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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Raging at crazy-rude party guest! Talk me down ladies.

282 replies

WoolyMammoth55 · 24/05/2021 20:15

Ok it's long, forgive me - need to unburden!

My DS's 5th birthday was this past weekend. We'd been hoping for a gathering in the garden in nice weather but the forecast was right and it was tipping down so we did a very small indoors thing instead. Shame because his last birthday was in full lockdown so had hoped for a nicer party but hey ho. We knew it was weather dependent so only invited the indoors-scenario people, but were hoping to add on others if it was sunny, and couldn't.

We have smaller kids including a very young baby, so the morning of the party was hectic. Trying to make the place look nice and get presentable while unwrapping presents and wrangling the kids - we could of used help from several nannies and cleaners! Kept on top of the downstairs but upstairs was a disaster zone. But DS had a nice morning, which was obviously the main thing.

DS's best bud has separated parents who are amicable. I am friends with the mum and have had playdates at her house, but only know the dad in passing. He's been to our house a few times but just to collect his son - we've never been invited to his. He didn't make it onto the tiny indoors guest list, but he called me in the morning - I was worried it was to say his DS couldn't come, which would have ruined it for mine! - but instead he was wrangling an invite. In the moment under pressure I said yes, that he could swing by towards the end - sort of thought he wanted to see the kids enjoying themselves or whatever.

So here's the thing: having been a CF and invited himself, does he behave well? HELL NO. Came earlier than I expected and totally empty-handed, not even a card for my son. Then get this - disappeared upstairs with the boys (who I'd told 'no going upstairs', but before he came) and stayed up there for ages, until eventually his ex went upstairs to get them down. No way he didn't get an eye-full of my dirty laundry (literally).

I am so furious and mortified. My unmade bed, my discarded towel, my nightie! I realise in a perfect world it would have been tidy but honestly at one point I didn't think I'd have time to shower...

We have had the situation at other play dates when the kids run off upstairs and I would NEVER follow without asking - what was he thinking?

Since then he's distinguished himself again by being the only guest not to say thanks for a lovely party. Nada from this guy. Unless he was raised by wolves then there's no mitigating circs that I can see and I think I might have to say something if I'm going to have to keep being civil to him.

Am I missing something? Is it not really that bad? And is it pointless saying anything? Urgh just want to throw up thinking about him poking around my bedroom!

OP posts:
TheKeatingFive · 26/05/2021 11:32

Please explain why adults having wine at a children's party is sad and sleazy ??? Have I missed something here ?
Did the adults get shit faced and have an orgy??

I’m clearly getting invited to the wrong parties 😆

TheKeatingFive · 26/05/2021 11:32

Bold fail

Luddite26 · 26/05/2021 11:48

@TheKeatingFive

*Please explain why adults having wine at a children's party is sad and sleazy ??? Have I missed something here ? Did the adults get shit faced and have an orgy??*

I’m clearly getting invited to the wrong parties 😆

It's a young child's party and that is my opinion. Maybe that's why the problem guest invited himself he knows what a state his ex gets in when on wine while in charge of a child. Wine - people think cos it's made from grapes it's fruit juice.
PaperbackRider · 26/05/2021 11:50

Nobody thinks wine is fruit juice and you can't call people sleazy and sad and then just say "my opinion" Hmm
Just because you have issues with alcohol doesn't mean the rest of us need your permission to have a drink.

TheKeatingFive · 26/05/2021 11:54

It's a young child's party

You know no one is offering it to the children, right?

Maybe that's why the problem guest invited himself he knows what a state his ex gets in when on wine while in charge of a child.

So he’s a paedo and she’s a drunk? Fuck me, this is the thread that keeps on giving.

Bluntness100 · 26/05/2021 12:22

Personally I wouldnt allow my child to go upstairs in someone else's house. It's rude without an ok from the host and even ruder to think it's ok to follow them up to 'supervise'

Totally agree, and when he realised he went up after them. Clearly no one was looking after the kids or they’d not have been able to. I don’t understand the op saying she was stuck on the sofa so couldn’t do anything, she’s a voice on her. It was her own child. She could easily have shouted “oi Johnny, play down here”. These two children’s safety came first.

SmidgenofaPigeon · 26/05/2021 12:24

What not ‘safe’ about a five year old going upstairs to play in his room? I’m genuinely perplexed.

Luddite26 · 26/05/2021 12:27

Paperback rider that's your opinion.
I don't think i have to give permission like i said that's what i think.

