To refuse to pay for School leaving party without seeing the quotes?

[Sunnymeg]

DS leaves primary in July. Traditionally the leavers have a limousine to a nearby restaurant, a party there and the parents pick them up at the end. I know from other parents that in previous years this came to around £25 and I'm completely happy with that.
All the year 6 mums had a chat, about the leavers, do at the school gates and one of the parents offered to organize it. This is a parent who has had older children leave the primary and knows how it works. She said she would ring around, email everyone to let them know the costs and if everyone was happy she would book the limo and the restaurant.

Well, we have now heard from her, and she has already booked the limo, and also instead of a restaurant, she has booked a party session at a local play centre, as this is what her daughter wants to do and she thought it was a really good idea. She has asked for a £30 deposit and wants another £20 at the beginning of July. It costs children £12 for a day pass at this centre, and £8 for a birthday party so I can't see how her figures add up. I'm skipping over the fact that our DS doesn't really want to go to the play centre. as it is his last chance to do something with his classmates.

Am I being unreasonable to ask to see the quotes, I admit that I'm annoyed that she has booked the play centre off her own bat, is that clouding my judgment over the whole thing?

It doesn't matter if comfy was on the joint party thread or not. I do think a few posters have been out of order attacking her here though.

Hopefully she appreciates that they're the ones who don't look so great on this thread, and not her.

Gawd I was slow posting that!

As opposed to you calling posters "dicks" Jenai?

My deleted post said they'd made themselves look like dicks. There's a subtle distinction.

But it's ok to call people 'chavs' apparently.

Wtf, limos for primary school aged kids?!

When ds left yr 4 there was a disco, barbecue and mocktails in a VIP area, £2 a ticket iirc.

When he leaves middle school there will be a prom which is nothing more than a fancy school disco and a fiver a head.

Sorry, unhelpful post but can't get past the fact these are primary school kids!

Well I think comfy appears more than capable of fighting her own battles. I stand by what I said as much as comfy does. I don't think she has been attacked. There was an accusation that has proved unfounded and I believe there has been an apology. Shall we all move on?

"can't get past the fact that these are primary school kids"

Whilst I agree that children don't really need limo's or helicopters to mark the occasion I also think that our childhood years are actually a great time to make some wonderful memories. For many of us the happiest times of our lives. So whilst I know most of those happy memories are built on simple pleasures, if parents can think of some extra ways to make happy memories for their children, such as an end of primary party, then who would want to stop them ?!

Jenai

I think people said Limo's were Chavy not that comfy was chavy. There is a subtle difference.

I agree juggling ''children don't need limos'' but they don't need disneyworld either or Alton towers or a ride in a speedboat.

All they need is food/water/warmth and to feel safe. [and education]

But If I can add a bit of fun along the way, I am going to.

Fun doesn't always mean spending shed loads of money though, ds still talks about how great the leaving do was and as i posted earlier no sign of limos or restaurants.

I agree

walks on the beach

messing around in the woods

building dens

reading a book

watching a film

Its all good and we [most] do all the stuff we can.

Don't we?

As being on MN for a while there are many many different types of incomes.

I would never knock anyone for spending money on their kids, many children get a lot more than others.

Many have different ideas on how to bring up children

fruit shoots or not

go back to work or not

nursery cm or stay at home

disneyworld or camping

We are all different and to slate someone for booking a limo hardly seems an important issue when you read some of the things people have to deal with.

I expect some people reading this thread said to themselves ''god, if thats all I had to worry about my life would be easy''

I would hope that childhood would not be the happiest time of anyone's life, otherwise it is all downhill.

I had a normal, stable, comfortable childhood from what I remember, with two loving parents who are still together - but I wouldn't go back! It's great to be a 'grown-up'. :-)

I certainly wouldn't have wanted limos to leave primary, and while secondary was ok, I saw it is a business transaction - they teach, I learn - and walked away with no sentiment. Happily there weren't leaving parties then, I would have found it quite nauseating. And still do.

special.... from what you say about school is does not sound like you had a great time at all. :-(

The fact there are so many different people with different incomes should be another reason why extravagant parties shouldn't be going on at school.

I have one child, good income but there is no way my child would be going in a limo in primary school unless he paid for it himself. I would suggest kids are watching far too much American television programmes if this is seen as 'normal.'

I'll go back and read the rest of the thread now

I would hope that childhood would not be the happiest time of anyone's life, otherwise it is all downhill

God, not for me, my life started the day I left school!

So because I can afford £25 and other parents can't, I should not do it.

Please read the whole thread about my plans...........

I feel this thread is going to explode again.

My post wasn't directed at you personally, more a general 'I can't believe this is even being discussed for primary school children!'

I also can't believe how hard it is to post from my phone, so will come back later when ds is of the computer.

Comfy lets really put the cat among the pigeons.

My 11 year child once ( when she was 11) got picked up from school in the middle of the day in a helicopter piloted by 2 navy pilots accompanied by ant and dec and was in hello mag that week.

She rather enjoyed it.

What kind of decadent lesson did that teach your daughter, Sock?

Presumably you didn't actually fork out for that Sock?!!

That when your 9 years old and are disabled as a result of being run over, nearly die and despite not being able to walk but drag yourself through a raging fire 6 months later to save a trapped 2 year old burning yourself in the process,

People may just make a bit of a fuss of you and occasionally you then end up winning a nationally recognised bravery award

And David Beckham prince Charles and a load of bob geldofs mates come visit you.

Oh you also tend to get given a gold blue Peter badge then many years later as a growd up you don't get laughed at for wearing it.