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Make your child’s birthday memorable amid coronavirus pandemic

By Ijeoma Thomas-Odia
16 May 2020   |   2:32 am
As the world continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic and as we adhere to social distancing and personal hygiene, celebrating your child’s milestone amidst it all can be a bit dicey, but then, there a couple of ways to still make it memorable without the regular parties

As the world continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic and as we adhere to social distancing and personal hygiene, celebrating your child’s milestone amidst it all can be a bit dicey, but then, there a couple of ways to still make it memorable without the regular parties, says the founder of Fabmum.ng, Jayne Augoye.

Here are a few activities to make the day special:
Photoshoots: Are you great at taking photos with your phones? Can you make DIY party props or photo backgrounds? If you can, now is the time to put your skills to the test by setting up a mini photo studio set and take lovely photos of your kids this period. If this is your baby’s first birthday, then it’s time to take beautiful photographs for keepsakes.

Cake: What’s a birthday without a cake? Thankfully, bakers are still open for business this Coronavirus period, so take advantage of this to book early and ahead to avoid last-minute rush and disappointments.

Cook a special meal or your child’s favourite meal with a twist: I do know that times are hard and not many can afford to bake a cake or even afford to order one. If this applies to you, there’s no need to feel sad or gloomy because things will always change for the better. So, whatever meal you choose to make, do make it super special.

Have your child’s (school) friends send video messages: To achieve this, you can liaise with your child’s teacher to send you the phone numbers of your child’s classmates’ parents or just the phone numbers of the parents of your child’s school besties. Put a call across to them and then politely ask them to have their child (your child’s friends) send a video birthday message via Whatsapp. Your child’s teacher or school head can do the same, too.
Movie and Pizza night: This is also a great idea. Do you know your child’s favourite movies or cartoons? If you do, you can have the family lounge in the living room in the evening while enjoying popcorn, snacks, pizza, and drinks and just have a nice time. You can also order the pizza box at a time like this and just have a great time right in your living room.

Zoom: Here in Nigeria, Zoom video conferencing app is largely used for training and webinars, however, not many people know that it can also be used for teleconferencing and hosting virtual parties with family and friends at a time like this. If you can go the extra mile, you can host a Zooming birthday party with all your child’s classmates who can join in on Zoom. It is a super cute idea and if you did bake or order a cake, you can have your child blow out the candles in the cake or cut it while the Zooming birthday party is in progress.

Decorate the house: It is best to decorate when your child is asleep to make the surprise extra special. You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to do this. Let your child wake up to surprising decor in the living room or their room.

Look at their baby photos together: Another inexpensive way to make your child’s birthday memorable amid this lockdown is to sit down together as a family and scroll through photos of holidays, birthdays, goofy photos, baby photographs and fun times you have shared as a family since your child was born. Another suggestion is to write a sweet note and place it under your child’s pillow or anywhere he or she can pick up and read.

Augoye added that as the Coronavirus pandemic bites harder, parents are being encouraged to find creative alternatives to ensure their children have a special birthday celebration at a time like this. Remember, to also factor your child’s age when settling for any of these tips.

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