Whats the best age to start throwing a birthday party?
A. Honestly? Around 4 or 5. By then, a child has friends, a distinct taste in toys, and some experience with cake and ice cream. Of course, few of us can hold out this long. So if you must have a party for your 1-year-old, go ahead. Just make sure there are lots of grown-up food and drinks, and don’t expect the birthday baby to be very interested. (He’s also likely to get grumpy with so many people clamoring around him.) Brigid Galloway of Grantville, Georgia, couldn’t resist throwing a huge bash when her son, Jack, turned 1. Some 50 friends and family came, but it was too much for Jack, who cried through the puppet show and wouldn’t touch his cake. “Everyone had a great time — except for Jack!” says Galloway. She learned the hard way that for a more pleasant celebration, it’s smart to keep the attention off your baby and work around his nap and feeding schedules. For her daughter Lulu’s first birthday, Julia Regalado of Berkeley, California, decided on a picnic in a local park for 12
