Anonymous wrote:DD’s birthday is coming up. Considering a small party. I’m not even sure what venues are having indoor parties. I can think of indoor mini golf or bowling, both activities our kids are not fond of. I would do a spa, tea or princess party but it doesn’t seem safe. Nature centers aren’t doing parties.

Would you let your child attend a masked indoor birthday party?

Any ideas?

Not a chance in Hell! What is wrong with you? You really believe these children will keep their masks on?

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Anonymous wrote:I have 2 other kids. I have always hated playground birthday parties. I never enjoyed them and would not want to hold one in the middle of winter.

Not OP but why don’t you enjoy them?

By which I mean, why do you enjoy them any less than any other little kid birthday party! Ha ha.

Anonymous wrote:I have 2 other kids. I have always hated playground birthday parties. I never enjoyed them and would not want to hold one in the middle of winter.

Not OP but why don’t you enjoy them?

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Anonymous wrote:Op here. We have a fire pit in our backyard. We also have a large garage. Could potentially get a few space heaters for the garage. Maybe I could get a performer for the garage and hand out cupcakes to go.

Do kids actually like performers?

I think the garage idea would be fine, I just wonder if that's actually something the kids would prefer doing over playground/bonfire/s'mores.

My daughter is preschool aged. I think everyone is assuming she is in elementary aged.

Ok. My question still stands: do you think your preschooler would actually want a performer versus a playground? I know where my two preschoolers stand on that issue, and it certainly isn't sitting in a garage watching a singer/magician/clown/etc.

I do not want to be in the cold longer than I need to. We, maybe I, do not want to go to the playground if it drops below 40s. This is why we have not been leaving the house for the past few days.

I would not want to sit in a garage listening to a performer. I do think my daughter and her friends would enjoy the performer. She loves live shows that are interactive.

You don’t go to the playground if it drops below the 40s?! I hate being cold but my kids need to run. So far the coldest day we’ve been to the playground was probably 30 degrees. I don’t know what it was with wind chill. We bundled up and only stayed for 45 minutes or an hour. I guess this is like everything else — there will be a range of preferences.

I would rsvp no to a performance in a garage. Not enough air flow for me (only open on one side) plus the kids are sitting in one place rather than running around which seems riskier plus the performer is yelling or singing. All of that seems like a bad idea from a covid perspective to me. In fact, I did rsvp no to a performer birthday party. It was even outside. But I figured the kids would all be huddled together and I just wasn’t comfortable with it. But we go to the playground ones.

I have 2 other kids. I have always hated playground birthday parties. I never enjoyed them and would not want to hold one in the middle of winter.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. We have a fire pit in our backyard. We also have a large garage. Could potentially get a few space heaters for the garage. Maybe I could get a performer for the garage and hand out cupcakes to go.

Do kids actually like performers?

I think the garage idea would be fine, I just wonder if that's actually something the kids would prefer doing over playground/bonfire/s'mores.

My daughter is preschool aged. I think everyone is assuming she is in elementary aged.

Ok. My question still stands: do you think your preschooler would actually want a performer versus a playground? I know where my two preschoolers stand on that issue, and it certainly isn't sitting in a garage watching a singer/magician/clown/etc.

I do not want to be in the cold longer than I need to. We, maybe I, do not want to go to the playground if it drops below 40s. This is why we have not been leaving the house for the past few days.

I would not want to sit in a garage listening to a performer. I do think my daughter and her friends would enjoy the performer. She loves live shows that are interactive.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. We have a fire pit in our backyard. We also have a large garage. Could potentially get a few space heaters for the garage. Maybe I could get a performer for the garage and hand out cupcakes to go.

Do kids actually like performers?

I think the garage idea would be fine, I just wonder if that's actually something the kids would prefer doing over playground/bonfire/s'mores.

My daughter is preschool aged. I think everyone is assuming she is in elementary aged.

Ok. My question still stands: do you think your preschooler would actually want a performer versus a playground? I know where my two preschoolers stand on that issue, and it certainly isn't sitting in a garage watching a singer/magician/clown/etc.

