Family Forum is the new name of our previously named Moms Talk column. This is a new initiative on our Patch sites to reach out to local families.

Also, this new forum will allow you to reach out to your neighbors as well as we share comments and information with Sayville, Sachem, Bayport, Blue Point and Patchogue. We invite you and your circle of friends to help build a community of support for families.

Each week in Family Forum, our council of experts take your questions, give advice and share solutions. If you are interested in joining our council, email Denise@patch.com.

Moms, dads, grandparents and the diverse families who make up our community will have a new resource for questions about local neighborhood schools, the best pediatricians, 24-hour pharmacies and the thousands of other issues that arise while raising children.

Family Forum will also be the place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic. Do you know of local moms raising their children in the Tiger Mother's way and is it the best way? Where can we get information on local flu shot clinics for children? How do we talk to our children about the Tucson shootings? How can we help our children's schools weather their budget cutbacks?

So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today. Please tell us your opinion in the comments section below.

Today’s question: Best ideas for children's birthday parties

Debbie Bacon: I've celebrated with home birthday parties for years but realize I spent countless hours cleaning (then re-cleaning when the party was over), cooking, crafting (and I am SO not good at it), and catering to dozens of my child's friends, that I forgot to have a good time. I think we, as mothers, think we have to have a party at home to show our children we love them that much! Well, we don't. My kids have had great times at countless venues like Boomers, Pizza Network, the bowling alley, and the movies. The best part of a party outside the home, is that it's over when it's over. Goodbye and have a nice day.

Sharon Boyle: I love parties outside at farms, back yards, pools, etc. Parties at home are the best.

Donna Nolan: I have fun with Chinese auction or silent auction birthday parties. You go to dollar tree and buy as many prizes as you want. If you have 15 kids coming you might want to buy 30 items. Place the items on a table and tape brown bags in front of them hanging off the table. Then you have kids play party games to win raffle tickets. Of course everybody should win tickets, maybe the winner of the game gets 10 raffles while the others get 5. After all of the games have been played and all of the raffles are won, the kids put their raffle tickets in the bags to play for the prizes you bought at the dollar store. The birthday child would then pick the winning raffles out of the bags and the winning child would get that prize. I do admit that I cheat. If a kid hasn't won anything I tell the birthday child to just call out their name to win a prize. Some kids may go home with more prizes than others so I always have some small goody bag items around to make up the difference. I have never had a problem with this type of party and the kids always get excited when they or their friend wins! Their winnings are their goody bags too!

Donna Haakonson - We recently went to a birthday get together at Seriously Spoiled in Patchogue. It wasn't a formal birthday party but a spa get together with a 4 year old birthday girl and 4 of her friends/cousins. The girls got manicures, makeup and their hair done in up dos. They were given pink bathrobes to wear and drank lemonade from stem glasses. Everyone had a great time. It was adorable! I have 10-year-old students who have gone to Seriously Spoiled as well and have raved about it. So it definitely appeals to girls of all ages.