What’s the WORST birthday party experience you ever had?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A playground party for 5 y/os where the hosts thought that just the fact of being at a playground would be enough to keep them all engaged and happy for the duration of the party. I'm not saying that they needed professional entertainment, but it would have been nice if they'd organized some group games or provided sidewalk chalk, bubbles, and things like that.

For kids who love playgrounds I could see this lasting for hours. What went wrong? Was your child bored?

This was in NYC and with a group of kids who normally spend time on city playgrounds after school. Maybe they were disappointed that the party was just ice cream and cake at the playground? It was just a weird vibe that day and none of the kids were happy with it until one of the moms took over and got them playing interactive games. I think the host parents were counting on the fountains being on that day and they weren't, and the particular playground was small and did not have much equipment.

I've been to many playground parties in DC, some even at the very playground the kids play at for recess every day. They are never anything less than thrilled.

Whatever. Done playground parties were great, but that particular one was miserable.

[Anonymous]

This was in 2018!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter went to a preschool classmate’s birthday party that was camping-themed and held in a park in November, at dusk, right after it had rained. It was cold, muddy, and we had to hike about 20 minutes through wet, slippery leafy trails to get to the site. Most of the parents ended up with ruined shoes.

The party spot was right next to a steep creek drop-off, so I spent most of the time making sure no one’s kid fell in. When it got dark, they handed out headlamps, but not enough for every child, and then started making s’mores over an open flame… with a bunch of 3 year-olds. There was no cake, just s’mores, and the only food was a single hotdog per kid. It was definitely a memorable experience, just maybe not in the way they intended.

Covid Era made some of the weirdest parties. I went to one in February that consisted of a "winter hike" in 10 degree weather plus s mores around a bonfire...and every one of the moms had their n95 on so we couldn't even have a conversation.

[Anonymous]

I pooped in my diaper just as the candles were lit. Family legend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I pooped in my diaper just as the candles were lit. Family legend.

Actually it was just one candle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter went to a preschool classmate’s birthday party that was camping-themed and held in a park in November, at dusk, right after it had rained. It was cold, muddy, and we had to hike about 20 minutes through wet, slippery leafy trails to get to the site. Most of the parents ended up with ruined shoes.

The party spot was right next to a steep creek drop-off, so I spent most of the time making sure no one’s kid fell in. When it got dark, they handed out headlamps, but not enough for every child, and then started making s’mores over an open flame… with a bunch of 3 year-olds. There was no cake, just s’mores, and the only food was a single hotdog per kid. It was definitely a memorable experience, just maybe not in the way they intended.

Okay you may win the thread. That’s awful lol

[Anonymous]

Worst memories: inch-thick green fondant on homemade cake, no water to drink, shoes off house (with no warning), not opening gifts.

[Anonymous]

I remember one for a 3 year old that was exactly at dinner time. They served juice boxes, a veggie tray and cupcakes with navy blue frosting.
I really liked the mom anyway. She "dumped" me as a friend for having a backyard covid parry and risking infection.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Honestly there shouldn’t be any pool parties for kids under like 8-9 years old. So many parents just drop off their kids who can’t swim. it’s truly unbelievable. But it’s also irresponsible to host a pool part for very young kids IMO. Just isn’t worth it.[/quote]

Pool parties make me nervous. A 6 year old died at a swimming birthday party at the same expensive indoor pool/fitness club where my oldest took his first swimming lessons. There were a lot of people in and around the pool and the girl wasn't noticed and quickly succumbed. She was alive when removed from the pool but didn't survive.[/quote]

Did they have a lifeguard?[/quote]

Yes. Possibly two. But younger people. There was a lawsuit. It wasn't a family that I knew. It was covered in the newspapers.

I've heard of at least one similar tragic situation at a kids' franchised swim school party.

My husband was a lifeguard. That's why I notice these things. I feel the extra excitement of a party in a novel space then adding water is a bit much. I'd prefer a bounce place party to a swim party. [b]And when my kids were small I stayed at the parties and got in the bounce houses with them. Because sometimes bigger kids like to knock the little ones down by jumping unpredictably.[/b] Then they get hurt and cry. [/quote]

Oh I know your type PERFECTLY. lol.[/quote]

Care to elaborate? You think enjoying a less dangerous party format and keeping little kids from getting smacked in the face by bounce house floor is weird?

Found the neglectful parent who doesn't mind crying preschoolers at birthday parties...[/quote]

DP but I have never seen a grown adult inside a bounce house and I think it would be a hazard? Bounce houses need to be regulated for safety but I don’t think that’s the way.[/quote]

A full size bounce house? You don't think adults can go in them? A barely jumping mom? You know the amount they shake is related to how hard you jump?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Worst memories: inch-thick green fondant on homemade cake, no water to drink, shoes off house (with no warning), not opening gifts.

nobody opens gifts at birthday parties anymore. Haven’t seen that since the 90s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Showed up with my 3 year-old to a party and the parents said "All the kids are in the basement." That was it. A free for all in the basement while the parents sat around and looked at each other. I took her to the basement and supervised - the kids were going NUTS. We left after 10 minutes.

I had a “kids are playing in the basement” party for my three year old this year. Everyone seemed to have fun and parents were all socializing. We had a bounce house down there too. There are two other posts just above this one complaining about 3 year old birthday parties with scheduled activities, so I guess every 3 year old party is a fail lol.

[Anonymous]

So, I had a 9 year old birthday party today... The Evite graphic clearly displayed "Pool Party" and the text said "we'll be celebrating pool-side"... Multiple kids showed up confused that it was a pool party. Parents ran back home to get suits. I didn't explicitly say "bring a swimsuit" but ??? Really? I mean, it must have been my fault, but...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, I had a 9 year old birthday party today... The Evite graphic clearly displayed "Pool Party" and the text said "we'll be celebrating pool-side"... Multiple kids showed up confused that it was a pool party. Parents ran back home to get suits. I didn't explicitly say "bring a swimsuit" but ??? Really? I mean, it must have been my fault, but...

Pool-side does not equal pool party to me. It’s next to the pool. Weird wording.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Worst memories: inch-thick green fondant on homemade cake, no water to drink, shoes off house (with no warning), not opening gifts.

I don't want to start this argument, but the vast majority of homes I've visited in the past 15 years have been shoes off homes. In my experience, that's the norm, and shoes on is the exception. I always assume that I will be asked to take my shoes off and if it's not mentioned, I always ask if I should. It's the polite thing to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, I had a 9 year old birthday party today... The Evite graphic clearly displayed "Pool Party" and the text said "we'll be celebrating pool-side"... Multiple kids showed up confused that it was a pool party. Parents ran back home to get suits. I didn't explicitly say "bring a swimsuit" but ??? Really? I mean, it must have been my fault, but...

Now I'm confused. Was it a pool party? Because if you wrote "pool side", a parent might think "oh this mom is weird, she wants to have a party next to the pool but not in it??"

[Anonymous]

As a guest, my boyfriend (who knew multiple people there, as it was outrageous friend group) decided it was a good time to let me know that "things weren't working out" and "it was him, not me." I started crying in front of everybody. I stood up very awkwardly, bumped into the table which shook the wall, and a piece of the dropped ceiling fell on my head as he was leaving, but he didn't stop. I vomited and (although I think nobody else picked up on this, god I hope not) shat myself a little bit.

This was a midwestern Pizza Hut in the 1980s, and I can still remember the exact pattern of the linoleum in the bathroom, as I hid in there forever afterward.