Birthday parties

[Anonymous]

#1 - What days/times are off limits in your opinion to have a birthday party?

#2 - What times of the day require a meal (lunch or dinner) in your opinion?

[Anonymous]

During school or sleeping hours are off limits.

Lunch: anything starting at 11am or lasting until 1. If the party started at 1, no lunch.
Dinner: the party has to end by 5:30 to avoid dinner.

[Anonymous]

I hate the 2-4pm time frame for parties. It pretty much ruins the whole day for us to do something as a family or make any other plans. Not enough time in the am for a day trip, not enough time in the evening to do much after. Plus they have at least cake and snacks so they really don’t want proper dinner- yet the rest of the family does.

[Anonymous]

I usually tried to do Saturday, 1 - 3. No meal required and hopefully over early enough that the kids would eat with their families.

[Anonymous]

I dislike most kids birthday parties so my ideal party (if you absolutely have to have one) is Saturday 10am to noon. Simple activity in an easy-to-get-to location (not something a 40 minute drive from where we all live). Party starts on time. Serve bagels and snacks but no need to serve a meal (it just prolongs everyone being there). Do cake 90 minutes into the party. If you have it at a park or playground then people can hang out if they want but once cake happens they can also leave.

I think most kids parties prior to drop off parties (which usually involve the kids' actual friends they made themselves as opposed to the whole class or whoever their parents think they should invite) are horrible and that this whole trend of making them extra elaborate is stupid.

It's a great example of parents shooting themselves in the foot by creating an expensive and time consuming parental obligation that literally no one enjoys (not even the kids -- your 6 yr old would actually be more than happy with a park party because they are too young to know better until you fill their head with fantasies of Sky Zone or whatever). Just stop.

[Anonymous]

Op here… more curious what’s an absolute no go for you… and what hours of any day would require food (considering sleepovers starting late evening)

[Anonymous]

Always serve food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I dislike most kids birthday parties so my ideal party (if you absolutely have to have one) is Saturday 10am to noon. Simple activity in an easy-to-get-to location (not something a 40 minute drive from where we all live). Party starts on time. Serve bagels and snacks but no need to serve a meal (it just prolongs everyone being there). Do cake 90 minutes into the party. If you have it at a park or playground then people can hang out if they want but once cake happens they can also leave.

I think most kids parties prior to drop off parties (which usually involve the kids' actual friends they made themselves as opposed to the whole class or whoever their parents think they should invite) are horrible and that this whole trend of making them extra elaborate is stupid.

It's a great example of parents shooting themselves in the foot by creating an expensive and time consuming parental obligation that literally no one enjoys (not even the kids -- your 6 yr old would actually be more than happy with a park party because they are too young to know better until you fill their head with fantasies of Sky Zone or whatever). Just stop.

10-12 is lunch time. You serve food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here… more curious what’s an absolute no go for you… and what hours of any day would require food (considering sleepovers starting late evening)

Sleepovers must include dinner and a parent insisting everyone go to sleep by 10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Always serve food.

+1

Otherwise it is just a dumb gift grab.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I dislike most kids birthday parties so my ideal party (if you absolutely have to have one) is Saturday 10am to noon. Simple activity in an easy-to-get-to location (not something a 40 minute drive from where we all live). Party starts on time. Serve bagels and snacks but no need to serve a meal (it just prolongs everyone being there). Do cake 90 minutes into the party. If you have it at a park or playground then people can hang out if they want but once cake happens they can also leave.

I think most kids parties prior to drop off parties (which usually involve the kids' actual friends they made themselves as opposed to the whole class or whoever their parents think they should invite) are horrible and that this whole trend of making them extra elaborate is stupid.

It's a great example of parents shooting themselves in the foot by creating an expensive and time consuming parental obligation that literally no one enjoys (not even the kids -- your 6 yr old would actually be more than happy with a park party because they are too young to know better until you fill their head with fantasies of Sky Zone or whatever). Just stop.

Oh please! Most ES and younger kids birthday parties in our circle have the following in common -
- Invitations go out a month in advance. Usually Evites and then some reminder emails. The day before the party the emails go out again.
- Generally on weekend. 11 am or noon is a popular time
- it could be at a fun venue or at home
- Siblings and parents are also invited
- If at home, some entertainment is provided - magic show, clown, bounce house
- Lunch and cake is provided for all attendees, beer or wine is provided for adults.
- Goody bags for all kids (yes, even the siblings).

- Lunch is served. Cake is served.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:During school or sleeping hours are off limits.

Lunch: anything starting at 11am or lasting until 1. If the party started at 1, no lunch.
Dinner: the party has to end by 5:30 to avoid dinner.

No one will come to such a pauper's birthday.

[Anonymous]

#1 - Weekdays in general are off limits. There's too much happening with work, school, etc to make it work well.
#2 - I prefer Saturday or Sunday mid/late morning or early afternoon. Best if the party is over by 2. Even better if it's over by noon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:#1 - Weekdays in general are off limits. There's too much happening with work, school, etc to make it work well.
#2 - I prefer Saturday or Sunday mid/late morning or early afternoon. Best if the party is over by 2. Even better if it's over by noon.

Sorry, I forgot to add - Any party that is more than 1 hour long needs to have food. Kids get cranky without food. If the party is 2 hours or more, I think a meal is warranted. And especially if the party hours include a traditional meal-time. E.g., 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. should include lunch since the noon hour falls in the party range.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I dislike most kids birthday parties so my ideal party (if you absolutely have to have one) is Saturday 10am to noon. Simple activity in an easy-to-get-to location (not something a 40 minute drive from where we all live). Party starts on time. Serve bagels and snacks but no need to serve a meal (it just prolongs everyone being there). Do cake 90 minutes into the party. If you have it at a park or playground then people can hang out if they want but once cake happens they can also leave.

I think most kids parties prior to drop off parties (which usually involve the kids' actual friends they made themselves as opposed to the whole class or whoever their parents think they should invite) are horrible and that this whole trend of making them extra elaborate is stupid.

It's a great example of parents shooting themselves in the foot by creating an expensive and time consuming parental obligation that literally no one enjoys (not even the kids -- your 6 yr old would actually be more than happy with a park party because they are too young to know better until you fill their head with fantasies of Sky Zone or whatever). Just stop.

10-12 is lunch time. You serve food.

Are bagels and snacks not food?