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?

Erm, yes? Live in London and use public transport so not unusual for it to take 30-60 minutes for us to get to specific events.

I live in an area with no party venues (unless you do it yourself) within 35 minutes. It's normal for everyone here.

I don’t drive and DC1 had a party somewhere those kinds of travelling times away. She didn’t invite many people so I took all of them on the bus and train. They mostly had bus passes for getting to school and I paid the train fare but it wasn’t much as most of them were covered by my Family Railcard. The parents seemed fine with that, but I wouldn’t have done it with younger kids or more of them.

Distance not an issue.

I’m confused about the cost of travel though. Are you expecting everyone to drop their children to you and leave the money for their journey to get there? I suspect (dependent upon how long the party is) many parents would prefer to drive their child there, it would be cheaper too.

That’s fine. I think when I had a pony party when I was younger it was about 30 mins drive away and people came.

Would be fine with 25-40 min drive.

Would be fine with 60-90 min walk.

Would not be fine with £15+ train and bus fares.

25min isn't far away but at 12yo, but how many people are you inviting? For a 12yo and 25min away, the parents will be stuck where you are holding the party. If the numbers aren't big, would you be able to have them dropped off at your place and you drive them all there? DH and I have two cars and we can take 6 children between the two of us, excluding our own two DDs.

I wouldn't ask for the fare as a gift.

Yes, absolutely, and did do so many times. But then we live in the country so distances aren't so much of an issue.

Yes and have done plenty of times! I’ve drove 30-60 minutes each way for a party sometimes lift share with the other parents of attendees

I’d think it was very odd to be asked to stump up for train fare. Surely it’s part of your cost for the party? I’d pay it but I’d never do that myself.

25 minutes is nothing if you live near here

Yes. I live in rural Northumberland. Totally normal up here.

25 minutes wouldn’t even register with me at all. I find the £15 instead of a present a bit weird though. To me, it’s up to parents to get their child to the party, organising lift shares between themselves.

We took DD1 and 6 friends to the theatre for her birthday which was an hour away. We invited and organised that though based on how many we could fit in our cars. Wouldn’t have expected parents to go that far.

I wouldn't even notice that time, I live in a city and it takes time to move around.

25 mi Ute's drive is nothing. I'd do it and further so my DC could go to a friend's birthday.

25 minutes is hardly a long drive! If people don't have access to a car then public transport is an option.

Crikey wouldn't occur to me not to go

Sure.

Dependant on how many people are attending could you all chip in for a minibus or something? Would probably work out the same as everyone taking public transport.

Either way, 25 mins is no big deal for most

Absolutely - from where we live its 30 to 45 minutes from the nearest towns where alot of birthday parties are held (soft plays/laser quest etc). Often takes longer on a Saturday so we usually leave an hour to allow for traffic. Never questioned it and never turned down a party if we can go (based on the journey time).

I used to take mine to another country, involving a passport/visa check for parties!! Some children did the same journey daily for school too...

25 min drive is nothing.

25 minutes is not much. Wouldnt go over about 40 minutes myself.

I would be fine with a 25 min drive. I wouldn't want to pay £ 15 for them to go on public transport. While you don't set the prices, you do pick the venue.

How many kids are going?

We are looking at a venue that's a bit of a drive away and considering just hiring a minibus for my DH to drive to get everyone there, saves anyone messing around.

Is this an option getting a friend to drive it for anyonr who needs it ?

Is it somewhere about 15-20 miles away (just thinking of the times/costs you have mentioned)? If so, I think that is different to what most people are talking about on here, which is driving through town traffic for 25 mins. To me there is a difference, probably because I haven't been driving that long and am a bit of wimp. I would maybe do the 40 minute journey or be happy for my DC to travel with you by train, but would feel bad about that £15 being their present, so would expect to give the birthday child a present too. So, it would cost more than a normal party for me, but I don't think I would say no.

In this situation surely people arrange to share lifts and you offer to take some of the kids?

Yes I would do it.
I don't drive and I've taken my child to party that's taken us over an hour to get to house to house before.