Laser tag party says no siblings. Can I just pay for my other child?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS got invited to a laser tag party and really wants to go. Invitation clearly says no siblings. I have plans so DH will have the kids. Since it is a public venue, would it be ok for DH to hang out with younger sibling in the arcade area while older DS plays laser tag? Younger DS is probably too young to play laser tag anyways.

As long as younger sibling isn't planning to have cake/food/goodie bag that's fine.

I agree. It's a public venue.

[Anonymous]

We were in this very exact situation a few weeks ago. While the invitation didn't say no siblings specifically it's understood that as a leader tag place you really shouldn't bring your little brother or sister. Since it is a public venue there's a lot of things for everyone to do but when the party started we dropped off our son so he could have pizza and cake with the party. About an hour into it we came back and played in the arcade and were present when the party ended. That way, the hosts did not feel like they had to entertain us or fetus or give us any kind of goodie bag. It was a win-win .

[Anonymous]

*feed us, not fetus. And I'm sure there are tons of other mistakes in my post .

[Anonymous]

I was in this situation but the party guest was my younger DS and my older DS was a tagalong. DH had plans and I don't feel comfortable leaving a 6 y/o alone in a big public place like that. It was at a trampoline place, so after I checked YDS into the party, I paid separately for ODS to jump. The venue was open to the public and he was not leeching on to the birthday party. When it came time for the pizza and cake, ODS and I sat on the sidelines while the younger kids gathered at the table and did the party thing. The mom was very nice and offered my ODS a slice of pizza and cake, but I did not expect it. The kid had an older sibling and I think she was glad to have a kid there to talk to him. I had told her at the beginning that I was going to pay for him to jump on his own and made it clear that I did not expect him to be a part of the party. She was just a nice person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's open to the public! Why would this be a problem? At the one in Gaithersburg, there are 3 huge parties, plus the public, playing all at once. How would 2 people among all the hordes in the room matter at all to the party thrower/birthday child?

Because the person throwing the party will feel responsible for taking care of the sib. Laser tag is open every day so why did you pick this one to dump your kid on someone else's party? Because you want the parents to supervise your DC ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is bizarre! It's a public space! Of course your Dh can stay there with the younger child. The no siblings applies to the party. It's not a restraining order!

Don't even mention it to the host. That could look like fishing for an invite.

Wow! Incredibly RUDE!

[Anonymous]

Nah. Rude is having your kids party in a public location and then thinking you can control who else is allowed to be there. Of course only the invited kid gets paid entry, pizza, and cake. But if you want no siblings in a 50 yard radius, have your party in a private space or in your home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is bizarre! It's a public space! Of course your Dh can stay there with the younger child. The no siblings applies to the party. It's not a restraining order!

Don't even mention it to the host. That could look like fishing for an invite.

+1. I can't believe people expect families to drive around for two hours with a sibling so that their child can go to a child's birthday party. If you live in McLean and the party is in Sterling, what else is there to do in Sterling? The venue is a public place. The host should rent out the entire facility is she doesn't want members of the public there during her party.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's open to the public! Why would this be a problem? At the one in Gaithersburg, there are 3 huge parties, plus the public, playing all at once. How would 2 people among all the hordes in the room matter at all to the party thrower/birthday child?

Because the person throwing the party will feel responsible for taking care of the sib. Laser tag is open every day so why did you pick this one to dump your kid on someone else's party? Because you want the parents to supervise your DC ...

No. Because it is a PITA to figure out another way to entertain a kid for 90 mins. As long as dad watches his own kid, I think it is fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is bizarre! It's a public space! Of course your Dh can stay there with the younger child. The no siblings applies to the party. It's not a restraining order!

Don't even mention it to the host. That could look like fishing for an invite.

+1. I can't believe people expect families to drive around for two hours with a sibling so that their child can go to a child's birthday party. If you live in McLean and the party is in Sterling, what else is there to do in Sterling? The venue is a public place. The host should rent out the entire facility is she doesn't want members of the public there during her party.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is bizarre! It's a public space! Of course your Dh can stay there with the younger child. The no siblings applies to the party. It's not a restraining order!

Don't even mention it to the host. That could look like fishing for an invite.

Wow! Incredibly RUDE!

Why would you have to tell the host about being in a public space? That would be very odd.

[Anonymous]

I recently threw a laser tag party for my 7yo and requested no siblings. I had 3 people bring siblings - 2yo, 4yo and 9yo. 2yo and 4yo did not play laser tag and did not come into the party room. I did offer them pizza and cake but did not give them favors. Mom of 9yo was planning to have the child play separately from our party and pay for the child. We had one child who could not make it last minute due to being sick so I included the 9yo. If I did not have the cancellation or space, I would not have felt bad letting 9yo play separately not with our party. I would have still offered cake and pizza. I would have offered that to parents anyways and we always have leftover.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I recently threw a laser tag party for my 7yo and requested no siblings. I had 3 people bring siblings - 2yo, 4yo and 9yo. 2yo and 4yo did not play laser tag and did not come into the party room. I did offer them pizza and cake but did not give them favors. Mom of 9yo was planning to have the child play separately from our party and pay for the child. We had one child who could not make it last minute due to being sick so I included the 9yo. If I did not have the cancellation or space, I would not have felt bad letting 9yo play separately not with our party. I would have still offered cake and pizza. I would have offered that to parents anyways and we always have leftover.

This mom is nice, but basically 3 people used her birthday party as a babysitting service. If they were so comfortable with leaving their very young children at laser tag without supervision, why did they do it during her BDay party -- oh, free babysitting (and its against laser tag rules to leave your toddler alone there)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I recently threw a laser tag party for my 7yo and requested no siblings. I had 3 people bring siblings - 2yo, 4yo and 9yo. 2yo and 4yo did not play laser tag and did not come into the party room. I did offer them pizza and cake but did not give them favors. Mom of 9yo was planning to have the child play separately from our party and pay for the child. We had one child who could not make it last minute due to being sick so I included the 9yo. If I did not have the cancellation or space, I would not have felt bad letting 9yo play separately not with our party. I would have still offered cake and pizza. I would have offered that to parents anyways and we always have leftover.

This mom is nice, but basically 3 people used her birthday party as a babysitting service. If they were so comfortable with leaving their very young children at laser tag without supervision, why did they do it during her BDay party -- oh, free babysitting (and its against laser tag rules to leave your toddler alone there)

PP here. All 3 parents stayed. They did not drop off. It was a 1st grade party and a public place. I guess not everyone felt comfortable dropping off. I have yet to drop off at a public place either. I have had a friend's mom take my child to a Chuck E Cheese party.

[Anonymous]

"Dont expect cake." Seriously? Are there really parents who wouldn't offer a sibling cake? I don't bring siblings to parties but they are often with me when I come pick up and the birthday parent always offers them a piece of cake. I offer cake to the people who work there. You have to be pretty petty to not offer cake to a little kid.