Do parents stay at parties or just drop them?

[mrshunta]

DS has been invited to his first birthday party and DD is going too it's at there house for two hours.

I will ask her the mum, but what is the usual protocol before I embarrass myself?

Ours we stayed until they had done nearly a year of school I think.

How old are they?

Depends on age, where and how well you know the other parents.

At my DC's infant school we stayed for almost all, it was expected. A few rare times they preferred a drop and run but more often than not parents stayed and kept an eye on their kids.

Ask, and see what they say.

Depends on the age and setting. If it is at their house they may not have space.

Depends on how old the kids are and if at home how well you know the parents. From memory think parents stayed until age 7ish, but I did leave dc earlier with parents we knew well.

DS is 4 and DD is 3 I'm assuming parents are staying. I was just unsure because it's at there house.

Here we started dropping at about Year 2- there would always be the odd parent happy to leave toddlers AND also those who would hang about for a 12 year old party!!
My rule of thumb was - how independent was DC (able to go to toilet etc by self) - was it in somebody's home / a soft play (etc) centre where the general public was 'mixing' with the party.

Depended on age, venue and numbers pre- Covid with parents attending / chatting to other parents/ helping pass round the food / taking their own child to the toilet when they were pre-school, reception age or year 1. From around year 2 depended on venue but less large parties and children more independent so often would go and run an errand and go back and collect or arrange with friends to lift share there or back.
Would be happier to leave if you know the hosts well when they are little, but if your DC are prone to anxiety or getting upset better to accompany as the hosts are already busy.

There is no protocol. Just ask the parents each time. Shouldn't be embarrassing at all.

I'd would say definitely stay at that age but check with the host. All parents stayed at parties in reception and year 1 here although they were never at people's houses.

@mrshunta I am sure they will be glad of an extra pair of hands, just ask what you can do to help when it gets to food time etc..