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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think if you let your child win pass the parcel at their own birthday party it tells me everything I need to know about you.

281 replies

FastAway · 20/10/2019 19:43

Well, am I?

I mean, come on.

OP posts:
purplebunny2012 · 21/10/2019 19:15

*So if the birthday has to win PTP, I assume this extends to all the party games - musical chairs, pin the tail on the donkey, etc, etc...??

Is the birthday child expected to win every last one?

Because if so, that is so tedious for all the little guests*

That happened at one party I took my son to. Even the other parents found it tedious

purplebunny2012 · 21/10/2019 19:16

Why do get bold fails every now and then?!

namina · 21/10/2019 19:28

YANBU!!

DappledThings · 21/10/2019 19:43

Why do get bold fails every now and then?!
They don't work with paragraphs. You have to have the asterisk at the start and end of each paragraph, not just round the whole bit you are quoting. Took me ages to work that out!

TickyTacky · 21/10/2019 19:47

I remember having a wailing tantrum at home because my friend won ptp at my party, and the prize was a sparkly bouncy ball. My magpie like tendencies couldn't let that one pass. My sulking didn't get me the prize though Blush

Catsinthecupboard · 21/10/2019 21:38

@macblank

Yes. I used to get my dc a gift when it was their sibling's bd.

They are responsible young adults now. Not perfect, but hardworking and kind.

I actually don't remember making a big deal out of winning games on anyone's bd though.

Their grandmother used to beat them at all board games; she was competitive and loved for some things, but teased for that foible.

SHE also sent a along small gift to other child along with bd gifts.

I don't have a point really. Just that it's all going to "wash out in the end." We try to do what's best for our children and then they become us; adults. With personality quirks and craziness just like everyone else.

By now, my dc know peers who have died, been paralyzed, harmed by others and suffered all manner of horrid adult traumas and tragedies. Giving parents a break for however they treat their children is kind. Because we don't know why they did it.

I was once unexpectedly left with an autistic child at dd's party. It was stressful and pretty awful. But looking back, even though I think the parents were jerks, i think that they were afraid I would uninvite their dc.

Nobody is perfect. And those that seem to be perfect are either lying or in for a rude awakening.

RoseLillian · 21/10/2019 21:42

The only party I’ve been to with DD’s which involves pass the parcel was a 3rd birthday party last year. For starters there was just too many kids, a lot of them being older. Dad of the birthday girl was trying to land it on the handful of younger ones (Dd included). No idea what he was doing though as he kept getting it wrong. The oldest lad there (approx 11years old), kept on getting it. It was all a bit cringe worthy. I always think it should just be done randomly.

Nevergiveup1980 · 21/10/2019 21:46

My daughter never won anything like pass the parcel or something similar as the birthday child gets loads anyway.

masterchef98 · 21/10/2019 21:52

The winner of ptp is random surely? I make sure everyone gets a layer and a sweet then turn my back. I also try to make sure the prize isnt tok exciting but I've found that doesnt really work. If there is a prize they want it even if they dont. Best party I did was mario and sonic. Small number of kids, everyone got a party bag on arrival and won gold coins for games. Everyone got one, 2nd place 2, 1sr place 3. 10 - 12 games. At the end they swapped coins for lucky dips, 1 coin exchanged for the sweet bag and 3 coins exchanged for the (very cheap) key ring bag. Everyone was happy, the food was good too.

Parttimewasteoftime · 21/10/2019 22:20

The birthday child should never win PTP 😲 Always sweet per layer (rig it so they win one of them) then stop on the best friend never the sibling as per a party we went to cue birthday child stroppy his DB won 😂

jamesforagirl · 21/10/2019 22:34

I’ve had PTP rage!!! My DD won the prize at at my friends DD party, my friend then said really loudly the music hasn’t stopped I was changing tracks, the music had stopped! My DD passed to the next child, the next child won and my friend said “That’s to thank you for travelling so far to be with us” WHO DOES THAT!!! They were 4!!!! We never went to another party after that!! AND we’d travelled 1.5hrs, they lived up the bloody road! Cow!

avamiah · 21/10/2019 22:34

My daughter is 10 next year and she has had lots of parties with pass the parcel games and I would never let her win because it’s her birthday.She is a kind and confident girl and very happy for her friends to win all the prizes as it’s her birthday party and she wants them to have fun and is happy that they came .

