You pick your kids up from a drop-off party ON TIME

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not excusing the late parents AT ALL. But I just can't imagine living a life where I get so worked up over 20 minutes. 20 minutes!!!

You used all caps and three explanation points and you “just can’t imagine living a life” (not a moment, a life, mind you) where someone gets “so worked up” over something.

Got it.

[Anonymous]

The parents who picked up 20 minutes late are clearly wrong. But OP sounds unhinged. Did you communicate with the parents who just left their kids?

[Anonymous]

Ugh. It's the people saying "20 minutes is no big deal" who are always late themselves. Y'all are rude. We hate inviting your kids to things because of how poorly mannered you are. But we do it anyway (sometimes) because we feel sorry for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. It's the people saying "20 minutes is no big deal" who are always late themselves. Y'all are rude. We hate inviting your kids to things because of how poorly mannered you are. But we do it anyway (sometimes) because we feel sorry for them.

This. We know who you are, and we put up with a lot of crap from you because we do not blame your kids for rudeness, lack of care or respect for others, and irresponsibility. I have a wonderful friend from childhood whose parents were both total flakes. She knew it and felt terrible about it, and always was super polite and showed gratitude to my parents.

Late, flaky, no RSVP, or responds “yes” but is a no-show, no reciprocation, no communication, we all know the type.

[Anonymous]

I work at an elementary school that ends at 3:50. Every day we have kids who aren’t picked up by then. I think the worst I’ve seen is a set of siblings who weren’t picked up until after 5 for over a week. Our secretaries call home and leave messages. One said she’s tempted to call CPS. After raising my own kids, I’ve been stunned to see how other parents act.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now you know who NOT to invite next time.

If I was so horrified by 20 minutes with my son's friends, they wouldn't be his friends.

There is a huge difference between being in your own home and a parent is late for play date pick-up, and being at a noisy, crowded venue where the kids are actively trying to go here, there, and everywhere because the venue is literally designed to attract and distract them. Let’s be real. In either case, if you are going to be late, there is literally zero reason you can’t text. And you most certainly should apologize.

You collect the kids. You give them a job involved in the clean up. You amuse them with that job. 20 minutes with your kid’s friends should not be some kind of insurmountable burden.

Agree that parents shouldn’t be late, but c’mon.. you should already know the parents that are going to be late. I do. And I always accommodate foe those people because it’s not the kid’s fault. You can’t change it after it happens, so fuming for days is also stupid. If your kid likes the other kid, work around it. If they don’t, then why were they at your party to begin with?

Have you hosted a venue party like this before? After the party time has ended, you are essentially kicked out. You’re not staying to help clean up the party room, you’re not getting extra jump time. There are no “jobs” to give out to kids. There is nothing for the kids or adults to do except wait in the lobby of venue or outside of/parking lot of venue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now you know who NOT to invite next time.

If I was so horrified by 20 minutes with my son's friends, they wouldn't be his friends.

There is a huge difference between being in your own home and a parent is late for play date pick-up, and being at a noisy, crowded venue where the kids are actively trying to go here, there, and everywhere because the venue is literally designed to attract and distract them. Let’s be real. In either case, if you are going to be late, there is literally zero reason you can’t text. And you most certainly should apologize.

You collect the kids. You give them a job involved in the clean up. You amuse them with that job. 20 minutes with your kid’s friends should not be some kind of insurmountable burden.

Agree that parents shouldn’t be late, but c’mon.. you should already know the parents that are going to be late. I do. And I always accommodate foe those people because it’s not the kid’s fault. You can’t change it after it happens, so fuming for days is also stupid. If your kid likes the other kid, work around it. If they don’t, then why were they at your party to begin with?

Have you hosted a venue party like this before? After the party time has ended, you are essentially kicked out. You’re not staying to help clean up the party room, you’re not getting extra jump time. There are no “jobs” to give out to kids. There is nothing for the kids or adults to do except wait in the lobby of venue or outside of/parking lot of venue.

DP This sounds annoying but not infuriating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. It's the people saying "20 minutes is no big deal" who are always late themselves. Y'all are rude. We hate inviting your kids to things because of how poorly mannered you are. But we do it anyway (sometimes) because we feel sorry for them.

This. We know who you are, and we put up with a lot of crap from you because we do not blame your kids for rudeness, lack of care or respect for others, and irresponsibility. I have a wonderful friend from childhood whose parents were both total flakes. She knew it and felt terrible about it, and always was super polite and showed gratitude to my parents.

Late, flaky, no RSVP, or responds “yes” but is a no-show, no reciprocation, no communication, we all know the type.

No one is saying the parents aren’t rude. But to come home and fire off a post about a 20 minute inconvenience is an overreaction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. It's the people saying "20 minutes is no big deal" who are always late themselves. Y'all are rude. We hate inviting your kids to things because of how poorly mannered you are. But we do it anyway (sometimes) because we feel sorry for them.

This. We know who you are, and we put up with a lot of crap from you because we do not blame your kids for rudeness, lack of care or respect for others, and irresponsibility. I have a wonderful friend from childhood whose parents were both total flakes. She knew it and felt terrible about it, and always was super polite and showed gratitude to my parents.

Late, flaky, no RSVP, or responds “yes” but is a no-show, no reciprocation, no communication, we all know the type.

No one is saying the parents aren’t rude. But to come home and fire off a post about a 20 minute inconvenience is an overreaction.

It's a PSA to people who think "what's the big deal?" as they neglect their kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. It's the people saying "20 minutes is no big deal" who are always late themselves. Y'all are rude. We hate inviting your kids to things because of how poorly mannered you are. But we do it anyway (sometimes) because we feel sorry for them.

This. We know who you are, and we put up with a lot of crap from you because we do not blame your kids for rudeness, lack of care or respect for others, and irresponsibility. I have a wonderful friend from childhood whose parents were both total flakes. She knew it and felt terrible about it, and always was super polite and showed gratitude to my parents.

Late, flaky, no RSVP, or responds “yes” but is a no-show, no reciprocation, no communication, we all know the type.

No one is saying the parents aren’t rude. But to come home and fire off a post about a 20 minute inconvenience is an overreaction.

It's a PSA to people who think "what's the big deal?" as they neglect their kids.

+1. I’ve also had this happen with birthday parties and with play dates. The kids do notice and some of them do get anxious.

[Anonymous]

These are the kids who don’t get invited again. Which is unfair to them but it is what it is.

[Anonymous]

There’s a big difference between:

1) one-off, apologetic “I had a flat tire” type emergency parent (who likely also texted you to ask for some grace and let you know they’d be late)

2) 4 parents who strolled in late, offering no apologies and took no responsibility for being 20 minutes late to pick up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I try to give people tons of grace in this area where traffic is soooo bad. But boy if I was 20 minutes late I would be apologizing profusely. I hope they did.

+1

[Anonymous]

I actually had this situation happen to me. Fortunately the trampoline place wasn't very strict about getting kids out and the mom texted me to tell me she was running late and was apologetic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There’s a big difference between:

1) one-off, apologetic “I had a flat tire” type emergency parent (who likely also texted you to ask for some grace and let you know they’d be late)

2) 4 parents who strolled in late, offering no apologies and took no responsibility for being 20 minutes late to pick up.

Yes but what makes half of the families think that’s ok? That’s what’s weird here. I mean I don’t think it’s ok but apparently OP’s social circle does.