Mumsnet Talk

My DDs have just been invited to their first birthday party in the next few weeks. It is a child at their preschool 4th birthday in an hired out hall. Basically I have no idea what the latest party etiquette is! Am I expected to leave them there or do I stay with them and watch? To be honest I think they might burst into tears if I leave them with "unfamiliar" adults, but I don't want to be the only mum standing there. Can anybody help?

don't know about your area, but at our pre-school, parents all stay at 4th birthday parties.

I'd have expected to stay at a preschool party too.

Thanks for your help, that's what I thought. I wondered because I see some parents simply dump their child at preschool and run out the door in the space of one minute. So I thought that they might do that at parties as well!

A novel idea - you could speak to the parents who are organising it?

Either ask "are you expecting parents to stay?" or say "I don't think my DDs would like it if I left, could I hang around and help out?"

I am arranging a party for DD's 4th and explicitly asked for a RSVP and also to confirm how many adults would be staying with the child at the party.

I think 4 is too young to dump and go at a party.

Generally here parents seem to stay for 4th birthday parties, but if you are planning to bring siblings you might want to check, as a party invite for 20 can easily turn into 40 if siblings turn up too. Also second/third children may well want to just be left because that is what their siblings do once they start school. There's no point in a long goodbye or trying to stay if the child wants you to go. Hope they have fun.

I've never been to a 4 year old's party where a parent hasn't stayed