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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU - World Cup final and 6yo Birthday party

303 replies

Viktorella · 10/07/2018 10:23

A boy in DD1's class is having a whole class party this Sunday (3pm-5pm)

Given that there's now some chance of England making it to the final, I assumed that the parents would be factoring that in to their planning at this stage (I know I would be if it was my daughter's party)...maybe moving the time of the party or having a big screen to show football at party.

I casually asked the boy's mum about it yesterday and it clearly hadn't entered her mind. She huffily responded "Well I can hardly cancel the party!"

AIBU to think that, if she doesn't consider it, she might end up with a lot of kids not attending? I wouldn't want my daughter to go (although would probably still take her out of guilt) and I'm far from being a football fan!

OP posts:
CanineEnigma · 10/07/2018 22:47

Ah yes, the multi billion pound worldwide industry that is the poxy men’s football.

crikeycrumbsblimey · 10/07/2018 22:48

I do love that everyone planning a party should have known it was the World Cup final and planned accordingly, but none of those who accepted invites are expected to know and plan accordingly.

Nailsshinelikejustice · 10/07/2018 22:48

Love the fact that posters like Reanimated bang on and on about how much they hate the World Cup and how they resent the disruption to their lives, yet every single football related thread there they are - same names - revelling in their hatred and bitterness. Maybe time to move on and stop obsessing?

fassone · 10/07/2018 22:54

My 6 year old would be cancelling his own party if we made the Worlf Cup final. Grin

derxa · 10/07/2018 22:56

Certainly not making it up. This was from someone who seems to know what he's talking about. Is he a clairvoyant? Grin

Original poster
Viktorella · 10/07/2018 23:03

Trevelyan That is the obvious solution to my mind as well but it's as though the mum doesn't even see that this could be an issue and, having upset her once already, I don't want to be the one to point it out to her!

OP posts:
whatwouldkeithRichardsdo2 · 11/07/2018 01:33

I would just provide a screen for those who want to watch. It doesn't have to be a big deal and the atmosphere will be good because it's a children's party (best behavior) or electric for the win.

Hedwig86 · 11/07/2018 04:47

I’m not an England fan but obviously the World Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world. 3.5 billion people watch it (about 1 billion for the final itself).

For England a World Cup final is likely a once in a generation experience (at most).

I think it’s crazy not to move a party to accommodate.

And I have it on good authority that It’s Coming Home.

Notthatwomanagain · 11/07/2018 08:12

She’s being foolish- loads of people will pull out and I do t blame them- so would I!
We are all hugely excited and would want to watch uninterrupted as a family
She needs to move the time- if an entertainer is booked then doubtless they would want to watch the footie too!

Kid won’t care- at 6 they just want a party they don’t mind when and at what time- more important to the child that their friends all turn up.

Ginger1982 · 11/07/2018 08:39

So what happens if she moves the party and then it turns out to be France-Croatia in the final? What a waste of time.

halcyondays · 11/07/2018 10:17

It might not be that easy to change the time if they've booked a hall and possibly don't have contact numbers for all the parents.

ravenmum · 11/07/2018 11:04

So what happens if she moves the party and then it turns out to be France-Croatia in the final?
The world ends and we all die. Or the party takes place at the new time. One of the two.

ItsNiceItsDifferentItsUnusual · 11/07/2018 11:20

Thing is though, there are people who aren't bothered about the football. So they will have arranged their day around the party commitment they have in the diary, and if the time changes to accommodate the football then it might be that other children then can't come. It's like scheduling jenga.

The best option would be to put a screen up, if she possibly can. I'd do it through gritted teeth personally, as I'm not a fan, but the most important thing would be to have the best party possible for my dc. And if that means facilitating football watching, that's what I'd do.

Wordsmith · 11/07/2018 12:09

Haven't read through the whole thread, but I'd say it depends on the child's age. If they're over 5 or 6, there's a good chance they might want to watch the match. Lots of kids start playing football at that age. Plus will parents be present? If so a lot of them will not want to miss the footie.

Unless it's unavoidable I'd say most of the parents will be praying for her to change the time. I don't know how difficult that would be (has she booked a venue, for example)

I'm not a football fan and normally I'd say leave it as it is, but if England gets through to the final it will be the biggest mass-participation event this country has seen for years. I certainly would want to watch it and be part of it.

