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?

My dc (age 13, 10 and 6yo) would much prefer a casual picnic lunch on the floor to sitting at the table.
I never expect adult food at a child's party.
Doing party games with a mix of ages is a nightmare . Typically the oldest wins most, you get the middle age group realising that and getting upset and the younger than 3 just don't really want to and would rather just play.

I think its a bit harsh to start calling the op a bad friend jeez.I think maybe her friend tidied all the toys away to be tidy and didnt think what the kids that are older would be doing.If it was a party for all two year olds yeah theyd be fine but if you invite older kids to a party it isnt all for two year olds then really itd be nice to give them something to do,surely when you have a party you want the guests to have a fun time and a happy memory?for the record i didnt book a hall with entertainers and razzamatazz but i made some cheap fun games and made sure the kids were happy.I didnt even invite adults tbh....

Oh I see, a good old stealth bitch...

sounds OK - she has a small place and did what she could do.

Really don't get your problem. If your dc's really don't like it (aka it's beneath you) then don't go next time invited.

Sounds shit imo.

Tea party fine.

But no toys, tv, nothing at all?

Geez, DS turned two last week and I just had two of his friend (and their mothers) over for lunch and a playdate. No games, because I don't think 2 year olds care about games. We do have a sandpit and a pool though, so everyone seemed pretty happy.

I've been to one and two year olds birthday parties where the parents have put heaps of effort in to party games. I can't see why you would bother. It's like herding cats.

"Sounds odd & dull
Hopefully for his third birthday she'll hire a hall or something"

what?? nobody needs to hire a bloody hall for a child's birthday tea.. especially for a 3yo.. and not everyone can afford it, so why say something like that which makes the parents of young children who don't have the money for it feel as if they are making a shit job of their childrens birthday..

Exactly squeaky, it's more for the parents and one up man ship, geese what dud we do back in the day, with a few party games, and ice cream and jelly. At 3 they would perfectly be happy with toys, music, food and cake, not all this hire a hall stuff

The only thing here is that she should have gotten the toys out for the older ones maybe? And possibly have stated that it was only food for the kids.

The rest of it sounds like you maybe just don't like her

I threw a party like this for DS last week (he's 3) and the kids just ran around and ate. They were all laughs and smiles & it went down a treat, though I did provide food for everyone. I wouldn't dream of doing more than that for an under 5 year old tbh...

perhaps she didnt have toys for older children? quite possibly.
nor pens and paper.