Dad Considers Spending $1650 On A Dinner To Grant His 12-Year-Old’s ‘Very Unusual’ Birthday Wish
How much is too much to spend for a kid's birthday?
Ivan Samkov / Pexels A father wrote to the r/parenting subreddit wondering how other parents would react if their kids requested a very expensive birthday present like his 12-year-old recently did.
The dad is considering spending $1650 on dinner, just to grant his son’s ‘very unusual’ birthday wish.
He explained that his tween son doesn’t want any gifts for his birthday. All he wants is to go out to dinner with his mom and dad, at the best restaurant near their town.
He gave some backstory to his son’s “very unusual but super expensive birthday gift wish,” explaining that since his son was six years old, “he’s been obsessed with food and cooking. Practically all the time he spends watching TV is watching Food Network, and he wants to be a chef when he grows up.”
The dad raved about the “fantastic” three-course breakfast his son made on Christmas, so it seems like he’s well on his way to culinary success. His culinary hopes and dreams led him to discover the restaurant he wanted to visit for his birthday.
He described the effort his son has put into making his wish come true, which included doing research and making him and his wife read articles and watch videos about the restaurant.
Photo: Kampus Production / Pexels
The dad explained that while he could “theoretically afford” his son’s birthday wish, dinner at the restaurant would cost $1650.
“It would be kind of absurd, and I can’t believe we’re actually even possibly considering this,” the dad shared. “My son says it would be an unforgettable experience for all of us, being the first time any of us have gone to a restaurant of this caliber.”
Not only that, “it would allow him to see what the top of his desired profession has to offer,” his son told him, which resonated with the dad, who said that “apparently, tons of great chefs were inspired to fully become cooks after going to an incredible restaurant with their parents once when they were a kid.”
People were impressed with the 12-year-old’s dedication to cooking and urged the dad to make the fancy birthday dinner a reality.
“This is something incredibly near and dear to him, and he wants to share that experience with you and your wife,” one person said. “Honestly, that's the trifecta … What a cool kid.”
“I would feed into your son's passion,” someone else said. “I know a lot of parents would pay hard cash many times over for their kid to love, follow, and invest in something like your son has done here.”
“It strikes me as one of those things you will never regret doing but may well regret not doing,” came another sage piece of advice.
Another person noted, “It’s not even a question that this will become one of his core childhood memories.”
Photo: Kevin Malik / Pexels
Others suggested calling the restaurant ahead of time, which could open up the possibility of a kitchen tour, meeting the chef, or having a special dish made for his birthday celebration. Various chefs on the thread agreed, with one saying they would “bend over backward for this little foodie.”
Another chef shared that two of their regular patrons are a mom and her 10-year-old daughter, who also wants to be a chef when she grows up. “She is such a delight to cook for,” they said. “She always orders something different or tries the specials. She's actually the only customer's opinion I care about.”
The dad edited his original post to say that he and his wife decided to go for it, and they planned to take their son out for his dream meal.
For a kid to reveal such dedicated passion to any pastime is a gift in itself. It seems like a guarantee that the dad will see positive outcomes from their special celebration, despite how expensive the birthday gift is. His son’s 12th birthday will be one he’ll always remember.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers parenting, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.