Erin and Ben Napier Share ‘Unpopular’ Take on Kids’ Birthday Parties

They may design houses for a living, but the last thing Erin and Ben Napier plan to do is curate an elaborate birthday celebration for their kids.

In a joint interview with Today.com published on Tuesday, September 9, the Home Town stars admitted they’re decidedly “anti-giant birthdays” when it comes to their daughters, Helen, 7, and Mae, 4.

Why? Well, as Ben, 41, explained, their school requires every child in the classroom to be invited to parties, leading to chaotic events with “100 kids running around, losing their minds.”

“It’s stressful and loud,” Ben said, as Erin, 40, nodded in agreement. “I was like, ‘We’re not doing this.’”

The Napiers said they prefer to keep things small and private, with Ben telling Today.com, “Our rule is, until they’re old enough to plan it themselves, it’s supper at grandparents.”

“If your 4-year-old’s birthday party looks like a wedding, what do they have to look forward to?” Erin added. “Maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but I think there’s a lot of moms out there who feel the same way I do.”

Ben insisted that some of his best childhood memories are of his simple birthday celebrations with his three brothers — at a park with some pizza and his mom’s famous homemade cake.

“And it was awesome!” he said. “It was amazing.”

Erin has continued the tradition by trying to make cakes for their kids, even if she does just jazz up a boxed mix. For example, when Mae turned 4 this year, she requested a Christmas-themed celebration with her cousins, so Erin played holiday music and baked a strawberry cake adorned with yuletide touches.

The Napiers are set to return with new episodes of Home Town next year, but will also be launching a new spinoff called Home Town: Inn This Together soon. The show follows the couple as they join forces with their family and friends to restore the dilapidated 1930 Kress building in downtown Laurel.

Sadly, the hotel was destroyed by a fire late last month upon completion.

“After so much celebration last week, today my best friends @malraz, Jim, and @joshuanowell lost their labor of love, their dream, @theheirloom.us hotel in an early morning fire. Before they ever even welcomed the first guest. Praise God, no one was inside,” Erin wrote via Instagram on August 26, alongside a heartbreaking photo of firefighters working on containing the flames at the inn.

“We held each other and watched while the brave fire fighters from the Laurel FD worked for hours to get it under control,” she shared. “Today feels like a funeral. But I know these people. They won’t give up here. I don’t know what will happen next or if you’ll ever get to see this @hgtv show now. I don’t know much of anything. Pray for my friends and family, please. It is hard to explain how this reverberates through our town and its progress in many ways. But I know God has a plan for this setback. He always knows the way, even when we don’t.”

For now, Erin and Ben are soaking up the days with their daughters and jumping back into the school routine.

Before the end of summer, Erin shared photos of Helen and Mae via Instagram, writing, “How do we stop the clock so school never starts back? Anyone else soaking up this time with your kids like raisin bran in whole milk?”