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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

No it isn't a PITA to figure out a way to entertain a kid for 90min. It is called bad and lazy parenting.

[Anonymous]

I agree - find something else to do with the sibling. We had an ice skating party where the parents could get discount tix for the public skate if they wanted. A few families took advantage of this and then came to the party room and ate the food (which was enough for the party-goers). As a result, we didn't have enough space for the invited kids and we ran out of food before each kid ate pizza.

It wasn't necessarily a matter of cost - the venue limited the number of kids that we could host.

[Anonymous]

We just received an invite to a party and on the comments "to everyone" a mom asks if she can bring her 2 other kids. Talk about putting a mom on the spot. So tacky.

This post, some of the comments, and the evite is a wake-up call that you have to be explicit about parties and even then, have a back-up plan for the rude ones with zero social skills.

We had a house party that said no siblings but 2 moms coming in to drop off had siblings. They must have started chatting and stayed as the party started (most of us were outside with the games, food etc..) and their younger kids (preschool-ish) went outside and dumped all the bowls of cupcake decorations and icing that I had on one table all over our flagstone patio. I had to take everything away and my husband went in to ask them to get the kids as they were making a mess. They came out and said "Oh no, sorry we will leave." and just left. No offer to get more decorations and bring them back. My husband ran out real quick instead. It was such a shitty way to start a party.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree - find something else to do with the sibling. We had an ice skating party where the parents could get discount tix for the public skate if they wanted. A few families took advantage of this and then came to the party room and ate the food (which was enough for the party-goers). As a result, we didn't have enough space for the invited kids and we ran out of food before each kid ate pizza.

It wasn't necessarily a matter of cost - the venue limited the number of kids that we could host.

What does this have to do with anything though? Not one person has said its ok to bring uninvited kids to the party room or to eat the food. No one. But you are really overstepping if you think people shouldn't have gone to the public skate and then picked up their other kid after the party is over. That's what's insanely controlling. The people who are suggesting it's somehow rude for siblings to be entertained in the same building!

[Anonymous]

Save everyone's sanity OP and GET A CARPOOL!!! Once parties are drop off, I started doing carpools and they are a godsend. Only place I have had a problem is at Chuck E Cheese, bc of the hand stamps, but otherwise everywhere else do a carpool FFS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree - find something else to do with the sibling. We had an ice skating party where the parents could get discount tix for the public skate if they wanted. A few families took advantage of this and then came to the party room and ate the food (which was enough for the party-goers). As a result, we didn't have enough space for the invited kids and we ran out of food before each kid ate pizza.

It wasn't necessarily a matter of cost - the venue limited the number of kids that we could host.

What does this have to do with anything though? Not one person has said its ok to bring uninvited kids to the party room or to eat the food. No one. But you are really overstepping if you think people shouldn't have gone to the public skate and then picked up their other kid after the party is over. That's what's insanely controlling. The people who are suggesting it's somehow rude for siblings to be entertained in the same building!

Nobody thinks it's rude for the sibling to be entertained in the building IN THEORY. The problem is, what several PP's mentioned is what happens in reality; the siblings work their way into the party anyway and mom host feels guilty and lets them eat because it sounds bitchy to tell a 5 year old he can't have cake. Very few parents who keep the other kids there seem to manage to keep their other kids separate from the party and instead meander in and then sheepishly accept cake and pizza because hey, why not, we are here anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree - find something else to do with the sibling. We had an ice skating party where the parents could get discount tix for the public skate if they wanted. A few families took advantage of this and then came to the party room and ate the food (which was enough for the party-goers). As a result, we didn't have enough space for the invited kids and we ran out of food before each kid ate pizza.

It wasn't necessarily a matter of cost - the venue limited the number of kids that we could host.

What does this have to do with anything though? Not one person has said its ok to bring uninvited kids to the party room or to eat the food. No one. But you are really overstepping if you think people shouldn't have gone to the public skate and then picked up their other kid after the party is over. That's what's insanely controlling. The people who are suggesting it's somehow rude for siblings to be entertained in the same building!

But many stories are showing that siblings meander their way into the parties. How can you not see that. Hanging around at a party for 1-2hrs is really weird. It makes the host tense (do I invite them for cake, ask if they need anything, do they feel excluded) it makes the kid going to the party wonder why his family has to stay. It makes the sibling a potential disaster of wanting to hang out with the older kids, do what they are doing, "no fair, I want cake." etc...

Just avoid all of that by not staying. It is very easy to drop off and make plans to do something else. Very easy. Library, mall, fast food play area, go food shopping, go to another kid-friendly location, local playground, go to a diner for lunch. This is not rocket science.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Save everyone's sanity OP and GET A CARPOOL!!! Once parties are drop off, I started doing carpools and they are a godsend. Only place I have had a problem is at Chuck E Cheese, bc of the hand stamps, but otherwise everywhere else do a carpool FFS.

