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?

Goodness me - all that just for the chance to meet Ant and Dec?!

Seriously, what an amazing story. I hope you and your DD had an amazing time - well deserved

The gold blue Peter badge is hers.

She did have an amazing time.

You do realise I'm now sat here just daring someone to call me a chav

Chav

When my ds left Y6 they had a game of rounders for children and parents (in the rain) BBQ and a disco which would normally be £2 per head but they didn't have to pay as they were leavers

Job done

Fuuuuuuuuuck orffffffffffffffff

socks.................. What about all the poor children that did'nt go, I feel so sorry for them the poor mites.

Back to something I previously said though, do some people think that you should not do stuff with your kids because Billy or Gemmas mum can't afford it.

[fictitious names randomly picked]

If it's planned on the day they all leave school then yes. If leaving events are planned they should be for the whole school.

Sorry I just don't get it, I have planned something for my son and his pals.

I have not got the time to plan something for the whole year and plus the added agony of chasing people for money etc. [ and people moaning about details]

The school will do things for the whole year and I have decided to do something special for ds and pals, and it is away from school. I honestly don't see anything wrong with that.

Somebody else may be doing the same with her ds/dd and pals, I wouldn't know. If someone is, I am not going to get all precious about it.

What LittleBear said. But you're never going to get it, are you comfy? Mind you, the amount of time you've spent on this thread trying to justify it, seems to be protesting a little bit too much?
Can you actually see it's not on, but just don't care?

Weird thread...

Still can't work out why people are criticising comfy. She is planning a nice treat or her son and a few of his pals and..., err, that's about it. Sounds like they will have a great time.

We all agree that limos are tacky but I don't think comfys son and his pals are going to worry about that for a moment.

As I said earlier, some posters are really overthinking this.

If comfy had arranged for the limo to turn up at the school in front of all the children then I would say she was out of order and being thoughtless. However, she's stated several times that this is after the official school leaving celebrations and the children involved don't even know yet. I can't really see why people are getting so up in arms, tbh, it's only like having a party and just inviting your friends, she wouldn't have to invite everyone to that so why should she invite everyone to this?

That said, I don't agree with limos for primary school children myself, simply on the grounds that they grow up quickly enough and, imo, should be enjoying the 'simpler'things at that age. The limos etc are great fun when they have the prom for leaving secondary school, but they're 16 then. At ds' prom it was brilliant watching all the kids turn up in various means of transport, ranging from own cars to limos to motorbikes and buses. (and we live in a decidedly working class Northern town, and up here everyone does proms )

There's nothing to get, Flogging. Nothing at all.

INever - it's weird and bonkers!

weird and bonkers.. quite quite true.

8 years ago - High school prom , DD and friends decided limos were so 'yesterday' they arrived at posh hotel on board a Fire Engine ! Lights ! Sirens ! Hunky Firemen ( well that was a matter of taste !! ) They had a ball !!!

Ds and three of his mates arrived in a Silver Shadow Rolls Royce with "Ride Of The Valkyries" blaring out full volume.....always did like to make an entrance, that boy!!!!

I am liking the fire engine idea........... and the rolls royce hope you both took plenty of photos.

The fire engine sounds fun skin - how did they manage that one then ?!

What strikes me is the overwhelming amount of posters outraged at the thought of limos for primary school children....who then go on to say but of course it's fine for secondary school "proms"

Bit double standard in my opinion. Speaking as an old gimmer whose end of secondary school days consisted of flour & egg fights and signing each others' shirts.

Saying all that, I don't really give a fiddlers fart what anyone else would like to do, and appreciate how much things have changed......just as I suppose the posters I am referring to will be outraged in future at nursery school limos at graduation.....but of course it's fine for primary school children.....

Op - I'm sorry your thread has been hijacked and hope it all turns out well? Please let us know

Can't understand all the hand wringing and wails of EXTRAVAGANCE directed at Comfy it's a car that's all, a big one mind that happens to have blacked out windows but it's only a bloody car - some people need to get a grip.

It's probably no more expensive than a bouncy castle for the afternoon, but I bet nobody would be wailing and whining so much if that was mentioned.

The thing I can't get my head around is why if one person decides to do something for their son/daughter and a few friends this is seen as some sort of exclusion to everyone else - if you want to organise something for your children and their immediate friends do it, stop whining about being excluded from someone else's thing - it's not as if these people are talking about inviting 29 of the class and leaving one out.

Personally I hate the bloody things but my Yr5 daughter and her friends would LOVE it - every single bit of it.

All those having one - hope they have fun!

Oh sock - I think I remember your daughter. Are you in Wiltshire? If she is the one I think she is then her picture was on display in our NAAFI cookhouse (taken from a magazine and just pinned up) with "Now THAT'S brave" written across it.

(I think someone on the staff knew your family - was a long time ago)

Yep Lt and its very likely I knew a few people on staff because back then I used to train the MOD in DV good practice so was in and out of the camps loads.

Its nice to think that people working in that environment (where they show bravery loads) did that,I shall tell her when I see her this weekend (cos she's now a growd up so lives by herself) she will be pleased.

Well I remember her being v pretty and her brother looking like a whole backload of mischief!

(That's a very cool coincidence - I'm liking it a lot )

Correct assessment surprisingly that perticular brother these days is quite a prim and proper geeky gentleman type (his way of describing himself) and never ever does anything naughty but when he was small,well lets just say I hid in the wardrobe lots pretending I was 15 and had no kids.

Nice to hear people having fun arranging surprises for their children and not getting all angst about it.

I am really liking the fire engine idea, I shall have to makes friends with a fireman....

COMFY A decommissioned fire engine turned ''party''. Not real firemen but uniformed. Try googleing (sp) Party Fire Engine . Sure your son would love it . Sounds like you are up for a laugh too !!!!