Birthday party etiquette and siblings

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't do this. What are you going to do when the party moves to the party room for pizza or cake. Your older kid will expect you to come and then you'll be stuck brining the younger kid and you will put the hosts in an awkward spot because it would be rude to not include the younger sibling even though they were not invited. Just drop off.

[Anonymous]

OP, as others have said, if the party is a public venue like Chuck-E-Cheese, you are fine to stay at CEC with your younger child, provided that you pay for that child's activities and order food separately/keep your younger child away from the party area. You don't have to give the host a heads up, you can just do it.

If the party is someplace that isn't open to the public while there is a party going on, then you should drop off your 6 year old.

[Anonymous]

If the party is at a place that's open to the public it truly doesn't make a difference whether you bring siblings or not as long as you don't bring them into the party room/use party resources. At 6 or 7 your kid doesn't care whether you go into the party room or not. At a private venue it's easier to drop off, so not an issue.

[Anonymous]

I am apparently the outlier here but I would rather you come and stay at the venue with your toddler than for you not to come at all. The party is for my child--he is going to want as many of his friends to be there as possible. Who cares if a toddler is with their parents in another area of the venue? OP is aware that she needs to keep the toddler entertained and she plans to. I would even *gasp* give your toddler a piece of cake.

Why are trying so hard to make life more difficult for one another? Give the poor mom a break--she's just trying to celebrate your kid and is asking for nothing in return.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am apparently the outlier here but I would rather you come and stay at the venue with your toddler than for you not to come at all. The party is for my child--he is going to want as many of his friends to be there as possible. Who cares if a toddler is with their parents in another area of the venue? OP is aware that she needs to keep the toddler entertained and she plans to. I would even *gasp* give your toddler a piece of cake.

Why are trying so hard to make life more difficult for one another? Give the poor mom a break--she's just trying to celebrate your kid and is asking for nothing in return.

This is absolutely my mindset as well. Please come, and I'll happily give cake to your other kid too (especially if there are no space constraints). I am often the parent that either has to bring both kids or no kid so I extend the same courtesy that I often ask for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am apparently the outlier here but I would rather you come and stay at the venue with your toddler than for you not to come at all. The party is for my child--he is going to want as many of his friends to be there as possible. Who cares if a toddler is with their parents in another area of the venue? OP is aware that she needs to keep the toddler entertained and she plans to. I would even *gasp* give your toddler a piece of cake.

Why are trying so hard to make life more difficult for one another? Give the poor mom a break--she's just trying to celebrate your kid and is asking for nothing in return.

The invitation specifically said no siblings. That is the difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am apparently the outlier here but I would rather you come and stay at the venue with your toddler than for you not to come at all. The party is for my child--he is going to want as many of his friends to be there as possible. Who cares if a toddler is with their parents in another area of the venue? OP is aware that she needs to keep the toddler entertained and she plans to. I would even *gasp* give your toddler a piece of cake.

Why are trying so hard to make life more difficult for one another? Give the poor mom a break--she's just trying to celebrate your kid and is asking for nothing in return.

The invitation specifically said no siblings. That is the difference.

Reading comprehension - no it did not say no siblings. It didn't say anything about siblings (specifically that they were welcome). But at a public place a party host cannot dictate who else is present in the vicinity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am apparently the outlier here but I would rather you come and stay at the venue with your toddler than for you not to come at all. The party is for my child--he is going to want as many of his friends to be there as possible. Who cares if a toddler is with their parents in another area of the venue? OP is aware that she needs to keep the toddler entertained and she plans to. I would even *gasp* give your toddler a piece of cake.

Why are trying so hard to make life more difficult for one another? Give the poor mom a break--she's just trying to celebrate your kid and is asking for nothing in return.

The invitation specifically said no siblings. That is the difference.

Reading comprehension - no it did not say no siblings. It didn't say anything about siblings (specifically that they were welcome). But at a public place a party host cannot dictate who else is present in the vicinity.

Unless the invitation says, "siblings welcome," DON'T BRING SIBLINGS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am apparently the outlier here but I would rather you come and stay at the venue with your toddler than for you not to come at all. The party is for my child--he is going to want as many of his friends to be there as possible. Who cares if a toddler is with their parents in another area of the venue? OP is aware that she needs to keep the toddler entertained and she plans to. I would even *gasp* give your toddler a piece of cake.

Why are trying so hard to make life more difficult for one another? Give the poor mom a break--she's just trying to celebrate your kid and is asking for nothing in return.

The invitation specifically said no siblings. That is the difference.

Reading comprehension - no it did not say no siblings. It didn't say anything about siblings (specifically that they were welcome). But at a public place a party host cannot dictate who else is present in the vicinity.

Unless the invitation says, "siblings welcome," DON'T BRING SIBLINGS.

Unless you've rented out the entire playplace for your party you have absolutely no control as to who is present. Good grief.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am apparently the outlier here but I would rather you come and stay at the venue with your toddler than for you not to come at all. The party is for my child--he is going to want as many of his friends to be there as possible. Who cares if a toddler is with their parents in another area of the venue? OP is aware that she needs to keep the toddler entertained and she plans to. I would even *gasp* give your toddler a piece of cake.

