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Original poster

Paying to attend child's party?

550 replies

arachnidpearl · 01/02/2022 11:15

Would welcome views on this.

My DS has been invited to a child's party on Sunday. It's at an activity place with a climbing wall then food afterwards. Accepted invitation weeks ago, have bought card and gift etc.

We've been sent a message yesterday from birthday child's parent last night which says that all children under 8 must be supervised by an adult each, which is ok with me I don't mind staying (would rather not, but it's not the end of the world) but that in order to stay and supervise we have to buy a full price adults ticket, which costs £25!

Is this usual? It seems a bit of a cheek to me!

OP posts:
HardbackWriter · 02/02/2022 21:54

@marpelier

I think mum needs to salvage the situation by offering to take at least 2 children with herself and husband. Plus her 8yo that's 3. Maybe a couple of other parents have agreed to come as well, so that would be 5. She could then ask the parents who pulled out of the climbing to bring their children to meet afterwards at a nearby park for cake and drinks and a run around. Birthday boy gets to see all the invitees, and get his presents and basically gets 2 parties!
You're going to piss off the parents paying £25 even more if they turn up and discover that actually not everyone had to pay it!
Merryoldgoat · 02/02/2022 22:03

@April506

Please let us know what the venue say. We used to have parties at play centres for five year old upwards and never needed adults to attend although they could if they wanted...it was only the children that we had to pay for!
OP posted ages ago - the venue confirmed they need 1:1 and the cost.
ThumbWitchesAbroad · 02/02/2022 22:25

I think @Poppitt58 has it, which sort of ties in with what I thought before about insurance etc.

Either way though, it's pretty likely that the party mum KNEW about this when she made the booking and has elected to spring it on parents late in the day, in the hopes that they'll just "suck it up" so as not to disappoint her child. She was wrong.
IF she didn't know about it, then that is a failing on the part of the venue - they should have been very clear about children under 8 needing an inducted supervisor (@£25 on the day).

So *best case scenario - lack of appropriate communications between the venue and partymum - she didn't tell them there would be under 8s there, so they didn't mention the adult supervisor/inductee fee - and she found out later and then had to let parents know because she hadn't budgeted for it.

*best = most sympathetic and kind option to the partymum.

Either way, fuck up of major proportions and a good thread to warn others off of taking 8th birthday parties to climbing places where extra supervision is required for under 8s!

nitsandwormsdodger · 02/02/2022 22:25

But now I just feel gutted for that poor kid
No pals at his bday and a very daft mum to boot
I hope she has the good grace to accept she fucked up

EdnaEmbra · 02/02/2022 22:31

If it's a climbing wall type party you'll also be clipping your child in and out of their harness for the whole active part of the party.

Londoncallingme · 02/02/2022 22:31

The pay and stay is ok I suppose but not £25! And certainly not last minute. Perhaps the hosts hadn’t realised until last night and he’d no choice but to try to put ut in the parents. Personally I would have paid the £200 but perhaps they haven’t got it and just didn’t realise?

Lockdownbear · 02/02/2022 22:33

I want to give party mum the benefit of the doubt, surely nobody would be daft enough to book a party knowing that parents would need to pay?

I think she's either forgotten lots of kids aren't 8 or the venue didn't make it clear it was 121, she maybe thought a couple of adult could watch the however many 7 yos.

I honestly don't think she'd have booked if she'd realised - surely everyone worries that nobody will turn up at their kids party - or is that just my insecurities?

DreamTheMoors · 02/02/2022 22:33

Sounds like severely crappy planning on the birthday child’s parents.

They planned the party, booked the venue and then found out later the rules & requirements of said venue.
Now they either charge you & the other parents or disappoint the birthday kid.
As the saying goes, “not your circus, not your monkeys.”
This would irritate me to no end. I would, however, feel bad for the birthday kid having to suffer for his parent’s incompetence.

pollymere · 02/02/2022 22:34

I do feel for the poor Mum. I'll bet that they didn't mention it when she booked the party! Easy £200 for them if people pay up. Hopefully you'll be able to plan something nice for them to do together. Of course, if I'd planned the party, I probably would have just said they were all eight...

TigerLilyTail · 02/02/2022 22:46

I probably would have just said they were all eight.

Right!? I mean it's only a few months for most kids. She would have been better off waiting until next year for this kind of party.

AdobeWanKenobi · 02/02/2022 22:49

@Mumof32017

There’s over 20 pages to comb through, what did the venue say? I need to know how this ended 😂
Go to the OP.

Click "see all"

Magic.

tigerlilly22 · 02/02/2022 23:00

It is a bit cheeky. I wouldn't go !

TwinMagic2012 · 02/02/2022 23:07

No, no, no, not going...

marpelier · 02/02/2022 23:24

True @HardbackWriter
You'd have to keep it under your hat. Was just thinking of ways to save the day. Poor bday boy

massiveblob · 02/02/2022 23:26

No. I'd not go

Mollymoostoo · 02/02/2022 23:35

This sounds a but suspect to me. For chidlrens parties the venue is responsible for ratios and if the adults are purely for supervision, there would not be a charge.
As other have said, check with the venue. This is not a sustainable business model so in reality I think there is more to this than meets the eye.

LouBan · 02/02/2022 23:42

That is very cheeky. My DD is actually going to a party this weekend at a small soft play that is only for children age 5 and under and adults have to stay. We looked into having her birthday party there and there is one lump sum to pay which covers their maximum amount of children (I think it's 20) and their parents. I assumed all places like this would have a similar deal. Birthday parties already cost as you have to get a gift. The message didn't say anything like since you are paying for a ticket they would understand if you don't bring a gift, did it?

PaddleBoardingMomma · 03/02/2022 04:01

@arachnidpearl

Well you made the newspapers anyway!

www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/mums-frustration-being-asked-pay-22957512.amp

Zonder · 03/02/2022 05:30

@Mollymoostoo

This sounds a but suspect to me. For chidlrens parties the venue is responsible for ratios and if the adults are purely for supervision, there would not be a charge. As other have said, check with the venue. This is not a sustainable business model so in reality I think there is more to this than meets the eye.
Op already did some time back. It's for real.
Bibbidybobbidybooboo · 03/02/2022 06:58

Definitely check with the venue.... Even if it's true, once they've been asked, I wonder if they'll make an exception? V bad planning. My 8 Yr old would be heart broken if no one came to her party...I feel sorry for the child, AND the parents if this is an error, bet they feel bad also if so.

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 03/02/2022 07:01

[quote PaddleBoardingMomma]@arachnidpearl

Well you made the newspapers anyway!

www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/mums-frustration-being-asked-pay-22957512.amp[/quote]
Maybe the venue will read it and see that there's total agreement that their pricing is ridiculous Grin

RampantIvy · 03/02/2022 07:01

Why can't posters read the OP's update before posting?

SHE HAS CONTACTED THE VENUE TO CHECK

Mumof32017 · 03/02/2022 07:30

I actually didn’t realise that, no need to be a cock 🙄

RampantIvy · 03/02/2022 07:45

Just select "see all" on the first post by the OP and it will just bring up all of her posts on this thread.

whenwillthemadnessend · 03/02/2022 07:59

Is it one of these private health clubs that charges a day pass.
That's the only reason I can think of to justify £25
Anyway glad it's sorted.

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