International Women’s Day is on the 8th March which, serendipitously, also happens to be our gorgeous daughter’s birthday. We ask Flora the same 20 birthday trivia questions every year, something we’ve been doing since she was three years old. And this year, our beautiful, kind, intelligent, loving, magical fruitloop is going to be 14 years old. A fully-fledged teenager, albeit with all the attitude of someone much older!
Why Do We Ask the Same 20 Birthday Trivia Questions Every Year?
I first came across this birthday questions and answers idea on Pinterest and it’s now a treasured family tradition. The idea is you keep all your child’s answers each year, along with a birthday photograph, in a folder to pass over to them when they turn 18. Hopefully, they’ll enjoy looking back on their responses through the years, tracking their tastes, loves, and ambitions on the journey from child to young adult.
What Did Our Birthday Girl Say Last Year?
Last year saw a growing interest in Russian history and the Russian language. Something that has led to many an argument in our household as I support Ukraine. But, to be clear, she doesn’t support Putin and his genocidal regime, she just has more sympathy for the oppressed Russian population and diaspora than I do.
What Does Our Birthday Girl Say This Year?
This time around the answers to her 20 birthday trivia questions feature some new friends, interests, and an obsession with a new career choice.
| 1. What is your favourite colour? | Pink and Green. |
| 2. What is your favourite toy? | Aeroplanes. |
| 3. What is your favourite fruit? | Banana. |
| 4. What is your favourite tv show/film? | The Big Bang Theory. |
| 5. What is your favourite thing to eat for lunch? | Sushi. |
| 6. What is your favourite outfit? | Beige cargos, white crop top, white high top sneakers. |
| 7. What is your favourite game? | Roblox. |
| 8. What is your favourite snack? | Mozzarella fries and Halloumi fries. |
| 9. What is your favourite animal? | Tiger. |
| 10. What is your favourite song/music? | Telepatía – Kali Uchis. |
| 11. What is your favourite book? | Are you there, God? It’s me, Margaret – Judy Blume.* |
| 12. Who is your best friend? | Lexi, Julia (and others). |
| 13. What is your favourite cereal? | Frosted wheaties. |
| 14. What is your favourite thing to do outside? | Planespotting. |
| 15. What is your favourite drink? | Lime and soda. |
| 16. Where is your favourite holiday destination? | Kefalonia. |
| 17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? | Penguin. |
| 18. What is your favourite thing to eat for breakfast? | Poached eggs. |
| 19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? | Stuffed crust pizza, dough balls, sour cream and chive dip. |
| 20. What do you want to be when you grow up? | Pilot. |
20 Birthday Trivia Questions and Answers – Our Family Tradition
No surprises that pizzas are the new food favourite, although I’m slightly shocked cheesy leeks didn’t make it on the list. And I’m also not surprised that Kefalonia is her favourite holiday destination. We had an amazing holiday there last year, so much so that we’re going back again this year – and Flora picked our accommodation, so it’s all on her!
She still frequently watches different news channels (BBC, Sky, Al-Jazeera) and maintains her incisive grasp of current affairs. Something that not many adults have, let alone a 14 year old. Truthfully, she teaches me as much as I teach her, which I’m very proud to acknowledge.
When I look at her and listen to her, I can’t believe she’s only a few days away from being 14 years old. The second year of her teens, a college student, and increasingly independent (except where money and being ferried around are concerned).
She’s travelled abroad without us (with her school) and is due to do so again later this year when they’ll visit Krakow and Auschwitz. Not something I would have wanted to experience at her age, but she’s very much a wise head on young shoulders.
And while I’d love time to stand still, even for a little while, I also can’t wait to see who she becomes and what she does next. So for now, happiest of birthdays, Flora, you are our brightest and our best. 🙂
Do you celebrate with birthday trivia quizzes like this? Or do you have any other birthday rituals? What do you think of our annual family tradition?
I think this is a great birthday tradition, it’s such a nice idea as you can look back and see the gradual changes. I think it’s a nice little snapshot into life—Happy 14th to your daughter!
Thank you, Molly. Yes, it’s been really interesting to see how her answers have changed over the years so far!
This is such a lovely idea for a post! I loved reading your daughter’s answers! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Thank you, Lucy 🙂 x
My daughter is turning 13 this year but I can certainly draw inspiration from this list. Thanks for sharing.
Ah, that’s lovely – happy birthday to your daughter in due course.
Happy birthday to your daughter! I also really love sushi and was into the Big Bang Theory at her age.
Thank you, Riyah – I don’t think TBBT is something we’ll ever get tired of!
This is such a lovely tradition. I loved reading this and felt a bit connected with 14 year old me! She’ll love reading this back when she’s older
Rosie
Ah, that’s so lovely, Rosie! Yes, I hope Flora does enjoy reading everything back in due course. 🙂
what a cool tradition!! I love this idea and I bet it will be so special especially in the future looking back on all her answers. Thank you for sharing this 🙂
Thank you, Andrea, and yes, that’s my hope – fingers crossed!
This is an incredible idea. I think I’ll try it with the little ones this year. Happy birthday to your daughter.
Thank you so much, Sasha 🙂
Happy 14 Birthday to your daughter. I believe this is a good tradition. It’s a good way to measure how your children changed.
Thank you, Fadima – and yes, it’s been great fun seeing her answers over the years so far.
Lisa, I think this is an excellent idea for making your birthday girl feel special, heard, and seen. And also to get to know her better. I also like pink and TBBT! Happy birthday, Flora!
Thank you very much, Lux, it’s proven very popular over the years – to date anyway!
I love this idea so much, and it’s so fun to see how the answers change! x
Thank you, Caroline, we love it too 🙂 x
I love reading her answers. Happy birthday to her!
I’m glad to see that her infatuation with Russia has passed. If she wants to know more about Russia, she could read the history of those oppressed by Russia, like Ukraine, the Baltic States, or Moldova. Unfortunately the Russian opposition is just as imperialistic as the ones in power (I’m talking from experience and I had higher expectations considering where I interact with them).
Thanks, Anca. Her interest in Russia was focused on Russian oppression actually, and she knows more about history since the Russian Revolution than most adults. She’s written essays at school about Boris Nemtsov, Anna Politkovskaya, Boris Berezovsky, Alexander Litvinenko, and Sergei and Yulia Skripal, to name but a few. We have a LOT of books at home about Russian history and Putin in particular, and she’s read all of them.
That’s impressive. I meant to say that to understand Russia better the peoples who were oppressed by them should be read too, added into the discussion.
For example, to better understand Victorian Britain, a book or two on Ireland should help or on India. The difference is, of course, that Britain assumed its dark past, the slavery, the oppression, quite for a long time.
Russia didn’t. They are still racist towards non-white Russians, they talk about Ukraine as if it doesn’t exist, despite having a history many centuries older than Russia. My country, Romania, had Russian troops way into the 1950s, part of it, Moldova, was taken, had its name changed, were forced to write with Cyrillic alphabet. Only last year they were able to change the name of the state language from “Moldavian” to its proper name, Romanian.
She is young, but she is reading heavy stuff, well done to her, and so you.
Thank you, Anca – yes, I agree, it’s not the normal reading material for a young teenager, but we’re very proud she’s so interested in what’s happening in the world today. 🙂
I’ve always enjoyed reading update. I see her answers becoming more grown up with the years
Yes, she’s growing up far too fast!