My 8-year-old DS got left in a movie theatre game room for two hours. I'm allowed to be upset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yesterday DS went to a classmates birthday party which consisted of dinner and a movie. I gave him $20 because I knew he'd spend no more than $8 at the pizza joint they ate at and the movie ticket wouldn't be more than $10. I wanted to give a little wiggle room but not enough for him to be anole to buy loads of candy and soda at either place.

Somewhere along the line he either lost about $10 or spent it (I say the later, he says the first.). He ended up being about $6 for the movie ticket. Now, if I were inviting a bunch of 8-year-olds to a birthday party and one was short or didn't have the cash is pay for the ticket. That's just me, maybe I'd ask the parent to reimburse me in the future but for something that's less than $10 probably not. However this woman chose to not pay for my sons ticket, and I can understand that I suppose. What I don't get is thinking it would be okay to leave my son and his four dollars in the movie theatre game area for two hours. What the hell lady? Who does that? You could have called and I'd either a) bring the money or b) pick him up. You were responsible for him and anything could have happened.

It will be a long time until I trust my child with another parents. I just don't know how someone could think that was a good decision.

What a lame ass birthday. Pay for your movie, pay for your dinner and pay for my present. What???? What this mother did was unacceptable, I can't imagine how angry I would have been at this and I know my son would have been super upset. Beyond unacceptable.

[Anonymous]

Wow- I cannot imagine. I would be pissed. OP, chalk this up to a bad experience with a horrible parent.

I do not know any parent who would behave this way.

[Anonymous]

Forward her this thread, ha.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, can you explain exactly how this went down? What your son said, what the parent said?

I dropped DS off at their home around 11 pm. The itinerary was dinner at a local pizza joint, movie at 1pm and then back home to do presents and cake. I picked DS up at 6pm. I asked him how the movie was and he said he didn't see it. I asked if they didn't end up going to the movies, he said no they went but he lost his money and didn't have enough for the ticket. So he stayed in the game room. I immediately stopped the car and start asking questions.

He told me he "may have lost the money" and that he didn't have enough to pay the ticket. So he decided to stay and play in the game room. I poked and prodded and got that she said she would call me, but he declined. He played games on the four dollars for about 15-30 minutes. He watched the trailers in the main lobby, I have no idea how he spent two hours. He swears he didn't ever leave the building but I doubt it.

I didn't want to go back and cause a scene, I was livid and DS was extremely upset. He thought I was upset at him.
I called the mom around 7:15 and the conversation was short. I asked her if what DS was true, she said it was and that she offered to call but DS said he'd rather just stay and play games. She told me her DH went and checked on DS twice and felt that was sufficient. [b] She said she was sorry I was so upset but that they were about to eat dinner and she hung up.

Which obviously pissed me off more.

The birthday boy had two parents present at the party, and neither one could front your kid a few bucks for the movie? What kind of people are they? Who does shit like this? This all sounds so tacky.

[Anonymous]

Thr other parent is crazy. This is the one time when I would give the other parent a damn good verbal thrashing.

[Anonymous]

What a strange birthday party. I always pay for everything when we host. Plus I would NEVER leave a child alone to play at the arcade.

I would write this family off your list.

[Anonymous]

OP, I would run her name through the MUD! I would tell every parent I could about this lunatic. I guarantee you they will not have to worry about anymore parties. I seriously doubt other parents will allow their kid within 20 feet of these crazy people and probably wont invite her kid to anything either. She will get the point eventually. We had a parent show some questionable parenting at my DD's school and believe me, none of the parents trust this family anymore with their kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I would run her name through the MUD! I would tell every parent I could about this lunatic. I guarantee you they will not have to worry about anymore parties. I seriously doubt other parents will allow their kid within 20 feet of these crazy people and probably wont invite her kid to anything either. She will get the point eventually. We had a parent show some questionable parenting at my DD's school and believe me, none of the parents trust this family anymore with their kids.

Agree with this! I would tell everyone. Not safe for them to send their kids to their home or to their parties (never mind the tackiness!).

[Anonymous]

I agree that you should tell the other parents. I would greatly appreciate it if I were them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How smart is OP for leaving her kid at bday party for 7 hours? Did you find this odd at all or did you know in advance and take advantage of this? Are these friends of yours? I might leave your DD on the side of the road after 7 hours.

I knew the party hours were from 11am to 6pm. It was originally suppose to be a sleepover from Saturday night to Sunday but due to Valentines it didn't work out.

This isn't the first time DS or my older kids have gone to an all day party.

Ignore the d-bag posters. While 7 hours is a little on the long side, at least for my tastes hosting a gaggle of 8 year olds, its not that long considering the movie will eat up 2+ hours itself.

I'm not understanding the problem with a 7 hour party. My kid has been invited to several parties that were whole day events.

[Anonymous]

So much wrong with this story.
Poor parent choices.

And, even for 8 kids, that is $20 max * 8 = $160.

If that is too much to spend as a birthday host, have the party at your home. Get a $5 on-demand movie, make popcorn, pizza, and serve cake.

OP, please alert other classmates' parents. I too would want to know.

[Anonymous]

That is horrible and unbelievably negligent. I'm sorry for your son, OP. I would light her up too and would also share this story with the other moms so they know what level of (non) supervision they can expect from this woman on playdates. SMH

[Anonymous]

Well, I suppose telling the parent that you put your son in their care because you assumed he would be appropriately supervised, and being left in an arcade for 2 hours is not "appropriately supervised."

Then call the theater and tell them that they need to beef up their monitoring system, too. Your son was left alone in the arcade for two hours without adult supervision. They should've noticed. No need to press charges or anything, but you know... they are a business. They need to be looking out for stuff like this, too.

[Anonymous]

It seems like I am the least helicopter parent around these days but I would have gone APE-SHIT if this happened to my kid.

So sorry OP - no words. Just shock

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Forward her this thread, ha.

For real!!!