I would invite a few kids to a deorated garage. Mention masks on the invite. Play music, have active toys available. Send home a cupcake/brownie/lollipop. 1 hour.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. We have a fire pit in our backyard. We also have a large garage. Could potentially get a few space heaters for the garage. Maybe I could get a performer for the garage and hand out cupcakes to go.

Do kids actually like performers?

I think the garage idea would be fine, I just wonder if that's actually something the kids would prefer doing over playground/bonfire/s'mores.

My daughter is preschool aged. I think everyone is assuming she is in elementary aged.

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand everyone who says it’s too cold. I HATE being cold but I’m planning to suck it up this year because what other option do we have? Is everyone else planning to stay inside your house all winter? Genuine question.

Pretty much yes. I walked the dog yesterday in the 15 degree wind chill night interest in hanging outside when it’s that cold. I don’t have the right clothing.

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand everyone who says it’s too cold. I HATE being cold but I’m planning to suck it up this year because what other option do we have? Is everyone else planning to stay inside your house all winter? Genuine question.

Based on the posts I'm seeing on DCUM, and even interactions with some friends, I think the answer to this is generally "yes."

Though, I've also noticed a strong upsurge in the number of people making excuses for why it's ok for them to interact with their extended family, but that freak out at any reference to other social gatherings. So I think there will be a lot more small social/family gatherings than DCUM would like to admit. Probably by many of the same people freaking out in this thread.

Anonymous wrote:Op here. We have a fire pit in our backyard. We also have a large garage. Could potentially get a few space heaters for the garage. Maybe I could get a performer for the garage and hand out cupcakes to go.

Do kids actually like performers?

I think the garage idea would be fine, I just wonder if that's actually something the kids would prefer doing over playground/bonfire/s'mores.

I don’t understand everyone who says it’s too cold. I HATE being cold but I’m planning to suck it up this year because what other option do we have? Is everyone else planning to stay inside your house all winter? Genuine question.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. We have a fire pit in our backyard. We also have a large garage. Could potentially get a few space heaters for the garage. Maybe I could get a performer for the garage and hand out cupcakes to go.

No, no garage. No performer. Just stop

This. Just give it a rest! Kids don't need all this. Just seeing friends at all will be quite thrilling I'm sure. Maybe your kid would like to make some party favor bags.

Op here. We attended a stop by and pick up a cupcake party. Maybe we will do something similar. I can hand out hot chocolate and cupcakes.

No indoor party, a stop by with everyone outside distanced is ok. People inside NOT OKAY! My kids did not have real "parties" this year. None of their friends have had "real parties" this year. It just isn't happening and your child doesn't need it. One had nothing and the other, during summer, did a drive by/stop by on the front lawn wearing a mask thing. You can either do drive by, or invite 1-2 friends in garage with doors open and space heaters. I think outdoor playdates in masks are fine, but not with too many kids, and not inside at all. FWIW, my child who had no party said it was one of her best birthdays ever because we made it so special at home just our family- we decorated, had cake, opened presents zoomed with relatives, planned special fun family activities, etc. She ended up having a really nice, memorable day.

Anonymous wrote:I'm one of the PPs who would be fine with a small, masked, outdoor party. No eating.

Part of why you'll get no sympathy is that, as it's been almost a year, most of us have kids who didn't get birthday parties. You can celebrate at home, no guests. It's fine, I promise. My kid is young so we got a helium tank and a bunch of balloons -- and it made her day. Other friends got special food and a movie, or a bigger gift than usual. (Certainly many kids got nothing special and they were also fine.)

My 7 year old understands why we didn't have a party. If your kid is old enough to notice the party they are old enough to understand why this year is different.

Well I don’t think that last bit is true. A 3 or 4 year old is certainly old enough to notice the absence of a party if they had one last year but they aren’t old enough to understand why they can’t have one this year.

But I think the better point is that there are ways to do this with minimal risk that are still fun, and we’ve suggested them, and OP still keeps trying to make it riskier. Do it outside with masks. That’s very low risk. If it’s too risky for some parents, they won’t come. But it’s a perfectly reasonable party.