Would you drive 25 minutes for a birthday party?

[SparePartz]

DD would like to do a certain activity, but it's 25 minutes (via motorway) or 40 minutes driving. Or 60 minutes by foot/public transport.

Would you take your child to a 12th birthday party so far away?

Would you be happy to give the fare (£15) as a gift if your child came with us on public transport?

Sure, doesn’t seem unreasonable to give a lift or supply the fare but we are not on a tight budget so that probably has an impact.

Yes.

I wouldn’t think twice about a 25 minute drive for a birthday party. Wouldn’t even occur to me that it might be an issue.

I live rurally, 25 minutes is totally normal to get anywhere, yes I would

I'd drive 25 minutes but I think £15 per child is a bit steep personally.. but then I am from Yorkshire 😂

but I think £15 per child is a bit steep personally. I don't set the bus/train prices!

How many buses / trams will it take?

Is that a huge drive for you? It's hardly any distance at all, it'd be the equivalent of me going into town 6/7miles away

What is the relevance of the gift?
Is another mum asking you to take their child to a party and fund the public transport costs?

25 minutes is no time at all. I've taken my child to a party 40 minutes away without giving it a moment's thought.

Not sure why the duration avoiding the motorway is relevant either.

I live in a city and all the usual party places - laser quest, cinema bowling, trampolining, swimming pool - are all about 30 mins drive in various directions. It’s normal. I wouldn’t even complicate matters with the public transport / gift offer. Are these kids old enough / known each other long enough that the parents know each other? In my experience a group text quickly goes out, “lift share for Lucy’s trampolining party?”

25mins is barely anything, wouldn't even cross my mind. Most parties are at least 15mins away for us

I would take my child, no problem. I would probably go and buy their ticket if I was sending them on public transport with another parent, though.

Can't do or get anywhere around here without a 25 min drive so perfectly reasonable for me.

Yes I would, 25 minutes isn’t far.

Are there some parents who are afraid of motorway driving?

Yeah, of course I'd drive it, it's not far.

Even if you don’t know the parents - at 12 I guess this could be new Y7 friends? - at that age I’d tell my child to ask their friends if there’d be any problem getting there. Let them check with parents and tell her that it sounds OK.

I wouldn't bat an eyelid but then where we live it's longer than that to get to school, the supermarket, doctor etc and 1-2 hours to our regular hobbies. 25 mins is nothing. I'd probably be happier to do the drive myself than take the public transport option though, and I'd be looking to car share with other parents to make it more convenient for everyone.

We will often hook up for a lift share also and I would expect the party parent to take as many as he/she could fit in their car.

yes, 25 minutes is fine. isn't the whole point of car to travel long distances unless its only used for sub 20 minute journeys.

Yes - that would have been well within normal parameters when dd was at primary (generally no public transport or foot options possible). By secondary age her school was further than that so for sure we would have done (and friends attending her parties mostly came at least that far the other way. Some amount of lift sharing was sometimes possible.

Another rural dweller here. It can be 25 minutes for a pint of milk and up to an hour for most hobby groups out here. No public transport either.

So, yes, frequently had to drive upwards of 25 minutes for birthday parties/hobbies/groups when my kids were younger. Boring, but necessary. Also used to have nice chats with them in the car.

and I would expect the party parent to take as many as he/she could fit in their car.
Party parent i.e. me doesn't have a car.

I would. I would also however be hugely grateful if any alternative (lift share/public transport) was proposed. Also depends on the length of the party. I hate 1.5 hour parties 25 mins away with no lift shares and no suitable place for me to hang around while I want for the party to finish. I wouldn’t say my child couldn’t go though, assuming it didn’t clash with me needing to take another child somewhere else at the same time!

We lift shared with other parents when my lot were younger. This was the case for all activities.