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It drives me nuts that parents stay at kids birthday parties. I understand for a 4yr old but my daughter is 7 and all the parents still are sticking around. It's silly, if your child can't behave themselves at a party by 7yrs old then they probably shouldn't be going.
Sorry a little off topic...pet peeve of mine.
It's not about the child not being able to behave herself, it's about the party being held at a crowded public place. If I wouldn't send my child there alone, then she's not going to be going there with a couple of parents who are trying to watch twenty kids at once.
I'm the opposite of you though...when I have a party, I have enough for everyone and I would prefer that the parents stay and enjoy themselves...or at least stay and keep their children from running wild.
My DD's 7th birthday party is tomorrow. I have been worrying about the same issue. This is the first party that I am having for her outside of my house, and it goes from 12:30 - 3:00 (skating party). I am planning on feeding the adults that were invited (family), but not the parents that just stay with the kids. I have noticed an annoying thing about my area. The parents don't leave a party. Thay all stay. Both parents for each kid. This is for kids of all ages. It has happened at all of DD's friends parties and at the 12 - 13 year old parties I have gone to. I even saw it at a 16th birthday party.
I told all of the parents that they can just drop off the kids and go run errands or just enjoy the day since it is such a long party. . I am hoping that they will take the hint and leave. If not, I guess I may have to buy a couple of extra pizzas while I am there.
I was quoting this to tell you that you don't have to feed the adults, but if there are other adults there, you may have to actually. It would be weird to have your family digging in and have the parents standing around.
If the host parent tells me I can leave, I leave. If they say I'm welcome to stay, they probably plan to feed me. I guess I let them take the lead.
IF it is not a financial burden on you, sure! We did or didn't invite the parents. Of course, any parent was welcome to attend, anyway so that they didn't leave their child alone when for any reson whatsover they preferred not to do so.
It drives me nuts that parents stay at kids birthday parties. I understand for a 4yr old but my daughter is 7 and all the parents still are sticking around. It's silly, if your child can't behave themselves at a party by 7yrs old then they probably shouldn't be going.
Sorry a little off topic...pet peeve of mine.
For me it wasn't that I didn't think my kids could behave at that age. I just didn't feel it was safe to leave a 6 or 7 year old at a McDonalds or skating rink with 20 other kids with just one set of parents to watch all the kids. So I stayed. Sorry it really bothered you that much. Now that they are 12, 15, 17 I don't stay for parties no matter where they are held.
I was quoting this to tell you that you don't have to feed the adults, but if there are other adults there, you may have to actually. It would be weird to have your family digging in and have the parents standing around.
If the host parent tells me I can leave, I leave. If they say I'm welcome to stay, they probably plan to feed me. I guess I let them take the lead.
Yeah. I was planning on ordering more if the parents decided to stay. I just really don't want to have to. It's really frustrating having to feed a family of 5, when only one of them was invited.
For me it wasn't that I didn't think my kids could behave at that age. I just didn't feel it was safe to leave a 6 or 7 year old at a McDonalds or skating rink with 20 other kids with just one set of parents to watch all the kids. So I stayed. Sorry it really bothered you that much. Now that they are 12, 15, 17 I don't stay for parties no matter where they are held.
I guess I wouldn't have a birthday party where I didn't feel like I was capable of watching all of the kids with my husband and maybe a friend. My peeve is that you wind up having to entertain a group of adults you don't know, feed them and try to run a party all at the same time. I guess I'm not very paranoid about stranger danger either but if I didn't feel like it was a safe place I wouldn't leave my kid there. But that isn't usually the case.
For example, my daughter went to a Halloween party a few weeks ago in a rented room at a country club, no other parties or anyone there. There were about 14-15 kids. I dropped off my daughter and when I came back to pick her up there were like 10 mothers sitting around eating candy and drinking coffee while the poor party host tried to organize games while keeping the adults happy at the same time. I have no idea why they all stuck around, definitely not a safety reason.
If you mentioned parents can run an errand, then I think it's understood they aren't expected to stay or be fed. I stayed at the first couple of Bday parties and never felt un welcomed, but I never expected to be fed unless told there would be food for parents, and I never assumed siblings were welcomed unless told.
In fact, it amazed me that so many parents dropped off their little kids 5&6 years old and didn't even appear concerned about knowing the parents in charge or leaving a cell phone number in case of emergency. After watching this at several other parties, I decided to have a sign up sheet for the parents to leave contact info. I barely knew the kids, much less what adult they belonged to.
I'm sure the parents will stay. The kids range from 4-7 and the location is 2 stories with game and play areas on both floors.
I have been to that one. It is a great McDonalds. I ate off of their bistro menu and it was great. They play area is HUGE. I am sure they will all have fun. It wasn't like any McDonalds I have every seen.
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. I am hoping that they will take the hint and leave. If not, I guess I may have to buy a couple of extra pizzas while I am there.
