“We had to cancel our son’s Sweet Sixteen party. What can we do to make sure he still has a fun birthday at home?”

Teens and their families are having to miss out on major milestones because of COVID-19: prom, graduation, and birthday parties, to name a few. And while our kids are handling the situation with understanding, as parents we still want to celebrate these important moments, even if it’s on a smaller scale than planned. This week’s Tips On Teens question comes from a parent looking for advice on how to make sure their son enjoys his sweet sixteen, despite the lack of a party:

“My son’s 16th birthday is coming up. Originally we had a huge party planned with all his friends invited, but that had to be canceled. He says it’s fine but my wife and I think he’s putting on a brave face so as not to make us worry/sad. We know he was really looking forward to it. We’re planning on having a small celebration with just the three of us instead, but I’m afraid he’ll only see what is missing. Any advice on how to make the day fun for him?”