Real Children's Birthday Celebrations Carter Jay

Who is in your family?

Mum Jolene, Dad Lee, 3 boys eldest Ashton 11 who had a total lockdown party, Carter (birthday boy) has just turned 9, Sonny is 5 and Arlo the puppy who is the newest family member at 9 months.

What did you do to celebrate on your child’s birthday?

It was a home-schooling day and the other two boys were now back at school. We got up as a family early before school. He asked to stay in bed till 7am but came in excited at 6am. We all went downstairs and opened his presents from us. We then set up all his new stuff, he tried on his clothes and had loads of sweets before his birthday breakfast. The others went to school and Carter had most of the day off so we could spoil him, however, he did have a 1 hour zoom lesson with his class where he wore his birthday t-shirt and badge and the teacher organised it so the whole class sang happy birthday to him. In the afternoon he was having a tea party with three friends so that they could socially distance in the garden and when they were eating on the table.

The fun began with a game where they had to eat a chocolate muffin without using their hands off the plate which the boys found absolutely hilarious. It was followed with a massive water fight that included lots of water guns and water balloons. The boys had so much fun because they hadn’t seen each other for so long. They absolutely loved it. It was a joy to hear them laughing and giggling like boys at that age do. It went on longer than expected due to the fun. Things became a little awkward and more prolonged (with my schedule going right out the window at this point!!) as due to social distancing rules only one could come into the house at a time and use the bathroom to get changed. The others stood outside shivering waiting for their turn. The whole process took about half an hour in the end from start to finish that I had not allowed for…

Water fight!

Birthday tea was at about half 5. The boys had sandwiches, homemade sausage rolls, spicy chicken bites (Carter loves spicy food), cucumber and carrots sticks and mini sausages. They had a choice of a mocktail or fizzy drink and everyone of them went for the fizzy drink. Then we did the cake, I don’t usually make my own but this year I did and I was really pleased with my effort and so was Carter. It was a chocolate fudge cake decorated with chocolate fingers, fizzy laces and lolly pops. Yummy.

We don’t normally have a pinata but this year we did and the other boys were back from school so everyone joined in including the dog who was trying to steel the sweeties that had come out from it. I then wanted to play the game where you move the Maltesers with a straw from one bowl to another the fastest sucker wins haha. Unfortunately, major mum fail and due to a lapse of concentrated I forgot to buy the straws. I nearly remembered but they were so expensive in Morrisons I thought I would look elsewhere and then completely forgot about it. However, as we had pretty much ran out of time anyway it was time to walk to the park where we all went for a game of football in the park. The evening was amazing there were other children they knew there so it ended up being really lovely.  Carter had an amazing day and they all needed that social contact that they had clearly missed.

What kind of presents did you give them?

Carter got some trendy Nike trainers as his old ones were battered, a my ninth birthday in lockdown t-shirt to wear, bizarrely he had asked for a desk and wall paper for his bedroom so we had spent a couple of weeks previously preparing and sorting out his bedroom ready to accommodate for this. This was all done just before his big day. His room looks brilliant and he loves it.

Carter’s new bedroom

Do you have any birthday traditions?

The boys are not allowed to come downstairs until we come with them whereas on other days they can, we always put up banners and buntings and blow up balloons on their bedroom door and the front door. A birthday badge that they never wear or stays on for just two minutes. And of course, sweets before breakfast.