Missing birthday party-should I offer to pay?

[Lovetodream]

We were meant to go for DS(4) ‘s best friends birthday party today afternoon. This morning he woke up with a nasty cold, cough and a slight temperature. He has been up since 5.30 am , I tried to get him to nap in the morning but no luck. I’ve decided to not take him in as there lest he gets worse. The party is at a trampoline park, should I offer to pay for his food etc as we will cancel last moment. I’m feeling bad for DS as he’s really fond of this boy and was looking forward to the trampoline experience. DH feels he can go with calpol but I feel uneasy about it. Am i overreacting here? Would you take your child to a party with an early stage cold/cough/fever etc.

I would! My kids both seem to always have a slight cough or cold and we would never go anywhere if I stayed in when they were like this!
I would give calpol and take him, if he is unwell when you get there you can always take him home but chances are he will happily bounce around with his friends!

I wouldn’t take a sick child to a party - for both the sake of my child, other children there or anyone else who might be impacted by catching the cold.

By all means cancel, explain why, apologise and offer to pay. The host may simply appreciate the gesture and not accept. These things do happen.

I'd let them know ASAP so they can maybe offer place to a sibling and therefore it's not wasted.

I would offer to pay and have appreciated the gesture when roles have been reversed. I haven't ever taken up the offer nor had the offer accepted but do think it's polite.

Kids go to school with a cold. Depends on how he is tomorrow. I'd aim for sending him in after a dose of calpol and if he feels unwell leave early. If you don't go it would be a nice gesture to offer to pay - I doubt they'd take you up on it.

I would, they will probably decline but it's nice to offer.

I wouldn't send him. Apologise and give a present for the birthday boy when you next see him. Kids get ill at inconvenient times.

With a slight cold, yes. With a temperature, absolutely not.

How is he now? Does he still have a temperature?

If he's just got a bit of a cold, I'd let him go. If he's got a high temperature and he's clearly unwell, I'd pay for his place and give as much notice as possible so someone can try and fill the space.

I would offer to pay and make sure I gave the birthday child a present.

We ended up not going, he has a slight temperature and really tired. I doubt he would’ve lasted the whole 3 hours. I called up the mom and explained and offered to pay for his place. Feel bad for DS and the little birthday boy, hopefully I can arrange a play date at a trampoline park at a later date.

I would have offered to pay.

We've only had to cancel once on the day (I was pregnant and feeling unwell and DP was at work) but we gave the card and gift to birthday girl on the Monday.

You did the right thing, offering to pay and also not taking him. Not just for his sake. But you can't risk spreading it to other kids. That would be shitty, so you took the right steps.