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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to wonder why on earth parents would arrange a party like this?

14 replies

brassband · 17/09/2010 11:07

The party is an hour and a half's drive away for half an hour of activity then a picnic lunch
It is all very well to say 'just say no', but it is DD's best friend (they are 5) and they live nearly next door so can't pretend she is sick, or we have anything else on.
No parent wants to traipse all that way.I wouldn't dream of arranging something so inconvenient for my own kids' parties

OP posts:

Vermdum · 17/09/2010 11:09

Could always give as your reply:

Cannot attend due to lack of SatNav.

JodiesMummy · 17/09/2010 11:09

I went to a party an hours drive away for DD the other weekend. I was grumbling all the way.
When we got there it was the most fantastic place and DD had a fab time. We did too. I felt ashamed of the lack of decent play facilities in our area (one of which is the venue for DD's party next week) - good on the parents for putting their kids first (even if they risk all the other parents hating them!) .

onepieceoflollipop · 17/09/2010 11:11

Unless I was very short of time or petrol money then I would just go, after having moaned a bit to my dh and moaned a bit on here probably.

SummerRain · 17/09/2010 11:12

I just wouldn't go, and i'd probably be blunt and say 'Sorry but the petrol will cost me far too much and i can't afford it this week'

And we live in a very rural location where i have to drive 45 mins to get to Tesco and the closest soft play is in the same town as Tesco.

Anenome · 17/09/2010 11:13

YANBU....it's silly...is it because the venue is the only place to offer the particular activity?
I had a party for my DD when she turend 6 and that was probably 45 minute to an hour drive for some parents but less for others...I chose that venue because I was SICK of gong to the same old crappy Stupid Billy's Playcentre...or Crappy Chris's Jumparound....etc

Those parties get on my nerves...all the parent sit in a corner swigging coffee and ignoring the kids! Even the bloody host parents don't bother to watch when the kids are playing musical statues or whatever...sorry....went on a rant!

Anyway..could it be that the distance is not so much for others? Or that she is also tired of attending another bunfight at another faceless playcentre?

PlumBumMum · 17/09/2010 11:13

Since they are next door can you not subtly suggest they give your dd a lift

Decorhate · 17/09/2010 11:14

Arrange a lift share if you do go so that at least there are not several cars going with just one child in each...

DinahRod · 17/09/2010 11:15

3hr round trip for 30mins?
Wow - is it in M&S advert style - a super, one in a life-time 30 min activity?

[wracks brains to think what that might be]

Can you not be double booked or have something else also planned that would preclude travelling for three hours?

merrymouse · 17/09/2010 11:16

Depends on the activity whether it's reasonable or not. It may be the most fantastic, once in a life time experience. However, I would be concerned if I were the parents that people wouldn't be able to attend. Not so much unreasonable, more a bit risky I would say.

readywithwellies · 17/09/2010 11:17

I would just go. Good neighbours are hard to find and I wouldn't want to cause waves. Unless you really can't afford it, which your neighbour should understand.

curlymama · 17/09/2010 11:19

If it's an activity that the dc's will enjoy, and probably don't get to do very often, then you should go. Like others have said, you could always lift share or find something else to do before or after the party to make a day of it.

I'm sure she wouldn't book something like that if she didn't feel it was worh it.

ChippyMinton · 17/09/2010 11:20

what is the activity, that only lasts half an hour?

Are there lots of other guests or is it more of a 'treat' for the birthday girl?

cat64 · 17/09/2010 11:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

greygirl · 17/09/2010 11:34

i booked a sledging party for my daughter's 5th birthday, it was about 90 minutes drive. - i invited my friends with children and explained that if they didn't want to come i would understand as it is a long way. nobody refused (to my wallets horror ) and several people made a day of it and went ice-skating or swimming as well at the same place.
I had a party for classmates in our hometown, so people with newborns (that i thought wouldn't manage the long trip) got invited to that.

I would have understood people saying it was a long way (but i guess we couldn't do it closer so they all thought it was a great freebie or they like me!)

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