Is it rude if I don’t want my kid to go to a birthday party at 6PM?!

[Anonymous]

My husbands sister is having her kids birthday tonight at 6PM at a ball pit/play gym park. The party starts at 6PM and dinner is at 7.

Her daughter is turning 4. My son is 3. 7pm is bathtime for us and he’s in bed by 8. It feels like a late birthday party and I really don’t want him wound up on cake and ice cream at 8pm at night. I really want to make up an excuse but my husband is adamant about it that he has to go and is expected to be there, I’m a little annoyed that my husband is being so pushy about it and that the party is scheduled so late on a weekday.

[Anonymous]

It's one night. Feed him beforehand and don't stay for dinner if it's such a big deal, but FFS. It is one night, it's his cousin, and yeah you can suck up being annoyed for one night.

[Anonymous]

Compromise. Your son will survive one day without a full bath. Feed him before the party, let him play the first hour, and then go home and put him to bed when the other guests are eating dinner.

[Anonymous]

Its one night. I can't imagine going through life being this rigid and uptight

[Anonymous]

Could you feed your DS dinner beforehand and go to the first half of the party only?

[Anonymous]

You need to relax lady

[Anonymous]

It’s one night so just roll with it. I used to do a late bedtime for my kids at this age one night a week (pretty much the exact same hours you posted!) and it didn’t mess up their routines. We did this for 7 months in a row and the one odd night was fine.

I do agree that the party time isn’t ideal, but maybe that’s the only time they could work out the logistics. Give them the benefit of the doubt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's one night. Feed him beforehand and don't stay for dinner if it's such a big deal, but FFS. It is one night, it's his cousin, and yeah you can suck up being annoyed for one night.

+1 We are pretty strict about bedtime but would flex for family for one night.

[Anonymous]

It's one night, geez. Tell DS he's in charge of kid.

[Anonymous]

You sound miserable to be married to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Its one night. I can't imagine going through life being this rigid and uptight

No need to name call (?!). For one of my kids, going to this party at age 3 would take a week to recover from (not me, the kid). We don't know OP's kid so we don't know the issues.

[Anonymous]

Its one night and a cousin so i wpuld go. also make DH do the bedtime routine. So next time he can push back with his sister on setting a more reasonable party time for little guests.

[Anonymous]

It's truly one night. It's fine. If you don't want to go, have your husband take your child. Treat it like "me time." He is then in charge of dinner beforehand (or during) and bedtime. But I promise, it's fine!

[Anonymous]

I would go because it's your SIL. I don't see the issue. Sometimes we go to the playgrounds with a picnic dinner when the weather is extra lovely and we stay until 7pm. Kind of the same thing. My kids like to mix it up sometimes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Its one night. I can't imagine going through life being this rigid and uptight

I take the opposite view: it's a preschool birthday party. Literally zero impact to skipping it, while sleep routines are important. And an exhausted toddler is not going to have a good time.

OP, your husband can go say hi, socialize, and bring a gift if that will smooth things over. But I'd keep the kid home. Likely your SIL won't care either way.