Anonymous
07/12/2025 07:21
Subject: What’s the WORST birthday party experience you ever had?
Anonymous wrote:My son's third birthday. I invited all the kids from his pre-k class and, unbeknownst to me, one of the kids had severe aggression issues. No, that's understating it. He was violent. At one point during the party he got mad at a kid, pushed him down, then sat on him and started punching him in the face.
His mom was there, but she wasn't supervising him because she was too busy following me around the party lecturing me on all the stuff she thought I was doing wrong. "Don't you think those cupcakes are too big for three year olds? That's a lot of sugar." "Are you really just going to let them run around like that? Kids really need to have an activity at all times."
When confronted about the punching she insisted she didn't see it so it must not have happened. The kid who got hit left the party in tears, several other parents took their kids home, too.
The next year we had a small party with just a couple of his good friends. The mom of the violent kid reached out several times asking me when DS birthday was because her son was really looking forward to it.
Ugh. Yes, I had to break up a fight once too at my son's party. These kids are in high school now and still problematic.
Anonymous
07/12/2025 07:19
Subject: What’s the WORST birthday party experience you ever had?
Went to a preschool birthday party at a hoarder's house. One room had been cleared but the rest was just scary and sad (had to walk through that part to get to the cleared part). I felt so bad for the kids growing up there. Parents were two professionals with great jobs.
Anonymous
07/12/2025 07:19
Subject: What’s the WORST birthday party experience you ever had?
My son's third birthday. I invited all the kids from his pre-k class and, unbeknownst to me, one of the kids had severe aggression issues. No, that's understating it. He was violent. At one point during the party he got mad at a kid, pushed him down, then sat on him and started punching him in the face.
His mom was there, but she wasn't supervising him because she was too busy following me around the party lecturing me on all the stuff she thought I was doing wrong. "Don't you think those cupcakes are too big for three year olds? That's a lot of sugar." "Are you really just going to let them run around like that? Kids really need to have an activity at all times."
When confronted about the punching she insisted she didn't see it so it must not have happened. The kid who got hit left the party in tears, several other parents took their kids home, too.
The next year we had a small party with just a couple of his good friends. The mom of the violent kid reached out several times asking me when DS birthday was because her son was really looking forward to it.
His mom was there, but she wasn't supervising him because she was too busy following me around the party lecturing me on all the stuff she thought I was doing wrong. "Don't you think those cupcakes are too big for three year olds? That's a lot of sugar." "Are you really just going to let them run around like that? Kids really need to have an activity at all times."
When confronted about the punching she insisted she didn't see it so it must not have happened. The kid who got hit left the party in tears, several other parents took their kids home, too.
The next year we had a small party with just a couple of his good friends. The mom of the violent kid reached out several times asking me when DS birthday was because her son was really looking forward to it.
Anonymous
07/12/2025 07:03
Subject: What’s the WORST birthday party experience you ever had?
We booked a party at a kid venue and paid. When we showed up for the party the venue was shut and dark. Lots of phone calls later I finally reached someone and found out they'd written our party down for the wrong date. Completely their mistake. The date on the signed contract was correct.
I had 20 8-year olds standing in a parking lot for over an hour until someone from the site finally showed up. They did eventually host an abbreviated party for us and and agreed to refund what we paid. But then it took them many months and dozens of phone calls to get a refund. So slimy. Yeah. It was a YMCA.
I had 20 8-year olds standing in a parking lot for over an hour until someone from the site finally showed up. They did eventually host an abbreviated party for us and and agreed to refund what we paid. But then it took them many months and dozens of phone calls to get a refund. So slimy. Yeah. It was a YMCA.
Anonymous
07/12/2025 07:02
Subject: What’s the WORST birthday party experience you ever had?
My husband banned us from doing piñatas. Always some drama. Kids and I would make them together and have so much fun planning and constructing and 90% of kids loved it but pretty much every time it was an incredibly stressful activity to run and often someone ended up in tears.
Anonymous
07/12/2025 06:48
Subject: What’s the WORST birthday party experience you ever had?
Anonymous wrote:Kids don't mind the heat or bugs, just parents, so do what you want and let the kids have fun. I've never hosted or attended a bad birthday. It's a celebration, and a good time has always been had by all
+1 don’t listen to dcum naysayers it’s a kids birthday party, parents don’t expect it to be crazy fun for them that’s fine
Anonymous
07/12/2025 06:32
Subject: What’s the WORST birthday party experience you ever had?
Parents couldn’t stop fighting.
Anonymous
07/12/2025 06:30
Subject: What’s the WORST birthday party experience you ever had?
Kids don't mind the heat or bugs, just parents, so do what you want and let the kids have fun. I've never hosted or attended a bad birthday. It's a celebration, and a good time has always been had by all
Anonymous
07/12/2025 03:20
Subject: What’s the WORST birthday party experience you ever had?
Unless the party is early morning or involves a pool, I would just decline an invite for a summer outdoor party. Hate the heat and insects.
Anonymous
07/12/2025 02:26
Subject: What’s the WORST birthday party experience you ever had?
I don’t think I’ve ever attended a bad birthday party, as a kid or as an adult. There’s always something to be happy about, something to enjoy. And I don’t come from a rich family, nor have we been to lavish parties now as a parent.
All this to say—op, try not to worry about what could go wrong. Imperfect can be perfect—it’s how people feel.
All this to say—op, try not to worry about what could go wrong. Imperfect can be perfect—it’s how people feel.
Anonymous
07/12/2025 01:56
Subject: What’s the WORST birthday party experience you ever had?
Kid sad over smashed pinata that grandma had him make with her to match the theme of the party. I expected this would go badly and it did.
Anonymous
07/12/2025 01:42
Subject: What’s the WORST birthday party experience you ever had?
A very unstable, angry magician, who scared an entire party of preschoolers (and parents). I’m still shocked this guy is in business 5 yrs later. Maybe it was just a very bad day.
Anonymous
07/12/2025 01:34
Subject: What’s the WORST birthday party experience you ever had?
I would hate fully outside with the heat and bugs and I’d be concerned about food sitting out in the heat. Have activities.
Anonymous
07/12/2025 01:28
Subject: What’s the WORST birthday party experience you ever had?
I have always hated concentrated attention on me, so as a kid I always cried when anyone sang happy birthday to me. It caused me to hate my birthday and to this day I never tell anyone when it is. I also felt a ton of pressure to have a literal happy birthday and that pressure caused me to be miserable and then I felt upset that I wasn't happy on my birthday.
None of this is helpful to you. You don't say if you're planning this party for yourself or others, but unless you live in the NW, an outdoor party in the summer sounds awful. Too hot, too humid, mosquitoes, food at weird temps, etc. So I'd say have multiple fans and tents for shade and BBQ burgers and chicken and serve ice pops and tons of cold drinks.
None of this is helpful to you. You don't say if you're planning this party for yourself or others, but unless you live in the NW, an outdoor party in the summer sounds awful. Too hot, too humid, mosquitoes, food at weird temps, etc. So I'd say have multiple fans and tents for shade and BBQ burgers and chicken and serve ice pops and tons of cold drinks.
Anonymous
07/12/2025 01:15
Subject: What’s the WORST birthday party experience you ever had?
As a host or a guest. Curious as I plan for an outdoor summer party.