What do I say to this?

[teaandakitkat]

Ds wants to do an activity with 3 friends for his birthday then go to Pizza Express.

I texted round all the parents and got this reply from one of them.

"Dd would love to do the birthday activity but does not want to eat in Pizza Express. She deeply opposes large corporate chains and prefers to support locally owned eateries. Would you consider eating in xyz instead so that she doesn't feel excluded?"

This kid is 9.

Wtf? Sometimes something is so bizarre you're not quite sure how to respond.

I want to say "Sorry, birthday boy has asked to go to Pizza Express so that's what we are going to do. You can collect your dd before we go in if she won't join us".

AIBU? I'm not, am I?

Surely you either go to the party that's on offer or you don't? The host doesn't arrange the party to suit individual guests?

have some gin to recover from the madness

Wow, outstandingly rude behaviour from this mother. If she feels that strongly about it, she should have just declined the invitation and then arranged a party for her child at xyz right-on eatery for their birthday.

I know someone who shares these feelings about big corporate chains , has a 9 year old DD and owns a local family run restaurant! I immediately thought of her when I read your post! I hope it's not her - she is really lovely!

You are very restrained OP. I probably wouldn't even have responded to the second text.

I bet she backs down. You will get some shite like

"Although Persephone still feels strongly that PE is the work of Beelzeebub himself, she has decided to offset the evil that will be done by her attending your childs party by collecting litter from the High St for the next two weekends, so she will be able to attend."

This thread is going straight to the Daily Mail isn't it

Yadnbu

Your child gets to choose what they want to do for their birthday (within reason!). They have chosen a perfectly normal thing to do. If their speshul snowflake friend doesn't want to go then that's a shame but never mind. Let DS have the party he wants with the friends who do want to attend.

I hope this post is a wind up! Jesus some parents have a cheek! What nine year old cares about corporate businesses, I would definitely say what you said don't change your destination, kids love a pizza express!

Dear god the cheek of it

This is how it works love when it's my DC's birthday, they choose where they want to go & when it's your DC's birthday they choose. It's that simple

The nerve of some people

If she opposes Pizza Express so strongly then she'll oppose McDonalds too.

That is an extraordinary text to receive.
DS1 (15) is quite politically minded and has decided to boycott Sports Direct because of their history of how they have treated their employees, but happily eats in chain restaurants. Whatever this 9 year olds feelings on the subject and let's face it, this hasn't come from a child, why do people constantly put their own feelings/agendas ahead of common manners in today's world?

Fuck a duck. What an absolute prickster she is. The reply in your original post is bang on. Press send.

Wow! Kids these days, I assuming she wants her pizza locally sourced.

I'd just say well it's his birthday and he chooses and if you're daughter is into boycotting chains maybe we can give her some water whilst she's cuffed to the drainpipe protesting about not using hand reared pizza dough.

She's not from Moseley, is she?

What an absolute oddball.

Why should your DS change his plans?

She's very rude as her messages have an element of emotional blackmail. Most of us will support local trade and the high street but you can't do it to the exclusion of everything. Does she buy everything from local suppliers? Not one toilet roll from Home Bargains or the odd pasty from Greggs, or milk from the Spar? What car does she drive, who does she book her holidays through. You can't exist easily in a non-corporate business bubble. Birthday boy wants Pizza Express so that's what he gets.

Oh I can really see a 9 year old saying.
I don't want to eat at a corporate food chain, mommy. I'd rather go to my local eaterie.

Yeah and my diamante coach and golden horses have just pulled outside mine to take me to my coronation.

Your reply is more than reasonable.

The bloody snob. Mother obv, not the child

I don't like large corporate chains and prefer to support locally owned restaurants but I would never dream of asking someone to organise their birthday around my preferences! I would attend it, enjoy it, and then arrange for my own birthday to be at a locally owned place. She's being v rude.

January87 The OP was making a joke about McDonalds.

Her response is even more crazy! She can spend her money where she likes and shouldn't dictate to you where you spend yours. How does she know that you don't usually eat at xyz? It's a 9 year olds party ffs, 9 year olds like pizza express.

She deeply opposes large corporate chains and prefers to support locally owned eateries

Mum's not a very good liar then.

Does her mum own or have a friend that owns the locally owned eatery by chance?

Those words weren't from a 9yo! That is classic! I think your response is the right one.
Personally, I prefer to eat at independent or small local chain type places but with kids you have to look at where is suitable and I do quite like some of the chains (not all).

The fucking cheek of that woman is UNBELIEVABLE. I can't believe she tried to make it seem like a 9 year old would care about something like this, but then after you responded she asked AGAIN to have the party somewhere else! Who in the hell does she think she is?! What a total weirdo.

Asking you to reconsider one more time

Pleeeeeeee tell her no!! It's your kids birthday, his day, his choice!!!

Poor, poor kid.