Birthday party etiquette and siblings

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd never invite your kid to anything again. If siblings aren't welcome, then they AREN'T WELCOME. You think your 2 yr old won't want to follow his big brother around? He will.

Overreact much?? The invite didn't say that they weren't welcome. And the party host doesn't own the place (unless they are closed to the public in which case). I would ask about drop-off as well vs. staying with the younger one but if not, I don't see an issue with what you are doing as long as the little one isn't interfering with the party. Just make sure to keep them apart.

It's not an overreaction. I am keeping track of 20 six year olds, and running a party - I don't also want a 2 yf old throwing a fit and crying and dragging the attention away from the birthday child. Just drop your kid off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - Yes its drop off! Frankly, this is the first drop off party we have ever been to....host family says parents are welcome to drop off or stay. I am not totally comfortable with dropping off (yet) and we are still getting to know the families in the class but I am sure i can find someone to keep an eye on him.

Etiquette is you do NOT take your toddler. Find someone to watch your toddler, that's a good plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What type of venue? Is it a private small venue or a giant public place?

I’m having a party for my kindergarten child. I invited the class and can’t accommodate siblings. I have 3 kids and have never brought a sibling to a party. I once brought my kid to a Chuck E. Cheese party and did not tell the host I brought him. I told him ahead of time not to expect a favor and cake even. The host did not know he was there. The sibling was older than the kindergarten birthday child.

If I were you, I would drop off. Just come back early. Your 2.5 yo will want food and cake and a favor.

You say in one sentence you've never brought a sibling to a party and literally the next sentence say you once brought a sibling to a party. LOL (i know you go on to explain how your kid didn't intrude on the party but still funny)

[Anonymous]

I think it depends on the location. At someone's house - no. But I was in a situation like that for a party at one Skyzone, where there are many other kids running around besides the party. I talked to the parent and they had no problem - my kid wasn't going to eat the food or anything anyway.

[Anonymous]

Unless you have some reason to not trust the host parents to be able to watch the kids at the party adequately, just drop your older kid off and take your younger kid somewhere else to play/run errands or whatever and then go back and pick up older kid. This is NBD.

If it's a small venue, don't stick around w/ younger kid. They will wind up just following older kids around and bothering them. If it's a bigger venue where there is a separate area for toddlers, then take toddler there and you don't even need to tell the host parents or could just mention you're staying w/ your toddler but will be in a separate area.

[Anonymous]

I have a 7 yo and a 7 month old and at play places I have always brought the baby. I always wear him, clearly he doesn’t eat anything, and doesn’t impact the party. At those busy play places I don’t always trust a classmates parent to watch 20+ kids especially when i don’t really know them and they don’t know my kid.

[Anonymous]

Say the venue, OP.

I’m having a kindergarten party at a play place and it would not be drop off. I do not expect any parents to drop off.

I have hosted other parties for my two older children at smaller private venues and I would say 80% of parents dropped off. Some may have gone to Starbucks next door but they didn’t hang around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a 7 yo and a 7 month old and at play places I have always brought the baby. I always wear him, clearly he doesn’t eat anything, and doesn’t impact the party. At those busy play places I don’t always trust a classmates parent to watch 20+ kids especially when i don’t really know them and they don’t know my kid.

You have a 7 month old baby. You don't have a long history of this and in a few months that baby will be on the ground. You'll have to come up with a new plan soon because, again, a toddler doesn't belong at an 8 year old's party. The gap is far too great. Find another parent to keep an eye on your older kid, or cut the cord.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 7 yo and a 7 month old and at play places I have always brought the baby. I always wear him, clearly he doesn’t eat anything, and doesn’t impact the party. At those busy play places I don’t always trust a classmates parent to watch 20+ kids especially when i don’t really know them and they don’t know my kid.

You have a 7 month old baby. You don't have a long history of this and in a few months that baby will be on the ground. You'll have to come up with a new plan soon because, again, a toddler doesn't belong at an 8 year old's party. The gap is far too great. Find another parent to keep an eye on your older kid, or cut the cord.

Very big difference between a non mobile infant and a toddler. It would just be weird to bring a toddler to an elementary party where kids are obviously drop off age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd never invite your kid to anything again. If siblings aren't welcome, then they AREN'T WELCOME. You think your 2 yr old won't want to follow his big brother around? He will.

So what? What's to prevent anyone from following anyone around in a public space?

[Anonymous]

Drop off venue for 6 year olds? Seems too young for the host to monitor. At home party would be fine, not in a public venue. I wouldn’t bring the younger child. Maybe skip the party?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 7 yo and a 7 month old and at play places I have always brought the baby. I always wear him, clearly he doesn’t eat anything, and doesn’t impact the party. At those busy play places I don’t always trust a classmates parent to watch 20+ kids especially when i don’t really know them and they don’t know my kid.

You have a 7 month old baby. You don't have a long history of this and in a few months that baby will be on the ground. You'll have to come up with a new plan soon because, again, a toddler doesn't belong at an 8 year old's party. The gap is far too great. Find another parent to keep an eye on your older kid, or cut the cord.

Very big difference between a non mobile infant and a toddler. It would just be weird to bring a toddler to an elementary party where kids are obviously drop off age.

Right, so in that very brief moment in time when you have a wearable baby this plan works. The rest of the time it doesn't. OP doesn't have a baby, nobody else is talking about what to do with babies.

[Anonymous]

I have 3 kids. For my 2 older kids, we had small parties and not one person brought a sibling. Some dropped off. Many stayed.

I’m having an all class party for my kindergarten child at a public place. I would rather you not come than bring a sibling. I have a space problem as is. Unless you are a close friend, I don’t want your toddler.

[Anonymous]

The etiquette is don't do it.

[Anonymous]

damn people are mean