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.

[FastAway]

Well, am I?

I mean, come on.

First party I hosted for my dd (pfb) my mum made me sit with my back to them to turn off the music at random-but tapped me in the back of the parcel was being held my one of mine-so it was 90% random who won
All worked well until a few years later I was being tapped on my back and hit the pause button when she tapped again to let me know it had moved onto another child
A mother there had a huge fit and stomped out cos her child hadn’t won!
I mean it WAS rigged-but only so mine didn’t win!

Small sweet in each layer and every child (including the birthday child) gets to open a layer.
Birthday child does NOT win the final present.

YANBU. I always tried to make sure that my birthday child didn't win the games because it's already their day & they had plenty. The idea of games is for the other kids at the party to get a shot at winning something.

My DC are only young so last year for their birthdays to save all the aggro we just did pass the balloon, each time the music stopped a child got to dig in a box full of tinsel for a sweet or plastic tat

I love this idea.

Reading this I wondered what the kids think. I have asked my 8 year old and she is horrified that some people think the birthday child should get the main present and would fix it. "That is so mean". She also thinks it is wrong to fix it so the birthday child doesn't win. Everyone should get to open a layer and the last one should be COMPLETELY random, with everyone getting a fair chance. Including the birthday child. No fixing either way allowed. If the birthday child wins, so be it.

Of course I sneakily peak so the birthday child doesn't get it. One time I didn't even bother with a middle present and it was all sweets. The kids were outraged.

I wasn't even aware one could 'win' pass the parcel. I thought each layer was something similarly cool (including the innermost one) and the game was engineered so that each child could have a turn at winning the unwrapping per round. Wasn't aware the middle prize was meant to be something more special than the rest!

I remember at a small party where we all knew each other really well discussing how it really tells you something about someone who lets the birthday child win (including with the birthday girl’s mum).

She was and outraged at her DH when he proceeded to do it mere seconds later. Words were had

It was never fixed at ours, everyone had an equal chance of winning, including birthday child.

So in summary, yes, if you let your child win at pass the parcel, it tells me everything I need to know about you!

If you rig it, then that’s poor!
If it’s an accident then fair game! Chance is something kids learn.

The last 2 years at my DD's parties I rigged it so that everyone (including my DD) opened a layer, but have 1 extra layer as the last layer, I would wait until my DD had it, then turn around wait a couple of seconds then stop the music. So say there are 6 kids including my DD I would do 7 layers and try to make sure my DD didn't win it.

I've been to many parties where this has happened and it is just greedy as the birthday kid is already getting presents from all the guests.
It made me very annoyed as it is so obvious

It's really not that big a deal.

You just show a bit of 'generosity of spirit' and turn the music off when it lands with one the little guests. Show a bit of hospitality, and let someone else have a bit of fun on the day and get a present.

Anyone opting out of PTP because of the 'politics' is probably going to struggle to throw a kid's birthday party, full stop.

Oh yes, we've also been to parties without enough layers for PTP and my kid has a few times left with nothing. So people do this (usually the ones where their kid gets main gift)

We had an entertainer come to do my daughter’s party and I must admit I was surprised (and a little embarrassed) when she won the main present. She had so many gifts it didn’t seem fair really.

Kids had won a prize in each layer but yes think it’s nice for a different child to win it.

I once accidentally had dd win it.
I misjudged how long it would take to get round, so I saw her pass it over, then turned round to do a random one, thinking it would be about half way round and she had it. I did feel embarrassed, but the mums all laughed at me when I apologised.
She did give the prize to her best friend anyway without prompting.

I used to have a small gift under each layer and fixed it so that every child won something!

I know this is a lighthearted thread but do people really care about stuff like this?

Our 7 year old won the prize from pass the parcel as husband eliminated her first from EVERY game whether she deserved it or not! Not surprisingly she was getting very upset as she knew she wasn't out. There were sweets etc on each layer so everyone won something. I fixed it and have not regrets despite being admonished by one of her friends.

WTAF @FastAway , IS THIS SERIOUS‽

I think the question should be...
Who doesn't let their own child win at least one of the pass the parcel?

I've run you groups, and gone to soo soon many kids parties over the years, usually to help, and not.omce has the birthday child NOT won at least one of the PTP.

You telling all is here, you DONT let your kid win, at least once... ON THEIR GOD DAMNED BIRTHDAY....its their birthday.... You getting this? It's their fking BIRTHDAY, and a kid.

Do you buy birthday childs siblings presents, so they don't feel left out? FFS!
Now, that I don't agree with, it's not their birthday too (not counting twins etc).

How.can your child feel special for one fucking day of the year, If they don't win PTP, and be the ONLY child to get gifts?

Now, I ain't talking let them win in games... Monopoly, Scrabble, etc as that's different ... As they have to learn to accept a loss.

It's birthday childs PRIVILEGE to win one PTP, or crocodiles, or Simon says, not all, just one of each. Their birthday is a celebration of THEM.

I think not only are you being EXTREMELY unreasonable, but also a bit weird! You're not some religious nut are you? Enforcing strange rules on a child FFS. It's like not letting them blow out their own candles.... You got to share Winston, what I been telling you. Your birthday is not all about you!

Thing is, by posting this... Do you know for certain, they're not.on Mumsnet? Cos they could be reading this, and knowing it's about them!

This depends on the age of the child.Its very different doing this to a two or three year old to a six or seven year old but then maybe at the older ages pass the parcel isnt done!Unless there is a child with disabilities most children need to learn about losing.It sets them up for the real world.Can you imagine them going into melt down because they didnt get the job,the girl/boyfriend😂😂😂

I know this is a lighthearted thread but do people really care about stuff like this?

'Care' is probably too strong a word.

But notice and judge?

Yes, absolutely!

When I was a kid, pass the parcel just had one prize...no one died or spontaneously combusted from opening a layer with no prize.