OooErMissus · 21/10/2019 22:48

She is a kind and confident girl and very happy for her friends to win all the prizes as it’s her birthday party and she wants them to have fun and is happy that they came .

This ^^ is a normal, well-adjusted, socially adept person's viewpoint.

avamiah · 21/10/2019 23:05

OooErMissus,
Yes she is very easy going and popular at school.

Thehagonthehill · 21/10/2019 23:14

Our parties were totally fixed.Only a prize in the middle of the pass the parcel.Adter the first year DD didn't play as she liked to stop and start the music
DD and a friend always won sleeping lions.Basically it was fixed so everyone got something.

User556 · 22/10/2019 03:55

We were invited to a child’s birthday party who was a child of my STBXH family friend

The mother who I cannot stand anyway made sure that her children and nephew and nieces won the prize.

Then they cut a cake and were giving out a slice to everyone to eat. Except only the close family were given the ‘nice’ fresh cream cake and the rest were given a box standard Costco cake.

My DS who was 4 at the time asked her if he could have the fresh cream one and she said no that’s not for you.

Bitch

Kidlacky · 22/10/2019 03:57

worse is a headmaster whos kids in your kids class and they always let there kid be narrator or mary . Blantantly.

Cantrememberpassword · 22/10/2019 04:02

Total triviality.

Petrachat · 22/10/2019 07:24

I was five, several children at my Birthday party, my DM, had not explained the rules of PTP, someone else won what l assumed was my Birthday gift. This lead to total meltdown, l was sent to my bedroom, no party, no cake, as the distant dulcet tones of " happy birthday to you" drifted up the stairs, l laid on my bed sobbing. The continuing therapy has not helped !!

StoppinBy · 22/10/2019 07:34

I usually make the main prize something that everyone will have fun sharing............whoopie cushion, games etc, I know my child will share them so I stop it on her.

I think every part I have been to the birthday kid has got the prize but they are usually an individual prize. To be honest I have never put much thought in to it.

wanderings · 22/10/2019 08:01

@Petrachat That's sad, did they not invite you down later, when you'd calmed down? It's easy for us adults to forget how "big and important" these things feel to children, and just warning them that they might not win can make a difference. Cake

I was the kid people didn't want at their party - I didn't like loud noises, such as those things children blow into which unroll and whistle; I was terrified of balloons popping, and I was totally freaked out by party poppers. I remember childishly misunderstanding pin the tail, aged five. We were told "the one who gets it nearest wins". I thought yay, I can win this! I had my turn first, the mum tied the scarf over my eyes, but I kept taking it off, saying "I can't see". I cried when she firmly told me that I had to be blindfolded, I thought she meant me only! While I sobbed, everyone else then had their go so I could watch; it cheered me up that they all got it in the wrong place, so I had my go last. But I didn't get invited to many parties after that.

Eclogite · 22/10/2019 11:19

PTP was never a thing in Denmark where I grew up. When we moved to England and I helped out and my little sisters birthday parties we always just put one sweet in each layer (including the final one) and rigged it so everyone (including my sister) got one. Seems we misunderstood the game 😂 those children must’ve been so disappointed upon reaching the middle.

GettingABitDesperateNow · 22/10/2019 11:28

I'm in more of the 'if you watch to see who's won pass the parcel and get outraged at a certain child winning it over another, that tells me all I need to know about you' camp.

We played this at my daughters birthday. I honestly can't remember who won or not and neither can she!

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 22/10/2019 11:29

I always thought that the correct etiquette was watching like a hawk to make sure every child unwrapped at least one layer (with a small sweet in each layer) but then doing the final round blind, so it was genuinely random.

AryaStarkWolf · 22/10/2019 11:31

Meh