Children’s birthday parties have come a long way since I was a kid.
Neither inundated by media nor scheduled into endless activities, we were thrilled by friends visiting for Pin the Tail on the Donkey, a game of Duck Duck Goose, streamer decorations, and a cake from the family oven.
Not only would this be considered lame today, but in addition to the dizzying list of venue-specific pint-sized party themes on offer, it is easy for a grandparent to get called out while participating, even when playing along.
We were celebrating the auspicious achievement of age 5 recently, and the birthday girl requested that we dine out. I brought our own kids to this particular establishment when they were little, so although the service was well-beneath expectations, we were fortunate to be sequestered in our own room.
As we were waiting—and waiting—for the arrival of ice cream, a simplified game of charades ensued. We only had to pose as the word we were trying to evoke from the crowd.
The oldest child coaxed this from us at long last, but then I volunteered.
And this was my mistake.
The noun that popped into my mind was camera, and so I stood there, clicking away in the air, while the multiage audience drew a total blank.
Finally, my daughter opined that this was a generational thing. Of course, “no one” used cameras anymore, because pictures were taken only by phones.
Inwardly, I cringed, but I also thought this was wrong.
Two days later, I attended a college club event, where a woman much my junior appeared with a Canon camera on a strap to document the meeting for our website. And I felt redeemed!
Staying current can be exhausting, but being out of step is also depressing.
The true charade, however, is thinking that things that have stood the test of time should be discarded.
With this bit of wisdom, I stand my ground. ©
