Can the Birthday Kid be a little late to his party?

[Anonymous]

We scheduled an out of the house birthday party for the older son for the first time this year. Party starts at 5, but birthday family and guests are supposed to be there at 4:40 to sign the waiver. Just found out younger son has an event 30 minutes away that ends at 4:30 (whole family should be at younger son's event). I can get my sibling to go to to the party place and look for guests and do whatever the parents do at these things, but birthday boy won't get there until about 5 or 5:10 (assuming we get out of younger son's thing quickly, traffic is normal, etc.). What do you think? Is that rude to the guests? Cutting it too close?

[Anonymous]

Cutting it way too close. Particularly with the other thing being 30 minutes away.

[Anonymous]

Rude. Get your sibling to bring the birthday boy. You and the younger one can show up a bit later then.

[Anonymous]

Cutting it too close, and that's without the possibility of traffic, delays, etc. The birthday kid should be there to greet guests.

[Anonymous]

No, the birthday kid is the host and should be there to welcome his guests. Anything else is weird and rude.

[Anonymous]

+1 to rude. Don't do it.

[Anonymous]

You over scheduled.

[Anonymous]

I would be pissed and baffled.

[Anonymous]

So rude! The birthday child needs to be there to welcome his guests! Even not having you there is bordering on rude, but a definite no go for the birthday boy himself to be late. Call the place and see if you can get a later start time or find a different solution. I can't believe this was even asked.

[Anonymous]

Unless your younger son is being knighted, split the parents up.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, arriving late IF everything goes well with your travels... possibly VERY late if you hit traffic, etc. Don't do it, OP, rude as hell. The birthday boy needs to arrive at his own party BEFORE any guests do.

[Anonymous]

No

[Anonymous]

rude and weird.

[Anonymous]

OK, thanks.

Do you think it would be alright if older son is there with his aunt and DH and I show up with younger son right on time or a few minutes late? No, younger son is not being knighted but it's his very first "thing" and he's got an individual part, so he is excited and wants both parents to be there and we both want to be there too. I think older son wants to see younger son, too, but he'd rather go to his birthday party if he had a choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We scheduled an out of the house birthday party for the older son for the first time this year. Party starts at 5, but birthday family and guests are supposed to be there at 4:40 to sign the waiver. Just found out younger son has an event 30 minutes away that ends at 4:30 (whole family should be at younger son's event). I can get my sibling to go to to the party place and look for guests and do whatever the parents do at these things, but birthday boy won't get there until about 5 or 5:10 (assuming we get out of younger son's thing quickly, traffic is normal, etc.). What do you think? Is that rude to the guests? Cutting it too close?

Nope. Birthday kid and dad or mom should leave younger son's event at 4 to make sure the birthday boy is there to greet his guests. If you don't want to do that, you should see if you can reschedule the party to another day. It is crazy to schedule an event and plan to not be there to greet guests for 20-30 minutes or more.