What do you think of this situation?

[maverick]

Hi All,

Well we went along to one of my daughters friends 4th birthday party this evening, it started at 5 pm at a local pizza place that caters for young children. They have a large play area complete with a large jungle gym kind of thing.

Anyway there were a large number of mainly 4 year old girls which is what you would expect except there were about 5 little ones that were just dropped off by their parents. The parents then proceeded to shoot out the door without saying anything to anyone. Now my wife and I knew the little tykes from the day care centre but none of us knew the parents. So their we all were with our kids making sure they played nicely and monitored their safety and behaviour except nobody was looking after these 5 little girls who were really wanting someone to guide them as to what to do. Anyway my wife and I took it on ourselves to look after them and made sure that they had some food and drink etc and they all stuck to us like glue. I felt really peeved at their parents for doing a runner on them, they were great kids who needed a parent to be with them. I felt really crappy when they were seeing the other parents giving their kids drinks and food etc then they would look around as if to say where is ours. So yep, we stepped in and provided it all for them in the end we spent about $50 in food and drinks for these girls and although I do not begrudge providing it for the little ones I just think it was a very poor effort on behalf of their parents.

About two hours after the party started we had to leave cause I needed to go to work, a lot of the other parents and children had already left. But I said to my wife that there is noway we can just leave these little girls here by themselves so we stayed until their parents finally turned up and took them. Only one of the parents said thanks for looking after their child. :shame:

We never said anything to the parents but I reckon the expression on my face was worth a thousand words anyway. Would you have said anything if you were in our place?

[Mamaduke]

So yep, we stepped in and provided it all for them in the end we spent about $50 in food and drinks for these girls and although I do not begrudge providing it for the little ones I just think it was a very poor effort on behalf of their parents.

I would never leave my child at a party alone at this age and to expect the parent of the birthday child to look after your child at this age is quite pathetic...but my question is - what is the deal with inviting people to a birthday party and then making them buy their own food? I think that's really poor!!!

[maverick]

I would never leave my child at a party alone at this age and to expect the parent of the birthday child to look after your child at this age is quite pathetic...but my question is - what is the deal with inviting people to a birthday party and then making them buy their own food? I think that's really poor!!!

Sorry, let me clarify one point. The birthday girls mum did provide some pizzas but it was up to the parents to dish the food out etc. The only drink provided was water and again it was up to the parents to pour it out into the plastic cups for the children. Of course as is always the case not every child would eat Pizza, ours will not touch pizza. So we bought a small bowl of chips for her not thinking. Well it was like bees to a honey pot, so we provided more chips and garlic bread as our girl loves her garlic bread. Like I said I do not begrudge providing food for the girls as they are just little tykes and they were really good kids. We just found it very dissappointing of their parents to do a runner on them like that.

Made sure that the drinks we provided were only apple juice and they all seemed happy with that, I felt reasonably sure there would not be too many reactions to apple juice.

[Mamaduke]

Oh..okay then! ;)
I once took Jesse to a 3rd birthday party and one of the Mums left her child there alone and I couldn't believe it.
During the party the little boy started to cry and want his Mummy and even though every other child's parent was there and was trying to console him, it of course wasn't the same.
If I knew the parents really well and it was at their home then I would probably leave Jesse if it was a 'drop off' party - but at a playcentre, to selfishly expect the parents that have stayed to keep an eye on your child - it's not only rude but dangerous!

(psst, just quietly - if I organised a party and saw that some of the parents were buying chips, garlic bread etc for their children, and in your case, the children of others, I would step in pay for the things that they'd ordered.)

[reAllytee]

(psst, just quietly - if I organised a party and saw that some of the parents were buying chips, garlic bread etc for their children, and in your case, the children of others, I would step in pay for the things that they'd ordered.)



Note to self ..... Make sure we get invited to those parties !!!!!
Oh darn did i post this :eek: :p

[maverick]

Oh..okay then! ;)
(psst, just quietly - if I organised a party and saw that some of the parents were buying chips, garlic bread etc for their children, and in your case, the children of others, I would step in pay for the things that they'd ordered.)

I would too but I accept that there are some families that are doing it tough and may not be able to spend more than they already have.

I am more peeved at the parents for letting their kids down like this. Like you I would never leave my daughter alone for a minute, either my wife or myself are with her even if it is out in our garden. Maybe we are just over protective but that is the way we are.

[cmd'smum]

I would never, ever leave my 4 year old anywhere without me or her dad! :eek: Just too risky these days!!

I think you did the right thing, you're very generous and I would have done the same...after all they are just children....... and I would feel soo bad if they had to watch everyone else eat.

As for their parents :shame: I feel sorry for those kids :( poor things!

[ziggie]

It's funny, because I remember being dropped off at birthday parties, and also remember my mum looking after ten kids or more at my own parties, but all the mums knew each other. I would NEVER leave Mitchell with anyone that I didn't know, and trust enough to look after my precious child with as much care as my DH and I do. I feel really strongly about this, and hope I don't offend anyone, but these parents that maverick is describing need to take a good look at themselves and their parenting. ESPECIALLY these days, with what happened to the little girl in the shopping center toilets, and all the other horror stories you hear about. :mad: :( :mad: :(

[pegasus]

Just lending my support to the "I wouldn't leave my child at a party by themself at this age" group. I'm guessing you won't be wanting to invite these kids to a party your little girl might have knowing you may end up looking after these extras.

[maverick]

Just lending my support to the "I wouldn't leave my child at a party by themself at this age" group. I'm guessing you won't be wanting to invite these kids to a party your little girl might have knowing you may end up looking after these extras.

As a matter of fact some of these same children attended my daughters birthday last year but we made sure that we asked all the parents of the children invited to make sure at least one parent or carer was present for the party and we knew who that would be. We did not have any problems with children being left by themselves at that time.

[mum_2_5]

That is very rude of the parents. I hope they got the message with the look on your face. And good for you and you wife for standing up and looking after the poor little kids. I know I would do the same as you cause I have in the past.

[pegasus]

Thanks for you clarification maverick. It's good to hear that your party went a bit differently so the kids could all attend in safety and without undue stress.

[rynosmum]

Good on you for watching the little ones but I must admit that I'm shocked by anyone who would leave their kids of that age at a party on their own!

Especially in this day and age and especially in that it was at a public place, not the relative safety of someone's home. :no:

[Ana Gram]

That is a pretty poor effort by those parents. There is no way I would leave my child unless previously arranged and I knew who would be taking care of her. What if one of these kids had a food allergy??
I would have definately said something, but I tend to be confrontational.