Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to not go to wedding?

55 replies

stayorgooo · 29/01/2015 00:10

Name changed.

Wedding of old friend this weekend at the other end of the country. We were looking forward to going as a family: me, dh, and dd. Hotel booked etc.

Dd has just come down with chicken pox. She obviously won't be able to come to the wedding now.

Options are:

  1. we all stay home
  2. I go alone and dh stays with dd. However I can't drive and it is very difficult to get to. I have tried and failed to source a lift. I have mobility problems so would struggle with public transport on my own.
  3. We all go but dh stays in with dd during the wedding. I don't know if the hotel would allow a poxy child to stay however.

Wwyd?

OP posts:
Italiangreyhound · 29/01/2015 01:17

stayorgooo you don't need permission not to go, you want to go, you are sorry not to but you cannot manage alone and dh will be with your sick child. I think you really need to just tell her once you decide.

Chicken pox can be quite serious, I am sure it will not for your dd, but it can be so should be taken seriously. And you obviously have mobility issues which cannot be changed. Don't feel bad. If you are worried about how to tell I would email with all the details and then say I will call tonight as I really want to chat to you and I am just so sorry to miss your special day.

Hopefully your friend will totally understand but if she does not, really, you must do what you feel able to do. You cannot do what you are not able to.

At least by telling her now she may choose to invite someone else (don't suggest it, but she might!)

Try not to feel bad, it is not about how much you like or respect your friend it is practical and no one else knows how ill your dd feels or how difficult it is for you to manage public transport.

Personally I would also be ready just in case she tells you she has a friend driving all the way there who can give you a lift, if she does, what will you say, be ready in case! Unlikely but possible.

If that were to happen would you take up the offer? If not, I would add into your not being able to travel by public transport that you also do not want to leave dd as she needs you etc. This may be totally true but if you say it afterwards it may sound like an excuse!

Goodness, I sound devious, I guess I just over think things. And I was the kind of bride who would have ferreted out a lift for a friend! I actually invited a virtual stranger to my party who I met a few weeks before (lonely foreign student type) and she ended up being a pain, needing a lift home and appearing in loads of photos! I am not even sure I remember her name now!

Italiangreyhound · 29/01/2015 01:19

I actually invited a virtual stranger to my wedding who I met a few weeks before (lonely foreign student type) ...

Spincyclist · 29/01/2015 09:33

so of your original 3 options, Option 2 you rebuff every time someone suggests it (fair enough if you can't physically do it, but not much point having it on the list!) and Option 3 is a tad unrealistic and unfair, so that only leaves option 1 really. Not much of a WWYD. You don't need our permission to decline.

However the relative helping and/or getting some help in cadging a lift could help. None of us can help you decide whether to leave your DD with your relative, but it sounds workable and if you don'tfeel up to doing it in a day, you could come back first thing Sun. Do you honestly want to go now or are you looking for reasons not to?

I think Italian Greyhound is spot on that if you ring up to decline, your friend may be able to sort you out with a lift. If you want her to do that, be upfront and ask for it. If you don't, don't cite lack of transport as your only reason for not coming along.

Only1scoop · 29/01/2015 10:13

Agree with pp 2 and 3 seems to be unrealistic. So it's 1 or relative....

Hope dd better soon.

expatinscotland · 29/01/2015 10:20

Cancel.

GokTwo · 29/01/2015 10:21

I think I would regretfully decline.
It sounds as if the journey will be too difficult for you to make on your own. I really wouldn't want to drag a poorly child (they sometimes feel awful with chicken pox) on a long drive and then a night in a hotel where they may or may not be welcoming.

I definitely wouldn't leave a poorly child with a relative and go and have a "fun child free weekend". I think that's an unrealistic suggestion, not nice for your child and hardly a recipe for a stress free weekend for you two, you will probably be really worried about her. I know it's upsetting and the bride probably will be disappointed but what else can you realistically do? Such is life as a parent unfortunately.

Only1scoop · 29/01/2015 10:28

I personally would cancel as I wouldn't leave pox child with relative and be 4 hours away. That's just me though.

My dd was covered head to toe within about 5 days although she wasn't particularly poorly with it.

rednailsredheart · 29/01/2015 10:38

I would leave your daughter with your relative (providing he is immune of course), and then go up.

Although the bride would probably understand due to circumstances, she will be throwing money down the drain if you cancel because you can't change numbers so close to the wedding.

Drive up on the friday night, then come home on the sunday morning. Or if one of you is happy not to drink, on the saturday night.

It's not long. Your daughter will be able to cope without you, and will probably have got through the worst of it by then anyway. If she hasn't, then she'll probably still be ill when you get back anyway.

