Paying to attend a child's birthday party.

fabforty

Is this the latest craze or the norm?

My oldest child is only 2.5 years old, so the whole 'children's birthday party etiquette is new to me; however my son has been invited to two birthday parties in recent weeks and both require payment of sorts. One is a 'tumble tots' type of thing for which guests have to stump up £15 each child to attend - more if you want your child to eat. The second is being held in a hall, but the parents have hired face-painters, balloon artists etc. and have asked for £6.00 to cover the costs incurred.

This can't be the norm now surely?

My first thought was 'damn cheek', but as it is now common place for people to pay to attend weddings and the like, perhaps this is not unusual and I am just way out of touch .

notanewuser

Damn cheek sounds about right to me.

My DD isn't 3 yet and there's no way I'd be paying for her to attend either of the parties you've described.

balletshoes

No, its not the norm - in either of those 2 scenarios.

I think the parents of the birthday child have got a flippin cheek inviting your child but only if you pay, to be honest.

Lagoon

I agree that it's cheeky, but at the same time you don't have to go.

People not showing up to their child's party will quickly make them decide not to be so cheeky in future.

cutestkids

Never heard of having to pay to go to a kids Birthday party, I think if I were you I would be declining both the invites.

elsien

They want £15 for a party, then extra on top to feed their guests? :rotfl:

Wonder if there's a sliding payment scale upwards depending on how many people decline their kind offer.
Or if it just ends up with them, their kid and a very expensive empty room.

GoldenShadow

I don't have kids, but that sounds mental! So not only do you buy a nice little present, but you have to fork out to go too. I thought it was a present for a place at the party type etiquette, that's how it worked when I had my birthday parties at the soft play area (about 15 years ago, lol!).

I refused to go to my proms because it was loads of money for a rubbish night with a lot of people I never wanted to see again. If I ever have children I am really going to have to fight to not make them as socially reclusive as I am (even if its due to being a tight wad!)

Pont

The best parties my kids had, or went to, were the egg sandwiches, jelly and ice cream, traditional games (musical chairs etc) sort held in back gardens. I certainly would not have paid for my girls to attend birthday parties - neither would I have had the gall to 'charge' kids to attend theirs.

Good grief!

notanewuser

GoldenShadow wrote: »

I don't have kids, but that sounds mental! So not only do you buy a nice little present, but you have to fork out to go too. I thought it was a present for a place at the party type etiquette, that's how it worked when I had my birthday parties at the soft play area (about 15 years ago, lol!).

My DD has been invited to 3 or 4 parties in the past few weeks - children she's at nusery with. They've all been leisure centre type parties with party food and a piece of cake to take home. We take a book or jigsaw for the birthday child and everybody is happy.

keigcf

Have never heard of it around here (Mid Wales):)

mandragora_2

Oh dear. I agree with Pont - a pile of sandwiches, some iced rings, a play in the garden, and a bit of cake to take home. On a good day, I might even stretch to a glass of wine for any mums and dads who stayed (many did we live in the sticks). They always left happy. Kids, I mean. Parents definitely NEVER left merry!