Children's Party - Rant!

honeypop

LilElvis wrote: »

Yes, it shows shocking bad manners from the other parents, but 6 til 8 is very late for a party for 4 year olds. The idea of getting hyped-up kids home after their bedtime may well have put some of them off.

I agree with this, a kids party at 6-8pm is quite late for 4 year olds, weekend or not.

I know some of them had said they would come, but depending on how the day had gone, I probably would have re-assessed the situation nearer the time and probably dropped out too if I didn't think my kids were up to staying up later than usual along with the party-style stimulation, especially if they'd not been that great during the day.

janninew

honeypop wrote: »

I agree with this, a kids party at 6-8pm is quite late for 4 year olds, weekend or not.

I know some of them had said they would come, but depending on how the day had gone, I probably would have re-assessed the situation nearer the time and probably dropped out too if I didn't think my kids were up to staying up later than usual along with the party-style stimulation, especially if they'd not been that great during the day.

Unless my kids were ill I'd never reassess and not even tell parents who had gone to the trouble of inviting my child. Just bad manners, if I say I'm going I go (except for illness or emergencies obviously).

supersaver2

Thanks for the replies. I did umm and ahh over the time but as it was a Halloween party I did think evening was more appropriate and we live in a small village so very little travel time. Plus holidays have just started and I honestly didn't think it was to late for 4/5 year olds to be up!

Anyway lesson learnt, I simply can't excuse their bad manners.

AylesburyDuck

supersaver2 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. I did umm and ahh over the time but as it was a Halloween party I did think evening was more appropriate and we live in a small village so very little travel time. Plus holidays have just started and I honestly didn't think it was to late for 4/5 year olds to be up!

Anyway lesson learnt, I simply can't excuse their bad manners.

Its not too late on special occasions, and given that Halloween is once a year its just people being precious if you ask me.

honeypop

janninew wrote: »

Unless my kids were ill I'd never reassess and not even tell parents who had gone to the trouble of inviting my child. Just bad manners, if I say I'm going I go (except for illness or emergencies obviously).

You're right, not telling the party host IS bad manners. Having a change of circumstances on the day and deciding it's better not to go, isn't.

I would definitely inform them we wouldn't be coming, but if for any reason it wasn't a good idea to take them somewhere like that after a particularly difficult day for example, then I wouldn't take them. No-one wants my overtired cranky kids spoiling the party if it's 2 hours past their usual bedtime and already been a long or difficult day.

Maybe the kids had been up a lot in the night before, not been able to nap, and are too tired to take to a late party, for example. Maybe the parents acknowledged it was late for kids, but thought their child would be ok with it, and as the time got nearer they realised actually keeping them up another few hours isn't going to work. Plenty of reasons to re-assess.

lippy1923

Plenty of reasons for them not to turn up, but not bothering to pick up the phone is just selfish and rude. No reason for that at all.


OP, tell that parent asking you to look after her kid, that you would love to, but you are too busy cleaning up after the party she failed to attend. O and let her know you are glad her phone is working again, after it appeared to be broken the day of the party. Think she might get the message

AlisonHarrison

Its a disgrace really. I think, as someone else said, just another step towards parents who think that the world revolves around their children and I am grateful that mine are now past that stage.
It was bad when mine were younger, but it seems to be getting worse.
I recall my daughter was invited to a party by a girl in another class. The girl had invited the whole class, but she was quite unpopular. But, only my daughter and two other girls actually attended the party. None of them wanted to go but because we were all friendly with the mother of the girl, we insisted. They all said that they were "made" to go to the party.
However, they are now, 15 years later pleased that they went, just to show support. I still find it shocking that non of the girls went. I believe that most of them said that they were going. Quite, quite shocking.

Hermia

lippy1923 wrote: »

Plenty of reasons for them not to turn up, but not bothering to pick up the phone is just selfish and rude. No reason for that at all.

Exactly. If ever I have to cancel something I do it as soon as I think about it in the hope it minimalises the inconvenience.

Could these parents not have assessed how their kids were halfway through the day and then phoned? Did it not occur to them that maybe the parents would have then been able to invite another child or at least have frozen the food or something like that? I suspect they wouldn't have been pleased if the same thing have happened to them!

ognum

I think everyone who says that the parents of the absent children are rude is right.

However, I think the time of the party was wrong and maybe some parents thought their 4 year olds would be fine at 6pm when in fact by 6 they were really in need of their beds and not fit to be taken to a party. Many four year old I know are charming at 4pm but by 6pm they are past it, need a bath a story and then bed.

I hope I would have been a parent that would phone and apologise but many parents will be tied up in the hectic bedtime ritual.

OP, don't become bitter, it's part of life's learning. Next party invite just a few children, make it earlier and make contact with the parents the day before the party to check they are still coming. Don't deprive your child of another party just because of one failure.

AlisonHarrison

ognum wrote: »

OP, don't become bitter, it's part of life's learning. Next party invite just a few children, make it earlier and make contact with the parents the day before the party to check they are still coming. Don't deprive your child of another party just because of one failure.

I would totally agree with this. Just because the parents are ignorant, don't make your lovely daughter suffer. Grit your teeth. Phone them the day beforehand, and make sure that that they turn up. Your daughter wants the party, don't make these horrible parents spoil it for her.