Why are trying so hard to make life more difficult for one another? Give the poor mom a break--she's just trying to celebrate your kid and is asking for nothing in return.

The invitation specifically said no siblings. That is the difference.

Reading comprehension - no it did not say no siblings. It didn't say anything about siblings (specifically that they were welcome). But at a public place a party host cannot dictate who else is present in the vicinity.

Unless the invitation says, "siblings welcome," DON'T BRING SIBLINGS.

Unless you've rented out the entire playplace for your party you have absolutely no control as to who is present. Good grief.

When you rent a party room you do have control over who should be present. Don't bring your uninvited toddler in for pizza, cake, and a goody bag unless the host specifically tells you it's ok. Too many people just impose, but the host in an awkward spot, and then the toddler cries when there aren't enough goody bags or seats at the table

[Anonymous]

OP again!

Its a public place...Scramble in Falls church. Its huge and often a madhouse with multiple parties on weekends which is part of why i hesitate to do drop off. And no I wouldn't presume to invite my younger to the party or expect food/goodie bag/cake but thought I could keep him entertained in the toddler area and still keep an eye on his brother who will be presumably be playing with his friends. In addition to this being our first drop off option party, its also the first where it didn't say "siblings welcome!"

Anyway, thanks for everyone's opinions!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am apparently the outlier here but I would rather you come and stay at the venue with your toddler than for you not to come at all. The party is for my child--he is going to want as many of his friends to be there as possible. Who cares if a toddler is with their parents in another area of the venue? OP is aware that she needs to keep the toddler entertained and she plans to. I would even *gasp* give your toddler a piece of cake.

Why are trying so hard to make life more difficult for one another? Give the poor mom a break--she's just trying to celebrate your kid and is asking for nothing in return.

The invitation specifically said no siblings. That is the difference.

Reading comprehension - no it did not say no siblings. It didn't say anything about siblings (specifically that they were welcome). But at a public place a party host cannot dictate who else is present in the vicinity.

Unless the invitation says, "siblings welcome," DON'T BRING SIBLINGS.

Unless you've rented out the entire playplace for your party you have absolutely no control as to who is present. Good grief.

When you rent a party room you do have control over who should be present. Don't bring your uninvited toddler in for pizza, cake, and a goody bag unless the host specifically tells you it's ok. Too many people just impose, but the host in an awkward spot, and then the toddler cries when there aren't enough goody bags or seats at the table

And OP gets that and is not planning to bring the sibling into the party room. She just wanted to be present at the venue as she is not comfortable with drop-off yet (and most kids at that age would feel better if they knew the parent was close). Either way, I have never thrown a party where there was not one extra slice of pizza or cake leftover so I wouldn't care if she did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm probably the outlier on this - I have an only child, but if someone didn't expect a sibling to eat food that I provided, be paid for by me at a venue, or get a loot bag, I would not feel the need for them to tell me anything about the sibling. They can pay for them, feed them, and entertain them themselves without notice to me.

But if the host doesn’t know the sibling is coming and sees a sibling walk through the door, they might feel obliged to include them, give them cake, have a goody bag for them, etc. My first choice would be to drop off. If dropping off wasn’t an option for some reason, I would let the host know with a quick text - btw I have to bring little scooter along, but I have already purchased a ticket for him and will entertain/feed him myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am apparently the outlier here but I would rather you come and stay at the venue with your toddler than for you not to come at all. The party is for my child--he is going to want as many of his friends to be there as possible. Who cares if a toddler is with their parents in another area of the venue? OP is aware that she needs to keep the toddler entertained and she plans to. I would even *gasp* give your toddler a piece of cake.

Why are trying so hard to make life more difficult for one another? Give the poor mom a break--she's just trying to celebrate your kid and is asking for nothing in return.

The invitation specifically said no siblings. That is the difference.

Reading comprehension - no it did not say no siblings. It didn't say anything about siblings (specifically that they were welcome). But at a public place a party host cannot dictate who else is present in the vicinity.

Unless the invitation says, "siblings welcome," DON'T BRING SIBLINGS.

Unless you've rented out the entire playplace for your party you have absolutely no control as to who is present. Good grief.

When you rent a party room you do have control over who should be present. Don't bring your uninvited toddler in for pizza, cake, and a goody bag unless the host specifically tells you it's ok. Too many people just impose, but the host in an awkward spot, and then the toddler cries when there aren't enough goody bags or seats at the table

And OP gets that and is not planning to bring the sibling into the party room. She just wanted to be present at the venue as she is not comfortable with drop-off yet (and most kids at that age would feel better if they knew the parent was close). Either way, I have never thrown a party where there was not one extra slice of pizza or cake leftover so I wouldn't care if she did.

So do you put "siblings welcome!" on all of your invites?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again!

Its a public place...Scramble in Falls church. Its huge and often a madhouse with multiple parties on weekends which is part of why i hesitate to do drop off. And no I wouldn't presume to invite my younger to the party or expect food/goodie bag/cake but thought I could keep him entertained in the toddler area and still keep an eye on his brother who will be presumably be playing with his friends. In addition to this being our first drop off option party, its also the first where it didn't say "siblings welcome!"

Anyway, thanks for everyone's opinions!

I would not drop off at Scramble. Is that even a drop off venue?

I think it is fine to pay for your toddler and don’t mention to the host.