To think this is an absurd party request?

[MerryMax]

DD is invited to a 7th birthday party today. The birthday girl's mum has given clear instruction that all parents need to stay and be present on the climbing frame. I've had a cold and don't feel like traipsing around a climbing frame trying to follow a bunch of 7 year olds. Surely at 7 they can be in there on their own?

Surely if party hosts get ever more demanding people will just stop bothering about bringing their kids to parties and just do some nice family activities at the weekend instead.

I'd give it a miss tbh, no one needs that kind of hassle

I shall dutifully crouch in the play frame until told otherwise because I'm not rude but I just had to get it off my chest before I jam my knees into it for a few hours!

Why have you turned all dramatic and passive aggressive? According to you she said One parent must be "in" the climbing frame - not all of you and not you for hours on end.

It sounds competely over the top but you also seem detirmined to make a drama out of it.

But 7 is drop and run age. This sounds batshit

Pmsl, the mother has obviously been on these threads before.

I would love to witness this party.

If soft play is for max age 8 they won't be insured for adults or even older siblings, so the staff should ask anyone over 8 to get out of the frame, especially as there are non-party children there too.

I would stay, but I wouldn't go in the frame.

all parents need to stay and be present on the climbing frame.

Surely she just meant for everyone to keep an eye on their child while they're on the climbing frame? Not actually go on it themselves? I'd ask her to clarify.

Soft play centres set their own rules and I doubt they'd want parents all over the climbing frame.

Why is she having a party at a soft play if she doesn't want kids to play independently whilst their parents sit elsewhere? How odd of her!

I'd sit at table near play frame

Mum might have a disability?.. why does everyone jump to that and use it as an excuse.

Anyway Op it's a over cautious mother your dealing with, my kids play with their friends at their party from 4-5 and the only one playing with them all was me and my friend. Kids don't want a load of adults following them.

If you're all in there crouching down there's going to be no room for any children. Perhaps they can sit at the tables, eat cake and play on phones.

I would simply tell her that you are willing to stay, but your DD is quite able to access for play independently, and does not require you in there with her. Unless, of course this is some bizarre rule set by the company themselves.

What on earth is this “crouching down inside the climbing frame”?

Wouldn’t she just mean to be there, close enough to the frame, so if your child gets stuck you’re there?

I do have some sympathy for the mum... I was stressed to the point of tears before my son’s party (for no good reason) and perhaps she’s the same and just worried re kids getting hurt.

But “crouching down?” I’ve Got visions of all you mums building a human pyramid!

for play = soft play.

Although if there is a chance of some foreplay I'm coming to crouch down in there with you OP

Look she is off her head.How can she possibly expect an open softplay with other people there to do this,

Imagine paying in and your kid cant go on anything cause all the parents are crouching underneath it.

I would be straight up to the staff.Also im sure h&s would have something to do with it.Its not safe for adults to be on the equipment.

What if one of you fell.Whose fault would that be,

It’s ridiculous, 7year olds somehow manage being away from parents for six hours a day while at school, I’m sure they can manage a soft play by themselves whilst you have a coffee. A party I went to at the weekend all the parents had to supervise the party games 🙄 how on earth can pass the parcel be dangerous.

I'd go and just say 'nah, I'm not going to do that'.

I agree with Neverunderfed, I bet she's an anxious mumsnetter who has read all the soft play threads and decided that as she can't physically crawl around the soft play following all the children 'just in case', then all the children need to bring a parent to help her out.

I shall dutifully crouch in the play frame until told otherwise because I'm not rude but I just had to get it off my chest before I jam my knees into it for a few hours!

Oh, don't be so ridiculous! Just sit at a table and enjoy watching your child play. Anyway, I can't imagine the staff there would allow adults to all be in the play area at the same time.

Oh, and not doing that is not being rude FFS!

Maybe she has made some silly demands of the Soft Play place so that they've said the only way she can be sure that no party child will hurt themselves (given that she's not booked the place exclusively) is for her to station an adult in there at all times. What is she going to be doing while you perform that duty for her?

you invite the other kids to make it fun for your child, the least you can do is take care of the invitees

by paying for them to attend the party, and giving them food and usually a party bag, the host is taking care of the invitees. Either it's a class party, and the parents felt obliged to invite everyone. They won't mind if your little darling decline the invitation. Or they cut the list to say 10 names, and if your darling is not coming, there are more than enough people to take his spot.

I can assure you that your child is never doing a favour by attending a party!

In any case, instead of behaving like petulant pre-teen, the mature attitude when you don't like the idea of this party is to decline the invitation. So simple. Going all guns blazing and willing to piss off and spite someone who just spent a large some money and invited your child.. seriously?

I can assure you that your child is never doing a favour by attending a party!

Tell that to kids who struggle to make friends.

If I invite anyone to my home or to a party at a venue, I expect to take care of them. I don't expect other parents to give up their time to facilitate my child's birthday. If I need help I will rope in family or friends, and I expect to feed and entertain the children I invite and keep them safe and happy for a couple of hours. It's no big deal and all the other parents I know do the same. But hey, different strokes for different folks.