My 8-year-old DS got left in a movie theatre game room for two hours. I'm allowed to be upset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every child needs an emergency credit card. What if he got lost and needed to Uber home.

Credit card, no. Not sure a kid can have a credit card before 16 or 18 or something. Cash and a phone, definitely. If my child is old enough to go anywhere other than school without a parent, she is old enough to carry those items. My kids have carried a phone and $20 since halfway through Kindergarten, actually.

That said, the host parents were still completely in the wrong here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who told you what happened?

DS when I asked how the movie was.

I called the host because DS is very capable of lying and she confirmed and didn't seem to think it was a big deal.

I really hope you told her how irresponsible she was. Did you ask her why she didn't call you? It's hard for me to believe that any parent would think this is normal and no big deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, can you explain exactly how this went down? What your son said, what the parent said?

I dropped DS off at their home around 11 pm. The itinerary was dinner at a local pizza joint, movie at 1pm and then back home to do presents and cake. I picked DS up at 6pm. I asked him how the movie was and he said he didn't see it. I asked if they didn't end up going to the movies, he said no they went but he lost his money and didn't have enough for the ticket. So he stayed in the game room. I immediately stopped the car and start asking questions.

He told me he "may have lost the money" and that he didn't have enough to pay the ticket. So he decided to stay and play in the game room. I poked and prodded and got that she said she would call me, but he declined. He played games on the four dollars for about 15-30 minutes. He watched the trailers in the main lobby, I have no idea how he spent two hours. He swears he didn't ever leave the building but I doubt it.

I didn't want to go back and cause a scene, I was livid and DS was extremely upset. He thought I was upset at him.
I called the mom around 7:15 and the conversation was short. I asked her if what DS was true, she said it was and that she offered to call but DS said he'd rather just stay and play games. She told me her DH went and checked on DS twice and felt that was sufficient. She said she was sorry I was so upset but that they were about to eat dinner and she hung up.

Which obviously pissed me off more.

[Anonymous]

I would go to her house, ring the bell, smile and punch her in the nose with a flat hand. Ok, overboard, not smart advise, but this is the rage speaking in me for someone that would leave a child unattended like that. But seriously, go over, talk to the school principal, if there is anything in future like field trip etc that woman should not be allowed to be responsible for children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is just so strange. Did the mom say it was pay your own way when inviting the kids? I cannot imagine.

There were seven boys attending and she did request we send money because of the number of children.

[Anonymous]

I'd be pretty annoyed at my kid too

[Anonymous]

She sounds like graceless cow. Be grateful you know what she's about now so you can avoid her in the future.

[Anonymous]

The host is an irresponsible. Don't know what else to say.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, can you explain exactly how this went down? What your son said, what the parent said?

I dropped DS off at their home around 11 pm. The itinerary was dinner at a local pizza joint, movie at 1pm and then back home to do presents and cake. I picked DS up at 6pm. I asked him how the movie was and he said he didn't see it. I asked if they didn't end up going to the movies, he said no they went but he lost his money and didn't have enough for the ticket. So he stayed in the game room. I immediately stopped the car and start asking questions.

He told me he "may have lost the money" and that he didn't have enough to pay the ticket. So he decided to stay and play in the game room. I poked and prodded and got that she said she would call me, but he declined. He played games on the four dollars for about 15-30 minutes. He watched the trailers in the main lobby, I have no idea how he spent two hours. He swears he didn't ever leave the building but I doubt it.

I didn't want to go back and cause a scene, I was livid and DS was extremely upset. He thought I was upset at him.
I called the mom around 7:15 and the conversation was short. I asked her if what DS was true, she said it was and that she offered to call but DS said he'd rather just stay and play games. She told me her DH went and checked on DS twice and felt that was sufficient. She said she was sorry I was so upset but that they were about to eat dinner and she hung up.

Which obviously pissed me off more.

Oh no she didn't. I would call her back and absolutely say the next call she gets will be from the family lawyer. She needs a reality check ASAP. This is just not ok. She could have easily asked you for the money when you came to pickup. Ridiculously poor people don't have birthday parties so I'm sure she had the money.

[Anonymous]

I am not sure I believe your son, OP. He only told you this story when you prodded him and he knew he was in trouble. And, the host only said that he said he didn't have money and wanted to wait in the game room and didn't want you to be called. At least as likely a story is that your son decided he wanted to play games and not go to the movie. The host offered to call you, but he said no, he's stay in the game room and play games. Then when he gets called out and is about to be in trouble by you, he makes up the story about losing the money and not being able to go to the movie.

[Anonymous]

Is it possible that your son told the mother he was out of money so he could spend all his money in the game room and not have to watch the movie? I have a kid who would much rather spend his time in the game room than see a movie.

[Anonymous]

Kind of agreeing with 14:20 here.

[Anonymous]

okay, you're timeline doesn't make any sense. you dropped your kid off at 11 (assume you meant AM, not PM) for a 1pm lunch at a pizza joint and then a movie and picked him up at 6 pm? He was away from you for 8 hours for a bday party? Something is not adding up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure I believe your son, OP. He only told you this story when you prodded him and he knew he was in trouble. And, the host only said that he said he didn't have money and wanted to wait in the game room and didn't want you to be called. At least as likely a story is that your son decided he wanted to play games and not go to the movie. The host offered to call you, but he said no, he's stay in the game room and play games. Then when he gets called out and is about to be in trouble by you, he makes up the story about losing the money and not being able to go to the movie.

It doesn't matter. He's the child, the host is the adult. She should have called the mom regardless of what the child said. She should have called to ask if this was ok or if she wanted to come get him. There is no excuse for this at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure I believe your son, OP. He only told you this story when you prodded him and he knew he was in trouble. And, the host only said that he said he didn't have money and wanted to wait in the game room and didn't want you to be called. At least as likely a story is that your son decided he wanted to play games and not go to the movie. The host offered to call you, but he said no, he's stay in the game room and play games. Then when he gets called out and is about to be in trouble by you, he makes up the story about losing the money and not being able to go to the movie.

So what? 8 year olds don't make decisions like this!!! The host mother NEVER should have allowed him to stay alone, no matter what he said.