society better, we’re asked to focus on specific sectors of the community. There two groups in focus in 2013.

Judicial System
We are thanking people who work in the judicial system, including solicitors, barristers, judges, court officials, police and administrative staff.

Youth making a difference
We are also honouring and thanking young people (perhaps under 30 years of age) who are leading their generation by their example of community service. Also, those who are showing leadership in organisations within their local community, church, etc.

Who will you be thanking? Make your plans today.



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