Child's party - paying for adults WWYD?

[partypartypartyparty]

For my DD 8th birthday she wants to go to a waterpark near us with a swimming pool and lots of different slides. She is inviting about 10 friends, mix of boys and girls. The waterpark does a party package and it includes 2 free adult entries to supervise the children so that will be me and my DH. If any additional adults are attending it costs £15 for entry for them and £5 if they just want to spectate. My issue is whether parents would be expecting to attend?

We are both happy to supervise all the children and this is what I had planned to do, however when I was sorting the invites I wasn't sure if parents would be comfortable with this because it is a waterpark? I would be fine with DD being supervised by other parents at a waterpark but she is a very sensible child.

My other issue is if parents do want to attend whether they would expect to be paid for. We are already stretched to the limit on our budget for the party so really don't think we could pay for them, however I don't know whether this would seem cheeky saying this on the invite.

What does everyone think?

I wouldn't let my daughter attend a swimming party, kids get silly and overexcited at parties, especially at that age and all it takes is one little accident. Plus you don't know how strong they can swim. Would she be happy to take a friend there just to swim and have a different kind of party? I think you're going to end up with declined invitations which is heartbreaking in itself. It's not just in the pool you need to think about, you've got to supervise these kids getting changed into swimming gear, showering and back into clothing, hair drying etc etc.

I don't worry about a swimming party where there are clear lines of sight but a water park with loads of slides is more dangerous IMO.

My ds had a pool party like this last year for his 9th birthday so they were all 8 and 9 year olds. We had to have one adult to every 2 children in the pool for the 8s and under even though there were lifeguards too. It was manic. The kids were all way over excited. Running round the edge of the pool, running to the toilet, dive bombing each other. 2 adults to 11 7 and 8 year olds is silly imo. You need a lot more than that.

Tbh if it’s actually a waterpark (rather than a few slides into one pool) i would insist that every child has to have an accompanying adult and I’d pay the £5 per child (they can top it up by £10 if they want to go in). Then work out how many you can afford to invite. I just wouldn’t want the responsibility of children who will want to be running around a water park going on different slides, in & out of the toilets etc

Being ‘good swimmers’ means nothing when you come off a slide and are disorientated under the water or another kid dunks them etc.

I’d have said no to a birthday party at a proper waterpark.

Agree you need more adults. Does the pool provide someone as part of the package

Great solution op

Your update sounds very sensible OP. Hope your child has a lovely party

Agree with pp that 4 adults ideally needed for 10 children... but feel very sorry for children of those posters saying they would never let their child go to a swimming party. They will miss out on so much fun and probably grow up too anxious to take any risk. As for an 8 year old not being able to dress themselves? They will manage, and gain more from trying than they will from mummy standing over them ensuring everything is perfect until they are 18!

If your child is inviting 10 friends then there isn't a ratio of 1:5...

New plan sounds better. And if its only for a couple of hours, the "spectating" parents can at least help with dressing, taking their own kid to the loo etc

Sound like it's not a center parcs type of park but more slides into a pool n if they can all touch the bottom it's OK. But my god dh n I brought Ds + 9 for his 11th last year to an outdoor inflatables place (on a lake) everyone had super inflated life jackets & there were life guards but my god we were withered from trying to keep an eye on them all! Dh is a Scout leader so more used to it but still don't think I'd do it again!

That's much better, but you do nee to be very very aware of what drowning actually looks like. It's not always threshing about and stuck underwater, sometimes it's very quiet and immobile. If you've got lifeguards around they should recognise it though.