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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

WIBU to have a 5 year old's birthday party 6pm-8pm on a Saturday night?

113 replies

emsyj · 07/04/2015 14:32

I think I already know the answer to this one but I'm clutching desperately at straws... there's a great venue that I could hire for DD1's birthday party but they will only offer exclusive use outside normal opening hours. this translates as either 5pm-7pm on weeknights (not Fridays) or 6pm-8pm weekends. I think that's too late but I really want the party there! It must be exclusive use as otherwise the numbers mean it would be more expensive to pay per head than the private hire charge, plus it's a popular place and DD1 is very shy and is unlikely to join in if there are crowds of other older kids there that she doesn't know. This place is popular with older kids as it has one of those huge high slides that you use a mat for and also a climbing wall.

So, how unpopular would I be in the school playground if I arrange a party at that hour...? if it helps, siblings would be welcome to come along although the sit-down party food can only cater for a limited number due to the size of the room so they wouldn't be able to have the party tea.

OP posts:
Floggingmolly · 07/04/2015 20:11

No. The kids would be over tired and hyped up getting home; and most of the parents will probably have plans for the evening which would have to be either shelved or moved forward by a couple of hours to deal with bedtime.

aFirmGrip · 07/04/2015 20:12

No, sorry, I'd politely decline. It's far too late. I don't even like 4-6 parties really as mine is already quite tired by 6pm.

We're very sociable and always accept party invites but on this one I'd say no.

madreloco · 07/04/2015 20:31

Id say no unless it was a very close friend. The five year old would be fine for your party but Id have to bring the older and younger kids out too to collect...no thanks.

Alibabsandthe40Musketeers · 07/04/2015 20:36

I would decline unless it was for very close friends, because it would totally bugger our Saturday.

Ours don't go to bed until 8pm, so not too late for them as such, but if you are saying no food for siblings and having a party across dinner and bedtime like that, then it means both parents being available in that timeslot.

Karoleann · 07/04/2015 20:39

I wouldn't accept an invitation so late on a saturday as we'd probably be out.

halcyondays · 07/04/2015 20:43

Both of mine would have been fine with this

Box5883284322679964228 · 07/04/2015 20:46

Friday 5-7 at a stretch with the weekend to recover. 6-8 is too late.

pullthecracker · 07/04/2015 20:47

I did exactly this for my DD's 5th party, everyone that was invited came and everyone said how much they enjoyed it with them having the venue to themselves.

jelliebelly · 07/04/2015 20:48

I'd say no too late - mine would be overtired and miserable for the next couple of days! - it would also ruin Saturday evening family time.

Box5883284322679964228 · 07/04/2015 20:48

Can you do a stand up buffet for siblings/parents with most of the same food.

Muchtoomuchtodo · 07/04/2015 20:51

That would be too late for either of ours when they were 5.

The old idea that they would just sleep in a bit later the next morning has never worked in this house. They'd just be tired and grumpy the next day Confused

You say that you really want to have the party there - have you asked your dc what they would like?

Artandco · 07/04/2015 20:58

My children must live on a different planet from all on here, they have only just finished dinner. Admittedly it's slightly later as holidays and we try and finish dinner by 8pm on school night, but they have never slept before 9pm.
But 4-6pm being late for some? What do you do in the summer? Do you race home from school, give dinner at 4/5pm then in bed whilst it's still lovely outside and everyone's still playing? Surely a day is very short feeling if everything has to be done between waking and 4pm

edwinbear · 07/04/2015 21:06

I'd accept, it's a Sat night and with a late party he may actually sleep past 5.30am on a Sunday which I would love you forever for.

He's normally in bed for 7.30pm but for a special night I wouldn't hesitate to accept.

DarlingDaffodil · 07/04/2015 21:14

Something similar happened to me in that my ds invited to an event, for a 5th Birthday, 7-9pm.
I worried about it and asked the Mum if I could come too so if ds overtired we could just leave/ I could calm him etc. She said fine and was worried herself about late time as you are.
He had a great time though very glazed and over excited by the end.
As a one off it was ok and I worried far too much.
Glad I stayed though [only parent that did...].

ocelot41 · 07/04/2015 21:41

Sorry - it is too late. It would take me until around 10 or 11 to get DS calm enough for sleep after that!

TheBrokenDrum · 07/04/2015 22:21

What about not providing food? That'll cut the time down by a lot - 1hr or 45 min or so. If my child was going to a late party I would give them dinner as normal at 5 ish anyway so they weren't STARVING (caps as ds1 is a little prone to exaggeration) I wouldn't expect him to sit down and have a birthday tea at 7 ish too. Maybe say on the invite feed your child first and in lieu of a birthday tea they'll have birthday cake and a fab party bag?

MajesticWhine · 07/04/2015 22:25

I would not be pleased to receive this invite. Sorry, far too late. My 5yo is not really fit for public consumption after 6pm.

Steppeoneggs · 07/04/2015 22:31

with dc1 we would have said no, partly because we were stronger about bedtimes and partly because he has 2 younger sisters, and I couldn't have all 3 of them up until 8. (would be OK if dh is around)

with dc3, she would come because we are more laid back, and no younger sleepers to worry about.

But she wouldn't really enjoy it as much as another time as so tired.

Ajaney · 07/04/2015 22:50

The nearest soft play to us is 7-9pm for exclusive hire. My 4yo DS (turns 5 end June) has been invited 3 times to these 'pajama' parties. I have turned 2 previous invites down but this latest one for a Friday evening next month is for a boy who he has been friends with for a while, we met at baby group when boys were 4 & 6 months old so I feel obliged to go even though bedtime here is 7:30pm after stories and DS asleep before 8pm. I am sure it will be ok but would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit apprehensive about it.

sleepwhenidie · 07/04/2015 22:56

Even if my DC's could cope with the relatively late hour (they probably would be ok) and I accepted I would hate you for stealing my Saturday evening with a kids party, they are hassle enough in the daytime!

Sandbrook · 07/04/2015 23:02

My pair would love the excitement of a night time party

PogoBob · 07/04/2015 23:06

DD is approaching 5, it's later then ideal especially as we have a younger DC, if it was one of her close friends we would probably make the effort as it were but one of the wider circle of friends would probably need to leave early or give it a miss totally.

DD is a bit of a nightmare if she has a late night though and takes ages to get back into a routine so that impacts on any decisions about late nights!

yummumto3girls · 07/04/2015 23:15

Too late, my DD (age 5) would be fine as stays up late on a Saturday night but the last thing I would want to be doing at this time on a Saturday is to be at a children's party with lots of overtired children. OP wait a few years or find somewhere else.

Whathaveilost · 07/04/2015 23:26

DH and I go out on Saturday nights so it wouldn't be conviennent for DC to attend.

LadyKooKoo · 07/04/2015 23:34

Anything finishing later than 4 is too late in my opinion. I would need to allow time for getting home, tea, bath, story time and bed by seven.

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