To think you should make SOME effort with a children's party?

[AwfulMaureen]

As host I mean? My lovely friend today invited me and my DC to her house to have "a tea party" for her DS who is turning 2.

Now...I knew it would be a small affair and sure enough there was me and my two who are aged 5 and 9 and three of her neighbours who had a various amount of DC aged between a few months and 10 years old...so with all of the DC there were 8 kids my friend's little one and 5 adults. She never provides any entertainment for the DC...that's my gripe really.

I don't think she needs to do much but maybe put a table of crayons and paper out? As it stands there were hardly any toys about...they'd all been put away bar a few books...it was raining outside....the house is small...the tea was served on plates on the DC laps so they had to perch on the floor etc and there was nothing for adults (but obviously we all stole the kids bits and bobs)

She did this last party she had but that was a much bigger thing...shr provided wine and tea and a similar buffet for the DC but absolutely nothing for them to do!
She doesn't lay a table for them all to sit at...which my kids love doing and I think most kids do don't they? Having tea and all that round a table.

The DC were all slumping around although my youngest did pair up with a similarly aged child and they played an imaginary game but a lot of the others were little lads and they were just being a bit naughty as they obviously got bored. Should I suggest something next time? I'd help her if she wanted me to...do pass the parcel or musical statues...AIBU? Why does she do this do you thnk?

may be they never eat of a table?
and i dont know about making suggestions.
you could have made suggestions at the time, yabu to make sugegstions after teh event.
lead by example and do lots for your dc party

perhaps she thought your 5 year old and 9 year old would be the entertainment

Lucy Lol I doubt it! My two are very shy. Also...even if there weren't why on earth would anyone assume that?

Also she's been to similar parties at mine...she doesn't need an example.

Her child was 2 and it was a party for him? He wouldn't be able to play musical statues, and would struggle with pass the parcel. When my children were 2 all they could cope with was a few friends around. It might not have been the perfect party for your children, but it sounds just about right for a 2 year old.

perhaps she is too shy and was hoping another adult would take charge with games.

You sound a tad judgy.

No one went hungry, kids have imaginations and should be able to make up their own games.

I wouldn't do musical games or anything like b that at a 2 year party.

If we invite friends over they just get toys out abs play - not really dependent on me to organise b them. It obviously wasnt a formal party from invite.

My children eat at the table but I've got some friends who often let children eat on the floor. Especially if short of space or chairs or high chairs or similar.

Oak I know....but in that case why have a party at all? It's not a party is it if there's no games or anything?

She's not shy at ALL....the opposite!

it was a tea party for a two year old? it sounds reasonable enough to me. when my DC were that age I wouldn't have done entertainment, pass the parcel etc.

Sounds odd & dull
Hopefully for his third birthday she'll hire a hall or something
It sounds less like a party & more like come round got a cuppa & a slice of cake type thing
I wouldn't expect food for adults either !

Pickle I do see that but this was billed as a "party"...not the same as just popping over...'m not judging the general not eating at a table but surely with that many DC it's easier...also more "special" in a way.

Pros but then why invite older children?

You do sound quite judgy. They have a small house and it's what people with small houses often have to do when more people than table space.

For a 2 year old it sounds just right. We often went on little picnics in the summer. Or just had family around.

Not sure what entertainment you really feel is suitable for a 2 year old - friends should be enough!

Captain wouldn't you expect something for adults? I didn't expect it so much...I suppose because I always do some things for adults too...that I kind of think that's the done thing...maybe I'm over the top,

Pickle maybe just right for a 2 year old but what about the other children? As I say...why invite that many older DC if it's all for the 2 year old? genuinely don't see why? I mean when my DC were that age, their cousins would come for their partys and I would do things the older kids would like.

Oh FGS. She was kind enough to invite you over and provide your children with food. So what if they had to eat sat on the floor? My DCs love an indoor picnic. Perhaps she didn't have a big enough table for everyone to sit down?

It sounds like a perfectly nice party. Not everything has to be overdone. I've been to a party for 2 year old where there has been a hired farm in the back garden, another one where the parents have hired a clown. All the kids are interested in is rampaging about and eating so these things are largely a waste of money IMO.

YABU.

maybe the parent could not afford an extravagant party and just wanted to share their child's special day with friends on a budget they could afford?

Cross posted.

I think there's a difference between "birthday party" where you might hire a venue, soft play etc abs a small "tea party". Tea party for toddlers in my mind would be just that - equivalent of coming around for a cup of tea and slice of cake.

I expect the problem was both envisaging a different thing by tea party tbh.

We did similar low key things at 2, and got more adventurous as they got older!

I agree that a 2 year old wouldn't be able to 'do' much with regard to party games but as OP said some colouring pages printed for free from internet (or cut out of a cheap coluring book) and some crayons, a few balloons and a little bit of music to wiggle about to wouldn't take that much time or effort. I think I would at least do that if I had invited older DC to keep them out if mischief if nothing else!

Children's parties are hell on earth. I don't blame anyone who doesn't do the hall/theme/entertainer raft of ways to get cash out of gullible parents. Just having a few friends to play is great in my book.

As a side note, why do you expect "little lads" (boys?) to be naughtier/less able to entertain themselves imaginatively?

Storm I don't generally think that but these ones were less able. Ok...I see AIBU!

Dunno if you noticed op but the birthday child was supposed to be the star here not your darling dcs. Child being two. It wouldn't enjoy pass the parcel. It might eat the pens/paper. At two they just zig zag between toys.

Why would she entertain yours? Maybe she invited you. To enjoy your company but realised she HAD to invite yours so did. Rather nice of her if so.

Next time say no eh?

When my ds was two we invited older kids to a small party and still played pass the parcel etc and ds joined in with help,i wouldve felt a bit bad on the older kids to not do anything as I invited them to have a party with us so to me in my opinion i should make sure theyre having fun.Ds did enjoy what we were doing even if he didnt completely understand,he understood to unwrap the parcel and bump down when the ither kuds did at musical bumps.

I agree with everyone else. Sounds like the sort of tea party lots of 2 year olds have. The only odd thing about it IMO is that she invited children so much older. I can't see there being much appeal for a nine year old in a two year old's party. Even if she had got toys out, they wouldn't have been appropriate for most of the kids there.

As for providing food for adults, I always do at my kids' parties because I've been to too many other kids' parties where they don't and I've been starving. But in my experience, most don't bother.