B – Day – “A Day that will Live in Infamy”

No, I am not talking about World War II, I am talking about David’s Birthday Party. First, let me say that I was thrilled there were going to be 12 kids at the party. It is hard to get everyone’s schedule together when everyone is so busy. That in itself was a feat. Then I reserved our favorite spot, a place in the Mall called Tumble Town with rubber walls and padded floors. What more could 12 3 to 6 year olds want. So imagine my surprise when I show up with cake and decorations in tow and my small entourage to find the party venue closed, permanently. Did I say it was 15 minutes before the party? What is a mother to do? What else, get on the cell phone and do some problem solving. With the support of my family and other resourceful parents, I was able to pull of a terrific party at Chuck E. Cheese. When all was said and done, the party went beautifully, the kids had a great time, all the parents were supportive and helpful to make this a great event and no children were lost in the shuffle. In addition, an added feature was that I ended up saving money on the deal.

So what has the Streetsmart Mom learned? Well, I must admit I am still reeling from this experience, but I believe I have learned a few things.

• I have great friends and family who supported me and helped me stay calm under what could have been an extremely stressful situation.
• People are willing to help when you ask.
• I have the capacity to regroup and problem solve.
• I am already working on the follow-up for the place, which does not exist any more. Why? Because I need to understand how this happened so this will not happen to someone else.

The best part is the kids had a great day and that’s all that matters.