Q:
I have twins and we’ve always had one party for both girls. They now are 8 and have different friends and would like separate parties. I’d still like to have them combine their birthday parties – how can I make sure the girls and I are all happy?

A:
If your parties are traditionally held at home, there may have to be a compromise. You could opt for two back-to-back, two-hour parties scheduled to occur 15-20 minutes apart. Or, you could have two small slumber parties with groups of girls in separate rooms. Some of the crafts or activities could be done together, but the sleeping bag, popcorn-snacking, movie-watching portion could be held in separate rooms. The party rooms could even be decorated in different themes.

If the parties aren’t to be held at your home, consider having two parties at the same location. For instance, you could allow each daughter to invite three friends to dinner and a movie. Each group could sit at their own table for four and sit in separate groups in the theatre.