To think its rude to ask if siblings can come to child's party!

[happymumofthree3]

My DD has just had her birthday party, we hired a place but still had a maximum number you could invite. With the class and family we invited the maximum number obviously not everyone replied / showed up.

We had 3 parents text to ask if siblings could come, one of them even asked if they could bring invited child and 2 siblings! Other people dropped hints "sorry X would love to come but unfortunately I don't have anyone to watch her 2 brothers"

The party was 5pm on a Saturday! If my husband isn't able to take DD to a party she doesn't go as we have 2 other children.

AIBU to think its rude!? Also parents eating their child's party food? Whats that all about

Why does it matter if they are not joining in? Or sitting in a trampoline park cafe along with the general public who haven't attended the party?

There are plenty of explainations on this thread of why it is bad manners.

I find this odd - when mine were little parents did not stay with children at parties - they were dropped off and picked up at the end!

Yes I've seen those that mention the sibling expecting food etc or to join in with the activities. I understand that.
But I can't see an issue when they are just sitting with the parent, especially in a public trampoline park cafe where there are many other people.
I've never thought it rude when a sibling has attended our parties, no one has expected them to join in either.

It is the height of bad manners to rock up with a sibling in tow. I am staggered how many parents think this is ok tbh, its bonkers

It's not at all, don't be daft.

Fair enough to someone's house, or with an expectation that the sibling will be looked after, or fed, given a party bag or join in with stuff. That isn't acceptable.

In a public venue like a soft play or trampoline park, it's open to the public and anyone can go if they pay. It makes complete sense for the sibling to be there, paid for and supervised by their parent, sitting in the cafe or whatever.

I'm imagining the policing of this, turning away paying customers on the grounds that their sibling is attending a party in the same location at the same time 😂

Its not about policing or turning away paying customers.

Its about common sense and manners from parents.

Those sort of parties are normally limited numbers due to cost, it is extremely unfair to both the party child and the actual invited child to have an univited younger sibling following around and wanting to join in. The univited sibling will have their own friends parties to attend.

A sibling game to my sons bowling party. There's a cafe, arcade and soft play at the venue so ample for her to do but the sibling and mum sat with the boys while they bowled.

Fine.

One boy was slightly late to arrive, so another mum suggested we get started and the sibling take the place of the late arrival. I said no.

The boys had food brought out between the two games. The same mum told the sibling to play while the boys ate, ruining their second game.

What I find odd is the families who turn up with two parents and multiple children. Why not leave the siblings at home with the other parent? For my DC's party coming up, we can potentially accommodate a few siblings but not twice as many children as invited, so clearly we'd prefer siblings only where there is a real childcare issue.

It's hard to think of a tactful way to put this on the invite though - 'Siblings welcome by prior arrangement if you're a single parent or partner away or working, but please don't treat our child's party like a family outing!" I can't imagine that would go down well 😁.

I learnt after dds first party not to go with a venue that had set numbers parents brought siblings without checking and I had to turn them away I felt awful having to do it.
After that party I started inviting friends and their siblings and hiring a church hall so numbers wasn't a issue.