Weigh in: Who's right in this ridiculous same-day birthday party drama?

[Anonymous]

Jen's a jerk for handling the invite thing that way, but Kim's at fault for not agreeing to the joint party in the first place.

[Anonymous]

why not just have a joint party? It's just a bunch of toddlers running around anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why should Kim have to have a joint party when Aidens birthday was a month ago and Jen already did something for him? (I'm not OP/Kim.)

They both wanted the same day and they both wanted each other present and the grandparents. How else if neither was willing to change the date?

Unless these two do Isabella's at 3-5 and Aiden's from 11-1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kim should have agreed to a joint party. Get over yourself.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jen's a jerk for handling the invite thing that way, but Kim's at fault for not agreeing to the joint party in the first place.

Why is Jen announcing she's having a party on that day being a jerk, but Kim doing so was fine. Jen's the only one who offered a solution.

[Anonymous]

They are both exhausting, petty, and horrible. Joint party and done.

[Anonymous]

Did the family send presents to Aiden, or are hey holding off waiting for the party?

Either way, joint party was the obvious solution. It's the same people, for Christ's sake.

[Anonymous]

Another vote for the joint party. Good thing the kids are young so they won't remember their mom ranting about their aunt.

I know that when you're wrapped up in the situation it seems like the most important thing in the world but I think you should take a step back and see what makes sense.

The division won't just be between you and your sister but your extended family as well.

Really ridiculous. How old are you guys?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did the family send presents to Aiden, or are hey holding off waiting for the party?

Either way, joint party was the obvious solution. It's the same people, for Christ's sake.

Who are thinking, "Oh PLEASE don't make me have to go to TWO family birthday parties for three-year-olds on the SAME WEEKEND!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one is right here. Both Jen and Kim are jerks. Your kids are THREE, but the moms are the ones acting like toddlers.

+1!

[Anonymous]

Solution:
Saturday - Isabelle party with preschool/neighborhood friends
Sunday - joint family party for Isabelle & Aiden

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jen's a jerk for handling the invite thing that way, but Kim's at fault for not agreeing to the joint party in the first place.

Why is Jen announcing she's having a party on that day being a jerk, but Kim doing so was fine. Jen's the only one who offered a solution.

Jen created the problem. Her son's birthday was a month ago. She chose to spend it on a family trip. Then, only after she finds out that Kim is planning a birthday party for her daughter (notable, a birthday party that appears to actually bear some temporal relation to her daughter's actual birthday) does she indicate that she was going to have a party that same weekend (for a birthday that happened a month ago) and suggest a joint party.

Sure, it would have been nice if Kim had agreed to the joint party. But maybe that would have made the party really big and overwhelming. Maybe Kim knows from experience that Jen will be a giant PITA during the planning process and doesn't want the whole thing hijacked. (Frankly, given Jen's subsequent behavior, I'm inclined to give Kim the benefit of the doubt on that one.)

Frankly, I think that having a party a month after the birthday in question is really stupid--a three-year-old doesn't need a party every year anyway--so I'm a little biased, but while I think both could have handled it better, I'm inclined to think that Jen is more in the wrong.

[Anonymous]

Both are wrong - this is something sisters should be able to figure out. If absolutely necessary, joint family birthday party and then separate preschool parties with no family invited or expected (even the same weekend). And an agreement that next year, everyone resolves when birthdays are celebrated much more amicably!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Solution:
Saturday - Isabelle party with preschool/neighborhood friends
Sunday - joint family party for Isabelle & Aiden

You win. That is, if Aiden's party was to be family only.

Jen's evite was totally a bitchy thing to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jen's a jerk for handling the invite thing that way, but Kim's at fault for not agreeing to the joint party in the first place.

Why is Jen announcing she's having a party on that day being a jerk, but Kim doing so was fine. Jen's the only one who offered a solution.

Jen created the problem. Her son's birthday was a month ago. She chose to spend it on a family trip. Then, only after she finds out that Kim is planning a birthday party for her daughter (notable, a birthday party that appears to actually bear some temporal relation to her daughter's actual birthday) does she indicate that she was going to have a party that same weekend (for a birthday that happened a month ago) and suggest a joint party.

Sure, it would have been nice if Kim had agreed to the joint party. But maybe that would have made the party really big and overwhelming. Maybe Kim knows from experience that Jen will be a giant PITA during the planning process and doesn't want the whole thing hijacked. (Frankly, given Jen's subsequent behavior, I'm inclined to give Kim the benefit of the doubt on that one.)

Frankly, I think that having a party a month after the birthday in question is really stupid--a three-year-old doesn't need a party every year anyway--so I'm a little biased, but while I think both could have handled it better, I'm inclined to think that Jen is more in the wrong.

I agree the month thing puts Jen in the wrong. HOWEVER, we're talking about 3 year olds. Joint party.