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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Winning when not your party

97 replies

Hashtagwinner · 04/03/2017 12:07

Dropped dd off at a birthday party (was games based, think bowling/paint ball/football type thing) the other day for a birthday party. DH and I don't drive and venue isnt near home or anyyhing much so we stayed. The venue wasn't booked out so we joined in the game (paying for entry) and played with the guests and members of public.

I came out top against everyone who was playing (both the kids at the party and random members of the public)

DH says I shouldn't have tried so hard and should have let the kids win. AIBU to think I paid so should just play as I normally would?

OP posts:
MidniteScribbler · 05/03/2017 00:18

Well the good news is that this will never happen again. The bad news is that it won't happen again because you've ruined any chance of your child ever getting another invitation again.

dylsmimi · 05/03/2017 00:27

I just hope you didn't dance around shouting 'ner ner ner i won I am the WINNER you LOSER' at the birthday child and push them out the way before blowing out their birthday candles
Now that would be cringe

Glossolalia · 05/03/2017 00:28

What an odd thing to do Hmm

CaraAspen · 05/03/2017 00:31

You don't try to beat kids. Dear me.

rolls eyes

CaraAspen · 05/03/2017 00:31

How pathetic.

damnedgrubble · 05/03/2017 01:09

Have you considered doing a social skills course? Biscuit

CaraAspen · 05/03/2017 01:17

Have you?

m0therofdragons · 05/03/2017 01:21

My primary age dc would have loved it if dh and I joined in laser quest type game. Dd1 is 9 and I'm pretty sure her and all her friends would have ganged up on dh. Two years ago we put shaving foam on dh's face and dc had to compete as to who got the most wotsits to stick by throwing them at him! Secondary school age? No too much. I would have been super competitive but dh regularly calls me Monica so poor dc will just have to deal with the shame.

OverthinkingSpartacus · 05/03/2017 02:15

I wouldn't count it as a win, if I'm gonna win any of those activities I don't want it to be against a bunch of primary school kids who could be having their very first experience at that activity. If I'm gonna win I want against other adults, dh would rip the piss out of me :) at least if a random adult won they had the excuse they didn't know place would be full of primary school kids.

I totally agree that DC should see adults having fun, but that can be done without attaching onto a kids party. Dh, dd and I often go bowling, go karting, laser tag etc as a family, dd would cringe if I joined in one her friends parties and would look forward to competing with her peers where it's a fairer match instead of her mam (who always wins haha) and dad.

If I did though I'd sort of pretend to be crap and not win. If it was activity that I'd not done and looked fun I'd arrange to return with dd and dh and win have proper bash.

ThisThingCalledLove · 05/03/2017 10:04

They totally knew it was you, sorry Grin

I am incredibly competitive (the Trivial Pursuit Incident of 1996 was a particular low point, we haven't played it since) so I literally have to sit on my hands even playing something like Jenga with the DC. It's an awful trait really and DH is exactly the same. Does anyone remember the Friends episode with the ball throwing? DH and I used to have a big open plan lounge/dining room and once played badminton til 4am (with a fucking net up and everything) as neither of us would accept losing. I hate myself Grin but I am consoling myself that I have more self awareness than OP at least!

ThisThingCalledLove · 05/03/2017 10:06

Gosh DH and I sound like a right pair of twats Blush

rollonthesummer · 05/03/2017 10:10

I can't believe you both joined in and then you deliberately beat all the children-this is so awful I am cringing!

I can just imagine the party child's parents posting about you in AIBU later on Grin

lampshady · 05/03/2017 10:15

I think it's good you joined in if everyone wanted you to - having adults there I find encourages camaraderie between the kids to work together. However! You never win! You run pathetically and let them beat you. It's part of the fun.

5moreminutes · 05/03/2017 10:28

Andnow bowling (or indeed football) are not weird parties - we've done both. Bowling or football parties set up so that the party kids were directly playing with/ against random adult members of the public, allowing random adult to "win" against them (so same bowling lane, same football match) would be a weird birthday party.

itsawonderfulworld · 05/03/2017 10:34

I too am hoping it was crazy golf!

AndnowitsSeven I'm pretty sure that she meant that it would be a very strange bowling or football party if random adults could join in and play against the children. Of the three listed in the OP, paint ball would be the only one where that could remotely happen (but even there it would be weird). Laser Quest - maybe. But crazy golf is the only option I can think of that doesn't make OP look like a total loon.

GloriaHotcakes · 05/03/2017 10:37

I'm genuinely, honestly cringing.

Were your ears burning all night?

NormaSmuff · 05/03/2017 10:38

but if you paid to play why shoudnt you try and win
i think it is perfectly ok as you played with joe public.

ClashCityRocker · 05/03/2017 10:41

This reminds me of the time I hosted dn10s birthday sleepover.

Turns out nine/ten year olds are shit at poker....

For me, it depends how directly you were engaged with and competing with the kids. If it's all totally separate and the 'winner' is just the one who had the highest score at bowling, fair enough...

If you're putting in sliding tackles on an eight year old or hiding and snipering kids as they go past, it's a bit off. I think our laser quest type place has separate competitions for adults and kids.

NormaSmuff · 05/03/2017 10:44

is your dd proud of you?

NormaSmuff · 05/03/2017 10:46

sorry, just read your dd is unhappy you beat her.
so she is competitive too.
nothing the matter with that Grin

MadMags · 05/03/2017 11:27

There is something the matter with that!

They hijacked a child's party.

PuddleJumper01 · 05/03/2017 15:07

ThisThingCalledLove I smiled at the thought of you both playing badminton at 4 am. You sound quite well suited!

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