The procedure of a birthday party.

It all begins with a 7 year old, usually they are turning 8.
They turn to their mother one day and say " mommy... I want to have the best birthday party ever".
Mommy begins the epic search... through neighborhood fliers, through internet searches and through school bulletin boards.
She presents this research to the 7, soon to be 8 year old and says " choose, baby choose" . The child reviews the options and eventually, after extensive visualizations of his/her friends high fiving and leaving all smiley with loot bags turns to their mother with their finger defintively at the picture of a small child smiling at the top of a rock wall.
"I want that one :D "

This leads to the hurdles of invitations, booking a date and time, finding food, food allergies, designing a cake, loot-bags preparation and most importantly a guest list.
After distribution of usually handcrafted or maybe these days designer invitations, the wait begins... RSVPs.

The child undergoes one of thier first experiences of social distress and anxiety... who will come to my party?!
Cousins? of course.
Brothers and sisters? ..yes if its a cool party.
Friends of brothers and sisters? yes.
class mates? ... oh god... who?!

All things lead eventually up to the big day.
A mothers nightmare.
Preparation of the cake, the pizza order, the allergy requirements and the medical status of all children is required.
Parents arrive to a war-zone of waivers, directions, introductions and the eye widening experience of realizing they have brought their children to a place which actually encourages them to climb the walls.

One by one the children with snowflake stamped/ waiver signed hands are herded into the waiting hands of the instructors, whilst mom runs upstairs to prepare the feast and post-climbing treats. The anxious and hesitant youngsters stare in awe at their new habitat, barely noticing that strangers are strapping them in and harnessing them up. They fitted with shoes and explained the 2 simple rules of the gym which, with fingers crossed, will help the instructors avoid donating the next 5 years of thier lives to law suits and hospital visits.

Regardless of rules, these children soon realize they are at long last in an environment where they can literally... climb... the... walls.

There is more... I am just exhausted.