Parents with children celebrating birthdays during self-isolation are getting inventive.
There can be no big parties or visits to their favourite places.
Maybe not even a kiss and a hug with their grandparents during the coronavirus crisis.
Gordon mum Misty Cook was facing just that dilemma as her son Noah turned eight on Thursday.
Last weekend was meant to be a party with friends at Inflatable World but Mrs Cook thought it safer to cancel.
Then, this weekend, the family was planning to travel to Manly to watch the Sea-Eagles play as Noah is a massive Manly fan.
That obviously couldn't happen with the NRL season cancelled and all non-essential travel interstate being discouraged.
And with students encouraged to stay home this week, Noah couldn't even see his mates in year three at St Clare of Assisi Primary School at Conder.
One of Mrs Cook's friends, Jess Wells, had seen other families celebrating birthdays during the coronavirus pandemic by putting a sign outside their home, asking motorists to honk in celebration.
Mrs Cook quickly made up a sign, threw some balloons on it, placed it outside their home in Knoke Avenue and waited to see what happened.
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After her friend posted the sign on social media, the community responded.
"Noah was overwhelmed," Mrs Cook said.
"He was dancing out the front, waving to all the people." Little brother Spencer, also joined in the social-distanced celebrations.
Noah was thrilled.
"When I put him to bed that night he said, 'This has been the best birthday ever' and that was definitely not what I'd been expecting," Mrs Cook said.
"It was wonderful because as adults we find it hard to understand what is going on, imagine what it's like for a young kid trying to understand how their whole world has changed."
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