Don't take her with you though.

Alibabsandthe40Musketeers · 29/01/2015 10:44

Leave your daughter with the relative. In my experience children are poorly before the spots come and when they first come out, so she will be on the mend in herself by the weekend although still contagious.

expatinscotland · 29/01/2015 10:45

My eldest was really poorly with it. I would not leave with a relative and go so far away.

stayorgooo · 29/01/2015 11:40

Thank you for all the input. It is a really difficult decision to make, and I take on board the input that option 3 wouldn't be feasible, not least because dd would be uncomfortable in her car seat, and it wouldn't be fair on her to travel.

Have been trying to ask around for lift, with no luck. I have been unable to speak to the bride directly but have sent her a text so she is aware of the situation.

We are agonising over whether it is fair to leave dd with relative. She is actually very well in herself now, though I don't know how she will be by the weekend.

OP posts:
momb · 29/01/2015 11:46

I'd like to throw another option into the mix:
DH stays at home with DD so that she has a parent nearby.
You go to wedding, taking a friend to drive or help you, converting your family room to a twin. The B+G have paid out for your meals etc, and you do want to see them. it really isn't appropriate to take a poxy child to a hotel, and your DD needs a parent nearby.

Izzy24 · 29/01/2015 11:55

Sabrina, don't feel guilty! You can't catch shingles from chickenpox .

PurpleCrazyHorse · 29/01/2015 11:55

DD had about 6 spots and was totally fine in herself, her GPs had her a couple of days when I went to work (they offered and I checked with Occi Health that it was fine for me to return).

So personally, I would leave DD with her GPs (providing they offered, I'd never ask), who she knows well and was more than happy to go to (and has been to when ill before) to go to a wedding with DH. I wouldn't stay the night and I would be prepared to leave immediately if GPs rang.

However would totally depend on how DD was feeling and the fact that she's been to the GPs during the day when ill before. They've also dealt with their own kids having CP and generally DD gets more sympathy and attention from them when she's ill Grin

stayorgooo · 29/01/2015 15:54

Thank you for the words of reassurance purple.

We are fingers crossed going away with dd being left in the care of a relative.

I hope she continues to be well!

OP posts:
sparkysparkysparky · 29/01/2015 16:04

Cancel. It's just rotten luck. My DH just had it (never had it as a child ) it is truly horrible for adults - he was off work for ages. DC caught it from him and wasn't too bad. Bride and Groom don't want everyone to remember their wedding as The Chicken Pox Wedding.

QuintlessShadows · 29/01/2015 16:08

When ds1 had chicken pox (he got it on his 4th birthday - discovered the spots as we undressed after his party), he was really quite well in himself. No worse than a cold. But, he started itching a bit, but calamine lotion and a bit of calpol did trick. He was watching many many movies!

shushpenfold · 29/01/2015 16:19

I would decline....sounds awful for all as she might feel pretty unwell after a few days.

Also have to back up Izzy24 - re: shingles. You can't 'catch' shingles, only develop them/it from having already had chicken pox sometime earlier in your life. If you have shingles you can however give children and adults chicken pox if they haven't already had it.

EvilTendency1 · 29/01/2015 16:28

God I'd stay home, not worth the journey for a poorly 4 yr with CP. I'd only do it if a relative was near death to consider a solo trip, stay home and chill with poorly child, it's only a wedding.

annieoaklie · 29/01/2015 16:39

Good suggestion from momb, would the relative who has offered to babysit drive down with you, leaving dd with dad? If the wedding is early you could leave shortly after dinner perhaps and come home?

Tinofroses · 29/01/2015 16:48

I would leave with relative if dd happy and relative happy. I minded my dn recently and she ended up with a tummy bug. It wasn't pleasant but she coped and I coped.

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 29/01/2015 16:53

Wonder if you live near me, DD has just developed spots today and half her preschool are off with the pox.

If we were in this situation this weekend I would probably leave DD with my folks, as long as she wasnt poorly and go with DH. If she was really under the weather, and the friend was a close one, I would go and leave her with DH. A suggestion upthread to take a friend who can drive you is a good one!

stayorgooo · 29/01/2015 16:59

Good suggestion re relative driving but I think leaving dd with relative is best solution overall.

Dd is very well. Apart from having spots she is her usual self after being a bit grumpy this morning (resolved with calpol).

She is insisting she is well and asking to go back to school!

OP posts:
sparkysparkysparky · 29/01/2015 17:14

Also consider Piriton liquid if that is appropriate.

Flomple · 29/01/2015 18:33

I couldn't ask a friend to drive me for 8 hours! That's a way bigger ask than looking after a poxy child IMO.

Swipe left for the next trending thread