For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for March 31, 2023

a party to remember

If you are having it for three hours, better draft your adult friends. You will need it.

At 3 years old, the attention span is probably 5 minutes. Plan lots of diversions.

Our rule was you could invite as many kids as how old you are. When the celebrated their fourth birthday they had four friends. At sixteen, we had a handful!

My last birthday party was when I was in 4th grade, LBJ was still in office then.

Sign Elizabeth up to help with Sunday School and/or summer Vacation Bible School/local day camp. No better way to learn the care of small children with short attention spans en masse for hours.

I remember the party I set up for my younger daughter’s 10th birthday. She wanted a ‘60s theme so I created a playlist with all of her favorite ’60s songs, planned some games, had an Elvis cake made, and blew up a whole bunch of balloons. The kids spent most of the time (when they weren’t eating cake) playing with the balloons! The general consensus was that it was the best party ever. LOL

I had only one birthday party in my life, and two kids got food poisoning from my mom’s lousy cooking. I have an iron stomach from eating her lousy cooking all my life. BUT, she DID spend more time with us than keeping the house decluttered. We were her priority.

Just get the Godfather movie, It will run for the whole 3 hours and all the kids will be to afraid to run around and destroy the house

Good thinking Elle, They are three year olds after all. Can’t have too many activities to keep three year olds occupied.

Elly knows toddlers well.

Who’ll be the first kid to stick t heir hands deep into the cake?

Overthinking much?

That includes nap time

Videos. Wow. THAT really dates today’s strip.

Elly is able to read with her eyes closed, as shown in the first panel. With such amazing talent why is she worried about planning a kid’s party?

With eight three-year-old kids coming, you can never have too much to do. Better to not be able to get it all in than to let kids this age get bored, because then they will entertain themselves. Elly is a wise parent.

I was in my freshman year of college when JFK was assassinated. I remember that classes were cancelled, so we were able to leave early for the Thanksgiving holiday. I have a memory of a memory (thanks, phoenix) of hanging out in the dorms, feeling stunned by the news.

She’s right; it’s astonishing how fast little ones can burn through activities.