Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the OP. The party was today, and a grand time was had by all. All the kids had a blast. They had pizza, cake, and lots and lots of tokens to play all the games they could play. No one was emotionally damaged by not getting a goody bag at the end. I have not been shunned by the other parents as far as I can tell. I'm pretty sure life will go on and the earth will continue to rotate.

You are still a cheapskate, a killjoy, and a generally lame person though.

It would suck to be related to you.

Oh stop with the dramatics. I'm a very nice person who gave my kid and his friends a very nice, fun party. Just because they didn't get a bag of Chinese plastic garbage to take home does not make me all those things. You people are ridiculous. It's a stupid goody bag FFS.

Good for you OP. I wold love goodie bags to just go away. Mom of 15 and 9 year olds - so I've BTDT!

Anonymous wrote:This is the OP. The party was today, and a grand time was had by all. All the kids had a blast. They had pizza, cake, and lots and lots of tokens to play all the games they could play. No one was emotionally damaged by not getting a goody bag at the end. I have not been shunned by the other parents as far as I can tell. I'm pretty sure life will go on and the earth will continue to rotate.

You are still a cheapskate, a killjoy, and a generally lame person though.

It would suck to be related to you.

Anonymous wrote:This is the OP. The party was today, and a grand time was had by all. All the kids had a blast. They had pizza, cake, and lots and lots of tokens to play all the games they could play. No one was emotionally damaged by not getting a goody bag at the end. I have not been shunned by the other parents as far as I can tell. I'm pretty sure life will go on and the earth will continue to rotate.

I'm glad to hear the world has not ended. That's a relief.

Did you expect the children to express their disappointment to you? Or their parents to express their sentiments publicly?

This is the OP. The party was today, and a grand time was had by all. All the kids had a blast. They had pizza, cake, and lots and lots of tokens to play all the games they could play. No one was emotionally damaged by not getting a goody bag at the end. I have not been shunned by the other parents as far as I can tell. I'm pretty sure life will go on and the earth will continue to rotate.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Goody bags are the worst, and if I had a child who expressed disappointment at the lack of one after having two hours of fun at a party to which someone else was kind enough to invite them, I'd feel like a failure as a parent.

They had better keep any emotions buttoned up. Mommy doesn't want to hear it.

They can express it all they want, and they'll be told to get over it. Not every emotion has to be indulged. It's not my job to give my child a disappointment-free life.

It's a little like vaccinations, though. You not providing gift bags has no effect on YOUR child since your birthday kid gets presents.

Parents who don't want them should start telling the host beforehand so they don't make one for you and then you should manage your own kid's emotions. Put your own kid's disappointment where your mouth is for a year before you lecture anyone else.

it's absolutlely nothing like vaccinations. Goody bags are not life and death.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Goody bags are the worst, and if I had a child who expressed disappointment at the lack of one after having two hours of fun at a party to which someone else was kind enough to invite them, I'd feel like a failure as a parent.

They had better keep any emotions buttoned up. Mommy doesn't want to hear it.

They can express it all they want, and they'll be told to get over it. Not every emotion has to be indulged. It's not my job to give my child a disappointment-free life.

It's a little like vaccinations, though. You not providing gift bags has no effect on YOUR child since your birthday kid gets presents.

Parents who don't want them should start telling the host beforehand so they don't make one for you and then you should manage your own kid's emotions. Put your own kid's disappointment where your mouth is for a year before you lecture anyone else.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Goody bags are the worst, and if I had a child who expressed disappointment at the lack of one after having two hours of fun at a party to which someone else was kind enough to invite them, I'd feel like a failure as a parent.

They had better keep any emotions buttoned up. Mommy doesn't want to hear it.

They can express it all they want, and they'll be told to get over it. Not every emotion has to be indulged. It's not my job to give my child a disappointment-free life.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My five year old is on her way to a birthday party today and, apropos of nothing, listed off her favorite part of birthday parties to be (1) playing with friends, (2) goody bags, (3) birthday cake, and (4) giving presents to birthday kid.

She's 5, so I'm happy she even thinks giving someone else a gift is on the list, even if it came in last. I'm glad playing comes first. I'm just noting that goody bags came ahead of cake, even. Hey, you don't have to cater to my kid, but I'm pretty sure her love of the surprise of a goody bag is somewhat universal to young kids. You can fight it, but I think you're a little mean and stingy and weird. They're just kids. How hard is it to buy some pencils and fake tattoos?

How hard is it to tell your five-year old that the only person who gets stuff at a birthday party is the birthday boy or girl?

Very hard because I would be LYING to her, since most people in this area DO hand out goody bags at the end. I could certainly teach her not to expect it if they weren't handed out anymore, but since all the parents (except the ones who are trying to get the five year olds to suck it up because of their own personal goody bag vendetta, whatever) hand them out, I'm not going to tell her they don't. I prep her for the idea there may not be one, but usually there is. Do you all lie to your kid and say there isn't one and then refuse to take one on the way out? Lying is not the way forward, in my book.

I love the people on here who are just like, hey, control your five year old's emotions. Whatever, ladies. Stuck to your principles of denying five year olds that small prize at the end of the party. You and I are different.

Anonymous wrote:I guess you hate baby shower and wedding favors too...

I don't hate them but they are unnecessary and add to an already long to-do list. At children birthday parties, they are a height of wastefulness.

I guess you hate baby shower and wedding favors too...

Anonymous wrote:Goody bags are the worst, and if I had a child who expressed disappointment at the lack of one after having two hours of fun at a party to which someone else was kind enough to invite them, I'd feel like a failure as a parent.

They had better keep any emotions buttoned up. Mommy doesn't want to hear it.

Goody bags are the worst, and if I had a child who expressed disappointment at the lack of one after having two hours of fun at a party to which someone else was kind enough to invite them, I'd feel like a failure as a parent.

Anonymous wrote:My five year old is on her way to a birthday party today and, apropos of nothing, listed off her favorite part of birthday parties to be (1) playing with friends, (2) goody bags, (3) birthday cake, and (4) giving presents to birthday kid.

She's 5, so I'm happy she even thinks giving someone else a gift is on the list, even if it came in last. I'm glad playing comes first. I'm just noting that goody bags came ahead of cake, even. Hey, you don't have to cater to my kid, but I'm pretty sure her love of the surprise of a goody bag is somewhat universal to young kids. You can fight it, but I think you're a little mean and stingy and weird. They're just kids. How hard is it to buy some pencils and fake tattoos?

How hard is it to tell your five-year old that the only person who gets stuff at a birthday party is the birthday boy or girl?

Anonymous wrote:My five year old is on her way to a birthday party today and, apropos of nothing, listed off her favorite part of birthday parties to be (1) playing with friends, (2) goody bags, (3) birthday cake, and (4) giving presents to birthday kid.

She's 5, so I'm happy she even thinks giving someone else a gift is on the list, even if it came in last. I'm glad playing comes first. I'm just noting that goody bags came ahead of cake, even. Hey, you don't have to cater to my kid, but I'm pretty sure her love of the surprise of a goody bag is somewhat universal to young kids. You can fight it, but I think you're a little mean and stingy and weird. They're just kids. How hard is it to buy some pencils and fake tattoos?

Well my 5yr old gets upset that the kids don't open up the present she picked out for them. That is her favorite part of a birthday party. She loves picking out and presenting a gift. She prefers small house parties with close friends. I guess our kids were just raised differently.