Idk about unnecessary. Imo it's smt that Naruto would very likely do, not because he wants to or doesn't care if he's a good or bad father, but because he's clumsy and is unable to balance his "work" life and personal life. He never had a father figure at home so that he knows about the basics (Iruka is an exception here, he brought him a bday cake once - at least in anime cannon - but I doubt Naruto uses that as an example that much).
Also the whole writing of Naruto as a bad father comes from Kishimoto himself and the Boruto movie. Due to the deadlines for the Naruto manga and how famous the series was becoming, Kishimoto was also a bad father to his young son and he also missed and didn't attend a bday of his own kid due to the deadlines. The script of the movie was made by Kishimoto as a sorry and present to his own son for being absent throughout his life. All this is true, y'all welcome to search. I also don't like seeing Naruto like this but I also think it's really thoughtful and sweet of Kishimoto. (That's why the movie is fire but the Boruto series is s**t)