On the spur-of-the-moment, I promised my fourth-grader and my six-year-old daughters that they could have a Halloween party at our house. The fourth-grader is OK (she's inviting four friends), but I'm having problems with the six-year-old's guest list. She wants to invite three friends. One six-year-old boy says he can't come unless I invite his older sister. One five-year-old says she won't come unless I invite her little brother. The other five-year-old has two younger siblings, and I haven't heard from her yet. To tell the truth, I'm not very good friends with any of their mothers, and I don't want to have to entertain whole families. But my daughter is really looking forward to it.
I can't have that many kids in the house at one time. Do I suck it up and have a different pre-school party on another date? Or do I disappoint my daughter, and just say no to all the madness?
2006-10-23 19:55:12 · 7 answers · asked by Madame M 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
(-: BTW, I am normally a mean strict mommy. But I really love Halloween, and I think this is a great chance for the kids to strengthen their friendships with the other kids. Might be a great chance for me to strengthen my friendships, too, but I'm kind of curmudgeonly in my old age.
2006-10-23 20:15:02 · update #1
call the six year olds guest list parents. find out if is possible to only have the invited guest come and just tell them because you dont have the extra room for uninvited guests (politely) and that your older child is having four solo guests on the same day. also say you are just calling to clarify who is coming and who is not. it is a fair thing to do, i doubt any parent will take offense to a call like that.
2006-10-23 20:00:46 · answer #1 · answered by Jessy 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
No to all the madness. I wonder why the kids have to bring someone else. Do their Mom and Dad need a free babysitter, so the parents can go howl? I suspect that is the case. Or maybe it is a safety issue, with the one who wants the older sister. There are weird people in this world, and we do have to protect our kids.
Several solutions, but the first one is the best. Call the parents, and be honest, you can not babysit for the 4-5 extra kids. Let them say, OK, then my kid can't come. That way, you are not the bad guy to your daughter, the other parent is. And your answer to the parent is, I'm so sorry, then I will go to the next name on the invitation list, my daughter will be so disappointed that Bobby can not come! That way, you do not get any last minute, oh, I changed my mind, Bobby can come alone calls.
Or you can cancel. Call the parents, tell them you are sorry, but due the size of the house, and/or the number of parents in attendance, you can only have 7 guests, and the list has snowballed into 11+, due to the I can't come without my brother problem.
Have your daughter pick other friends after everyone says no. And be clear about the rules in the invitation. Bobby only, not his big sister, their 2nd cousin, and their three neighbor kids.
LOL, I have never heard of such a thing. People are so rude! Or so ready to take advantage, or both!
Good luck, and Happy Halloween to you and yours!
And PS there are lots of stuff around here for kids to do, even little ones. Find something in your community, if the party falls through, and use it as a bribe to make your daughter forget about the party.
2006-10-24 03:18:07 · answer #2 · answered by riversconfluence 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I agree that I would talk to the parents and just explain that you really don't have the resources to take the invited child and the siblings. If it is that big of an issue then that particular child just won't be there, your child will still have a blast even if only one of her friends shows up. It is rather rude of the parents to expect you to take all the kids for the evening. But it sounds like it is the kids with this demand not the parents. As for one person's comment of You are the Parent and should therefor do what is best for YOU, I would have to disagree. As a parent you should do what is best for your child.
2006-10-24 20:21:52 · answer #3 · answered by pinkyduh1377 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What you do is act like a PARENT and do what is best for YOU! Who is the parent here, you or the kids? Rhetorical. Sounds like the kids run your home and you are afraid they won't like you. I have a flash for you. They won't much of the time, but they will respect you and come to realize you are a wise parent. And remember, youa re asking a BUNCH OF TEENAGERS for the most part! Look at some of the answers! Many are gibberish!
2006-10-24 03:04:00 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
LOOSEN UP its just a party! everyone will look like aliens anyway! .... just have fun and let your kids invite who they want....if that means grandma too then so be it!
2006-10-24 02:56:26 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
My solution for you is to just forget about all the bad parts
2006-10-24 02:56:48 · answer #6 · answered by Einsteininium 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
will will will
i tell u man
if you want some ggod happy meberaries try your luck be sfe and why u dont want t meet me just kidding LOl
2006-10-24 03:00:14 · answer #7 · answered by J33317 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