No party food or drink provided

[ImaMumtoaboy]

So my ds(11) went to a football party yesterday. The minute we got in the car he asked to go the shop for a drink as he was so thirsty.
Party was at the local astro pitch, party room included that has 2 ovens, hob, 2 toasters, 2 microwaves and 2 fridges. Most parents bring in frozen pizzas and chips and cook them or order in pizzas.
Kids were running around for 2 hours in hot weather they were not offered any drinks during that time.
He said in the "party room" they got 1 small bottle of water (250ml) and a small slice of birthday cake. They only went into the room 10 minutes before I arrived to collect him.
When I went in the mother was packing up the cake which looked like there was about 3/4's left. I thought the kids must have had enough food that they didnt want cake. And parents cleaned up very quickly. Kids were all quiet(14 11/12 yr old boys) who are normally very loud at parties. Kids were just sitting waiting to be collected.Turns out they got a very very skinny slice, described by ds as thinner then a slice of bread.
Ended up bringing him to Mcdonalds as a treat and we seen 2 other parents of kids that were at the same party getting their kids food.

why do people throw parties without even the basics ! A few pizzas would cost a few ££ and there are cakes for 4 people for £16 . I agree with you , cannot grasp how the parents failed the basics

You can get pizzas for 90p each my god

Come on, you could buy two loafs of bread, some butter and a pot of jam for under £5. If your child cant get gluten or diary ask the parebt to pack a small snack. Having no food at all on offer but could hire a venue and buy a cake? If my mates can't offord a party they don't have one, or they offer a play date straight after school before tea. They don't hire a venue then protect a small cake. They wouldn't want the embarrassment. Unless the kids are under 6 they will notice and comment.

Cake for 40 people I meant 😜

You again. 😂

Invite to a birthday party.
I have four kids between me and my husband and in all the years of parties there has never been one where they didn't provide food and drink, the food varying from sausage rolls and crisps to much more elaborate offerings.
If you just want a joint activity you make it very clear it's 'bring your own drink and snacks'.

So the parents booked (and paid for) the astroturf pitch for 2 hours, and the kids spent almost all of this time playing football. That sounds like heaven for football-mad kids, who'd rather do that than anything else. Hopefully this was what the birthday boy chose to do with his friends.
Despite it being an extremely hot day, you took your DC to play football but didn't think to send him with a water bottle?
Surely at the age of 11/12 any child should feel able to organise getting some water from a tap or drinking fountain if they feel thirsty? isn't this what they do at school?! presumably there is free tap water available at this venue? Did he just not want to stop playing?

I don't understand all the PPS berating the organising parents for being 'cheap' because they didn't buy a bottle of squash. I don't buy squash for kids. I don't see what's wrong with tap water. Much better for their teeth. (some parents insist on brushing teeth immediately after any sugar is consumed - it doesn't sound like you sent your DC along with a toothbrush either!)

Always food at a party! It's easy to do a cheap buffet and really bad form not to feed guests. And as for taking your own water, to a party! People on here are in another planet sometimes.
OP YANBU.

Never been to a kids party without food. Sounds like the tesco shop didn't turn up and they're skint. They should have said to eat before going though. You do expect food at a party.

Nothing wrong with tap water. No one is saying that.
The problem was no food. At a child's birthday party.

Who sends a child to a party with their water bottle?

Really rude hosts. Imagine hosting a party and hardly providing any food or drink.

Don’t send them a thank you card.

But it isn't two hours. If you assume your child will be fed, because that's the status quo, you don't feed them before they go, anticipating that meal time is halfway through the party. So they'll be an hour past wanting food, and thirst on top will exacerbate that.

Totally fine to not provide food but tell people. Really unreasonable to not at least provide cheap squash

weve had a couple of invites recently where we’ve been told lunch would not be provided , been asked to send kid with water bottle and even been asked to contribute to an expensive activity rather than give a present . I was fine with all three - I think it’s the not being transparent that’s the issue here .

Its very unusual, especially over lunchtime
Sometimes people just get stuff a bit wrong
Everyone lived

For people saying the kids should have brought theirnown water bottles......
Would you send your child to a birthday party in someones house with a water bottle?
Yes it was a hot day, it was a birthday party, its not that unusual to think drinks were to be provided.
Yes my ds brings his water bottle to school and football training but he is not been INVITED to these places by a friends parents to celebrate their childs birthday.

Will your DS ever recover from this horrific experience OP? Send him my love and prayers 😅

Seriously maybe their mortgage doubled in the past few months, maybe the husband just lost his job, there could be a million reasons. Maybe they are loaded but stingy as hell? Who cares. It was a 2 hour party, the kids got to play football together. Let it go.

Shit hosting. We were at a sports party today, kids out in the sun running around – all had their water bottles but when they drank them dry the hosts were running interference refilling them, giving out cups of squash. Then a proper party tea (yes with party rings), cake, etc. And they bought a couple of rounds of drinks for the grownups in attendance. Food and drink is a party basic, more so when it’s hot and part of the party involves exercising in the sun.

If you’re not doing proper food you need to make clear on the invites. Been to quite a few football parties that didn’t do proper food but that was always made clear.

One year, because it was as an odd time (my fault for booking late) I noted on the invites that after the football the kids would get a juice, crisps and a slice of cake. Football was 2.30-3.30 so not over a meal time at all and I didn’t want to ruin dinner plans for people. I have always sent a note before football parties to ask kids to bring a named water bottle and then provided plenty of drinks after. Otherwise they get all the drinks mixed up when they’re playing.

For a sports party in the heat I would always send them with plenty of water even if not asked to. But not to even give them a snack, or an ice cream is stingy.

I always like to know about the food situation in advance so I can time what to feed my daughter. Drinks wise I prob would have sent her with a bottle anyway with the heat the way it is but yes would expect drinks at least to be provided.

Bring your own waiter bottle to a party?😮

I'm so glad you said this! I couldn't work out how none of my friendship group knew this was expected! My oldest has nearly finished primary and has never been to a party without drinks being accessible throughout

Boom! There it is mn pithy judgement and food shaming applied when not necessary

Would you send your child to a birthday party in someones house with a water bottle?

But it wasn’t at someone’s house?

But without food??

They probably didn't eat right before going in, so it's more like 3 hours. Imagine going swimming for 2 hours and having just water to drink. That's miserable as hell.