Yes i know that theyre not offering it to the kids. The wine drinkers don't let it out of there sight - just the kids!

Bluntness100 · 26/05/2021 12:33

@SmidgenofaPigeon

What not ‘safe’ about a five year old going upstairs to play in his room? I’m genuinely perplexed.
Five year olds need supervision.
SmidgenofaPigeon · 26/05/2021 12:37

This is what I’ve learnt from this thread.

  • a child’s bedroom, although safe at night, becomes a treacherous place during the day. A school-aged child CANNOT be up there unsupervised incase they have the misfortune to slip on a hot wheels car, or become crushed under a poorly-built Lego structure, or....Im still not clear but obviously I will need to educate myself further.

-some of your child’s friend’s dad’s are peados, and will happily insert themselves into a child’s party to perv on not only your children, but their own ones too, if they are left unsupervised in a child’s bedroom. If they’re not perving on your kid or their kid, they are going to have a good snout at your dirty laundry and discarded nightclothes. Either way, they are a pervert, so keep that in mind next time they ask you to save them a seat at the school nativity.

-adults think wine is just fruit juice, and will happily accept a glass at a gathering, only to become completely inebriated and unable to care for the offspring in any capacity, despite usually managing this on a social glass or two. This is when your children will fall into the hands of said peado, even though that peado was once married to one of your friends.

  • if there is wine offered at a children’s party, and you accept the wine, you should have brought some wine also, even though you didn’t know there would be wine offered there.
SmidgenofaPigeon · 26/05/2021 12:39

@Bluntness100

Five year olds, there are special needs or disabilities to take into account, absolutely do not need constant supervision when they are in their own homes or the home of one of their friends.

SmidgenofaPigeon · 26/05/2021 12:39

*unless

TheKeatingFive · 26/05/2021 12:45

To add to SmidgenofaPigeon excellent post Grin

A separate present/card is expected from each parent of a child who attends the party (though, I’m not 100% sure if that only applies to separated parents, now that I think of it. Can anyone elaborate?)

The word bedroom will be shortly replaced by ‘inner sanctuary’ and is utterly off limits to anyone, even if you leave doors wide open and allow children to head up stairs, unsupervised, without stopping them.

Inner sanctuaries must be spotlessly neat and tidy at all times, even though no one is allowed to cross their threshold, ever.

Your nightgown is a source of great shame and must never been viewed by the human eye.

Luddite26 · 26/05/2021 12:47

Do paedos where signs these days then ? It isn't just about safeguarding children adults have to safeguard themselves from false accusations.

If your husband disappeared at a childs party upstairs with 2 kids after the host has said don't go upstairs would you not ask him why he took so long.
Surely any adult would say come downstairs to the party where the rest of your friends are. not follow them into the master bedroom. And if they do that they are open to accusations.

SmidgenofaPigeon · 26/05/2021 12:49

You’re right, get on to the Sun now and start a petition to get him out of the neighbourhood.

SmidgenofaPigeon · 26/05/2021 12:51

Oh yes, I’d definitely assume my husband was a peado in that situation. Come to think of it, he went upstairs ALONE with my niece last week as she wanted to show him her new bed cover. Shit.

cookiecreampie · 26/05/2021 12:55

Why did he need to contribute to the gift if the kid's mother had already brought one?

TheKeatingFive · 26/05/2021 12:57

Why did he need to contribute to the gift if the kid's mother had already brought one?

So. Many. Questions.

Luddite26 · 26/05/2021 12:57

That's totally different Smidgen it was your niece so known to her not some random at a kids party.
Ok he was the father of one of the kids but still a bloke hardly anybody knew.

TheKeatingFive · 26/05/2021 12:59

Ok he was the father of one of the kids

Well. Yes.

TheKeatingFive · 26/05/2021 13:00

I mean, if a random stranger gains access to your house during a party, with no connection to any child and disappears upstairs with them, then yes, be concerned.

SmidgenofaPigeon · 26/05/2021 13:06

The man wasn’t random either.

chickenyhead · 26/05/2021 13:09

Oh dear

No, he wasn't random.

He wasn't invited.

If, by your standards 5 year old do not need supervision, he went up to the parent's bedroom for what reasons?

So obtuse. Are you bored? Deliberately being provocative? Fascinating

SmidgenofaPigeon · 26/05/2021 13:10

He was invited 😂 OP says she invited him on the phone. Check your reading comprehension.

chickenyhead · 26/05/2021 13:12

He was not on the invitation list

Boring