I agree but sometimes you don't know who is invited and you will upset little Larla or Johnny's mom by asking. The new thing is to keep evites private. So annoying. I need carpool options!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The party thrower will feel obligated to include DH and sibling, especially if it is one of those places where the kids congregate in the party room in between each game and eat and drink in between the games. We get that it would be so much easier to have your other child join in, for your dH to not have to find another location to entertain the other child and for your DH to not have to deal with the shining from the other child that he wants to stay...but he needs to either drop the I ted kid off, or better term arrange a carpool and try to have your DH do pick up after the party.

+1. Does your DC want his sibling at his friend's party? I most likely doubt it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Save everyone's sanity OP and GET A CARPOOL!!! Once parties are drop off, I started doing carpools and they are a godsend. Only place I have had a problem is at Chuck E Cheese, bc of the hand stamps, but otherwise everywhere else do a carpool FFS.

I agree but sometimes you don't know who is invited and you will upset little Larla or Johnny's mom by asking. The new thing is to keep evites private. So annoying. I need carpool options!

PP here, when I don't know who else is invited just call (pick up the phone, I wouldn't email or text) the host mom, or dad. I usually say "hello, DC is super excited for the party, for logistical reasons I need to try to set up a carpool if possible with another family. Do you mind telling me if x, y and z are coming/ telling me a few kids who are coming?" Keep it short and simple. Don't ask the host family to take your kid. I think people keep the list private bc there is an a list and a b list, and b list people don't get invited until a list people decline and if you made the guest list public, all the invitees would know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have never in my entire parenting life encountered ANYONE who has these rigid attitudes about birthday parties that people on DCUM seem to have. Of course someone can hang out in a laser tag place, or chuck e cheese, or a trampoline park, or any other public place with anyone they like whenever they want.

As a parent, if I have a kid with me who wasn't invited to the party, it IS much easier to drop the invited child off and take the other child somewhere else than to try to keep them corralled in the party space but out of the way of the party. So I would recommend that to the OP's husband, since it is actually easier for him that way. But of course he can stay if he prefers.

I have never really met anyone who uses another kids BD party as free babysitting service in the name of "inculsion" But I guess it is who you know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We just received an invite to a party and on the comments "to everyone" a mom asks if she can bring her 2 other kids. Talk about putting a mom on the spot. So tacky.

This post, some of the comments, and the evite is a wake-up call that you have to be explicit about parties and even then, have a back-up plan for the rude ones with zero social skills.

We had a house party that said no siblings but 2 moms coming in to drop off had siblings. They must have started chatting and stayed as the party started (most of us were outside with the games, food etc..) and their younger kids (preschool-ish) went outside and dumped all the bowls of cupcake decorations and icing that I had on one table all over our flagstone patio. I had to take everything away and my husband went in to ask them to get the kids as they were making a mess. They came out and said "Oh no, sorry we will leave." and just left. No offer to get more decorations and bring them back. My husband ran out real quick instead. It was such a shitty way to start a party.

+1 Something like this always happens. If they are younger, this. If they are older, they hang around the party and be a pest to the younger kids. Really unfair to the parents who paid a lot of money for the venue, the party and so on and so on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never in my entire parenting life encountered ANYONE who has these rigid attitudes about birthday parties that people on DCUM seem to have. Of course someone can hang out in a laser tag place, or chuck e cheese, or a trampoline park, or any other public place with anyone they like whenever they want.

As a parent, if I have a kid with me who wasn't invited to the party, it IS much easier to drop the invited child off and take the other child somewhere else than to try to keep them corralled in the party space but out of the way of the party. So I would recommend that to the OP's husband, since it is actually easier for him that way. But of course he can stay if he prefers.

I have never really met anyone who uses another kids BD party as free babysitting service in the name of "inculsion" But I guess it is who you know.

I have had pants drop off siblings with invited kids, just dumped and dashed. By the time I realized the sibling was there, I asked where the parents were, kid said, he left. I've had it happen three times, once an older sibling, once a younger sibling, and once an opposite gender twin. The twin, maybe I can understand if they were confused if both or just one twin invited, but the other times, they never asked. They just left them at the venue or my house. It happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never in my entire parenting life encountered ANYONE who has these rigid attitudes about birthday parties that people on DCUM seem to have. Of course someone can hang out in a laser tag place, or chuck e cheese, or a trampoline park, or any other public place with anyone they like whenever they want.

As a parent, if I have a kid with me who wasn't invited to the party, it IS much easier to drop the invited child off and take the other child somewhere else than to try to keep them corralled in the party space but out of the way of the party. So I would recommend that to the OP's husband, since it is actually easier for him that way. But of course he can stay if he prefers.

I have never really met anyone who uses another kids BD party as free babysitting service in the name of "inculsion" But I guess it is who you know.

I have had pants drop off siblings with invited kids, just dumped and dashed. By the time I realized the sibling was there, I asked where the parents were, kid said, he left. I've had it happen three times, once an older sibling, once a younger sibling, and once an opposite gender twin. The twin, maybe I can understand if they were confused if both or just one twin invited, but the other times, they never asked. They just left them at the venue or my house. It happens.

So it should read "parents drop off siblings..." Not pants drop off???? WTH iPad?

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Single mom here who does my best to manage two kids' parties in outer suburbia...appreciative of all party hosts who know we're all doing the best we can.