Mom reveals why she keeps switching birthdays of her kids every year and the internet approves

It's important for parents to be there for their kids on special days and for life-changing events in their lives, from their birthdays and the first day of school to graduation and more. But as lifestyles are changing and it has become increasingly difficult to maintain a work-life balance, some parents are fine with bending the truth a bit to make sure they are present on birthdays. Abbie Guy (@abbieguy), 26, and her husband Callum, 27, a professional footballer for Carlisle United, came up with a creative solution to ensure that they can both be there for their kids on special days, and had no qualms about switching dates.

With two little ones, Ava, 5, and George, 3, the couple faced a challenge as Callum’s demanding work schedule, which left him tied up with training or matches, clashed with their actual birthdays. Rather than letting it spoil the celebrations, Abbie and Callum decided to simply shift their children’s birthdays to a day when both of them could make time. So far, Ava and George haven’t caught on to the switch, and the couple says it’s allowed as long as it ensures stress-free celebrations that the whole family can enjoy together.

Describing how it all began, the stay-at-home mum Abbie said, "It must've been Ava's second birthday when my husband couldn't be there because he had an away game. That's when we started it." Since the thought of Callum missing out on his daughter’s birthday didn’t sit well with them, they decided to shift the date. Abbie admitted that as the kids get older, this little tradition won’t be as easy to pull off, but for now, while Ava and George are still young, she wants to make their birthdays as magical as possible with both parents around to celebrate.

The idea came from Abbie's mum, Carla Bentley, who also had a demanding job that sometimes kept her away from birthday celebrations. "So we started to move birthdays so we could all celebrate together - with my mum and stepdad both there. It was Ava's fifth birthday on August 13 - Callum was at work because there was a game so we told Ava her birthday was on the Sunday before," she said.

On Sunday when they decided to have the celebrations, Ava woke up to presents, a big party with 20 of her friends at a soft play center, and a family dinner to top it all. Callum’s parents joined the celebration too. Abbie and Callum have made it a habit to move both Ava and George’s birthdays to align with Callum’s days off, either before or after the actual date.

Abbie even shared this on TikTok where most people supported her decision and shared their own experiences. "I'm self-employed and missed lots of birthdays and family parties due to work schedules!! it comes with the job!!" said @foghorn71 "My dad was away for a lot of my and my sister's birthdays and Xmas because of his work. We just had to suck it up and make the most when he was around. I suggest the same," commented @superdred0. "My husband is in the RAF, he often misses birthdays, Christmas, and special occasions. We usually celebrate when he is home. My children are older now so can’t tell them little white lies," added @laurajayne_53. 

For the past three years, she and Callum have been "shifting" Ava and George’s birthdays, and they plan to continue as long as they can. "Ava and George are still so young, dates just don't really mean anything to them at this age," Abbie said. For Abbie, the goal is simple, "I will 100 percent keep getting away with it for as long as I can. It's like 'no harm, no foul.'" I genuinely think it's the best thing to do so that they have the most magical day."

You can follow Abbie Guy (@abbieguy) on TikTok for more parenting content.