I’d vowed never to have a party at Melody Lanes. The "You can’t hear yourself think" noise level gives me a headache just thinking about it. But my daughter wanted a bowling party and a bowling party it was. Besides, it’s better than having a party at home. Not to knock at-home birthday parties: they’re usually the most creative and memorable. Great for the kids but the parents need a keg of Margaritas afterwards.

Today’s group of eight-year-olds – six girls and one boy – were fun and fairly easy to manage. A volatile mix of personalites: yes. But a great bunch. They all knew how to bowl and for the most part they really seemed to enjoy themselves.

I have learned from 14 years of birthday parties that the birthday child can be expected to have a melt-down sometime during the party. This can be exasperating for parents – you’re going out of your way to give the kid a great day and they come undone.

Think about it: the prolonged anticpation and excitement is bound to exhaust a kid both mentally and physically. True to form, my daughter did have a few moments of sulkiness – the other kids weren’t paying attention to her, someone was being  mean, you know the drill. But it passed and she did manage to have a good time.

It was a great partry, even if it was at that noisy place, and a great way to celebrate eight years in the life of our girl.