Of course, they may lose tonight. If so, as you were.

soupforbrains · 11/07/2018 12:24

I mean, personally I would think the obvious solution is to arrange to do lifts to/from the party with another parent who doesn't care about the football.

You take your DD and other child to the party and go home in time for the footbal. Then other parent collects and returns DD home.

That way you get to watch all the football as you wish, DD gets to attend the party as she wishes AND should there be, by some remarkable incident, a great historical victory then your DD will be home by the second half so she'll still get to see the result come in.

Just want to highlight though that by tomorrow this could quite likely not be an issue at all...

Butkin1 · 11/07/2018 13:15

I am amused by MiddlingMum's note about having it "on good authority" that Croatia will win tonight. In that case but the savings on them at 11/8 ? (England are only 4/7 to get to the final by the way so long odds on..)

By the way it wasn't 100/1 for England at the start of the competition. It was 16/1 that they would win the World Cup and 10/1 that they would get to the final.

People still talk about where they were in 1966 when England last triumphed. I wonder what our kids will be saying in 50 years time IF we were to win on Sunday..

Aeroflotgirl · 11/07/2018 13:45

I don't blame the mother, I would not be cancelling it due to many reasons, lost deposit, may not able to get another date, and disappointing my child. It is ridiculous to think everybody will be glued to the tv in the final, what if we don't make it as there is equal chance we might not. Life goes on. If people don't come to this poor boys party than shame on them.

bonbonours · 11/07/2018 14:08

Chrisinthesun clearly you've not met many six year old boys, I teach them and the majority are obsessed with football.

Even my 10 and 12 year old girls who are not usually remotely interested in football are choosing to miss Guides tonight to watch the semi.

It is a big deal to a lot of people even if not to you.

cornershopkeeper · 11/07/2018 16:44

My birthday is in August so very few children ever attended my parties (if my parents bothered throwing me one at all).

I've never forgotten the one where one of the only children who was coming turned up at the end of the party rather than the beginning as her parents had misread the invitation.

I'd be listening to it on the radio and taking my child to the party.

Aragog · 11/07/2018 16:54

I work with this age group (year 1) and many of them really aren't interested. It's just not evening their radar. Yes some are - but they are interested in playing and watching football all year round - but nowhere near most of the children in my experience.

It would be the parents making the choice for many invitees based on my experience, and would be for the benefit of the parents in the majority of cases.

If your child isn't really bothered about the football and would prefer a party then I'd find a way of getting them there. At that age it's unusual to have to stay do it's a case of finding people who aren't bothered and are happy to take and drop children off. Maybe offer a swap for a play date in the holidays.

Chances are the party was booked a while back, and there could well be costs incurred if they now cancel or try to postpone. Due to the summer holidays coming up postponing could well be difficult for many families anyway.

I hate that everyone things the world should stop just for a game. For no other sport would this happen!

ReanimatedSGB · 11/07/2018 17:04

From what I remember of my DS' Year 1 group, some of them were interested in football but many were not, or had only a passing interest (ie might kick a ball about with a friend but would move on happily enough to something else within a few minutes).

MelissaM · 11/07/2018 17:25

I'm in the same position - have my son's 8th birthday party booked for Sunday afternoon at a venue so it's not like it is at my house and I could stick the TV on. I'm not a football fan either (now cycling is another matter but I already have the TdF highlights set to record). I can't change the time of the party as this is the only time they do this particular type of party. I also don't have another free afternoon until the end of the school holidays that I could move it to, without cancelling another prior engagement.
And I'll be honest the football hadn't even occurred to me as being at the same time until someone at work told me no one was going to turn up to my son's party.

Mosaic123 · 11/07/2018 17:46

It's a great time to go shopping if you ask me!

MrsPeel · 11/07/2018 17:47

Yes, we should completely reconfigure our pre - planned events because all of a sudden some people have decided that the World Cup is the most important event in the history of history

Will people be insisting that funerals should be re-scheduled next?

Nodancingshoes · 11/07/2018 17:58

I'd drop them off, rush home for the first half and then rush back to get them whilst listening to the rest on the radio. No biggy!

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