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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:
Ifailed · 10/07/2018 11:26

Just a warning, the Women's football world cup final is on at 17:00 CEST on 7th July 2019. There's a good chance the English team could be playing.

Trampire · 10/07/2018 11:27

Also, please stop calling it -

"Grown men kicking a ball around a field"

It's very passive aggressive and we'll, wrong.

Would you say tennis is two grown men/women hitting a ball over a net?

Swimming is grown men/women jumping in a pond to see who can float the fastest?

Running is grown men/women chasing each other around a track?

Get over yourselves.

I'm not normally a football fan but I'm VERY excited! If I was holding an at home birthday party I would def move it to earlier in the day.

OftenHangry · 10/07/2018 11:27

@Bobbydeniro69 Amen

Original poster
Viktorella · 10/07/2018 11:28

Ski I have every intention of taking my daughter whether we're in the final or not but I'll begrudge it tbh and I know my DH will feel differently - the football is important to him and he'd like to share such a potentially historic moment with his whole family.

OP posts:
lifechangesforever · 10/07/2018 11:29

Because women couldn't possibly be interested in the football too.. seriously MN! The number of bloody feminist threads on this site and here are people spouting that it's the fault of the men for wanting to watch football?!

The mother is being unreasonable and putting her feelings before her child's.

As previously said, it is not just adults that will be wanting to watch - there are plenty of children that are extremely excited and will want to watch with their families.

MarthasGinYard · 10/07/2018 11:29

'the football is important to him and he'd like to share such a potentially historic moment with his whole family.'

What a load of tosh

DidimusStench · 10/07/2018 11:30

I hope those saying she should be pushed to change the time or even the day or make provisions to show football would happily put their hands in their pockets and contribute towards the cost of that, seeing its not for the benefit of the birthday child

Justanotherlurker · 10/07/2018 11:30

We have to squeak past Croatia yet, so this all could be a moot point.

If however they do win tomorrow night I think anyone so insistent that it is just "mens football" and holds no relevance will be even more seething come sunday.

If it is just a house party then I would rearrange it rather than have a less children turn up.

SmileSweetly · 10/07/2018 11:31

I'm no football fan (never watched a game in my life)

However, it is a big deal and I would be moving my child's party to the morning if I was her.

I'd probably not be taking DD to the party if it meant missing the game, as you clearly want to watch.

I think the mum is foolish to think the party isn't going to be impacted....of course England might not make the final anyway.

CharlieAustinsMagicHat · 10/07/2018 11:32

Surely it can't be beyond the realms of possibility for her to put it on the TV there. Kids have their party, people who want to watch the football can watch, people who don't want to watch, don't watch.

Glumglowworm · 10/07/2018 11:33

Honestly, i wouldn’t be thinking about it until after tomorrow’s game. Chances are England will be knocked out anyway so it won’t be an issue

Poor kid having his party ruined because of a game of bloody football

NurseButtercup · 10/07/2018 11:33

Well, on the plus side if England do get through to the finals there will be very little traffic, so it will be easier to travel to and from the party.

Grin
CtrlCandCtrlV · 10/07/2018 11:34

he'd like to share such a potentially historic moment with his whole family.

English people don't have much happening in their life, do they. I happen to follow the football, but "historic moment"? really? Get a grip.

Secretsquirrel252 · 10/07/2018 11:34

England haven't played in a World Cup final in my lifetime. If they get there, yes, it will be historic. I wouldn't want DC to miss out on that.

Metoodear · 10/07/2018 11:35

All that will happen their will be about 3 kids turn up
And definitely anyone that has a dad to take them will have no chance
My sons works at Pizza Hut neviely they carried on demanded he work they had 2 families in Tesco was a ghost town this Sunday most shops will close at 2 round here you either have to provide a tv for the parents of excepet a wash out

MaiaRindell · 10/07/2018 11:36

I feel really sorry for that boy and his mum. It's just 11 men chasing a ball. Totally unimportant in the scheme of things.

TaleasoldasTimee · 10/07/2018 11:36

It is not unreasonable for the mother to not change the party times but it also isn't unreasonable for parents not to take their children to the party if it means they miss the game.

It's not an ordinary game of football. It's a work cup final. A huge deal to fans and even to those who aren't like me. I never watch football usually but have watched the world cup and I wouldn't miss the final for a child's birthday party. It's been god knows how many years since England did so well.

I'm not even English!

Ifailed · 10/07/2018 11:37

Interesting to note that even German-owned Aldi is closing it's stores early on Sunday if England get to the final so their staff can watch.

Chocolatecoffeeaddict · 10/07/2018 11:38

If they are in the final there's going to be no one at that party. Poor kid

SoddingUnicorns · 10/07/2018 11:39

I do understand the excitement, I’d be buzzing if it was Scotland. I also understand the importance of a big match, I’m a die hard football fan, but honestly I couldn’t be that person that left a little kid devastated for my own selfishness, I don’t have it in me.

listsandbudgets · 10/07/2018 11:39

I had to reschedule a birthday party once after I'd sent out invites because it clashed with someone elses. They'd put their invitations out a few days earlier and as DD hadn't been invited but most of the rest of the year had been it would have had no one there. I'd booked an entertainer and sent out all invitations.

I had to

  • Cancel entertainer and lose substansial deposit - she couldn't do another party as she was booked up for 6 months
  • Search desperately for another entertainer and pay him
  • Rewrite and reissue all party invitations
  • Lose deposit on church hall and rebook elsewhere
  • deal with a very upset about to be 7 year old

Its not as simple as just cancelling it. It would never have crossed my mind not to book while the football was on because like many others I really don't care about it so wouldn't have even thought of checking months ahead to check if it was on.

Did you offer to pay for the hire of this giant screen OP or perhaps assist with the costs and inconvenience of moving the time ofthe party?

If you cared that much YOU would have checked when the final was before you accepted the invitation but clearly you didn't so stick to your word and take your dd to the party.

chrisinthesun · 10/07/2018 11:40

How many 6 y.o. are going to interested in the footie?! Confused

MaryMcCarthy · 10/07/2018 11:40

"historic moment"? really? Get a grip.

How many times have you heard the 1966 World Cup mentioned? The answer is loads, because it was not only the most historic moment in British sport, but a historic moment for Britain. You don't have to enjoy it, but don't deny the significance.

JacquesHammer · 10/07/2018 11:41

And definitely anyone that has a dad to take them will have no chance

Nice bit of casual sexism there

greendale17 · 10/07/2018 11:41

**It's only on MN where apparently no one gives a crap about the World Cup and everyone finds it ridiculous that events would be cancelled or postponed for it.

In RL pretty much everyone I know (male and female) is super excited and wouldn't dream of missing the final if we got there. If we had a party planned it would be rescheduled both for our sakes and the fact that hardly anyone would come. Loads of fetes round here either got big screens or cancelled last Saturday because of the game. YANBU and I would be sending my apologies if we got to the final.**

^I completely. Lots of events round my area finished earlier to accommodate Saturdays match.