Dear Lola – Child’s birthday party is cancelled…

Dear Lola,

My daughter’s birthday is coming up soon and due to the coronavirus lockdown, we won’t be able to hold a party for her. My daughter says she is fine with this, but I think she’s just saying that since she knows there is nothing we can do about the situation. I am trying to think of a fun way to celebrate her 13th birthday, but so far my only idea has been a video chat party with her friends. While that could be fun, she does video chat with them for school each day so it won’t feel very special. Do you have any other suggestions?

Sincerely,
Party in a Lockdown State

Dear Party in a Lockdown State,

As soon as I read your letter, I started singing the Miley Cyrus song about parties in the USA and found I couldn’t stop. Which led to me singing, in my best Kesha voice I might add, about parties that don’t stop. Which then led to an over-partied me singing along with the B-52’s about parties that went out of bounds.

So that is your daughter’s party playlist sorted!

Now I just need to figure out a way to get the party participants into the same area, without breathing in the same area… and I think I have the perfect idea! Send out invites, assigning each party attendee a set time to drop by. Stagger the times to be sure each person can spend 10 or 15 minutes with the birthday girl without overlapping.

What’s a party without snacks?!

Place a table in front of your house – be sure it is in front of a window or glass door. Then set out some prepackaged snacks and drinks on the table (wear gloves). Take care to separate the packages so each teen can select one without touching the other packages. Then your daughter can spend her birthday with friends and no one has to worry about swapping germs over cake.

We all know that one person who blows out the candles too vigorously.

♥Lola♥

For those who will surely ask, I deliberately recommended prepackaged snacks and drinks for the party attendees. Whatever your thoughts are on your own food handling standards in your home, not every parent will be okay with your breathing on food and then placing it on a table for their children to eat. If that doesn’t deter you, think about the flies that will swarm over a table of cake left out for hours.

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