Roll your eyes at the drama!

[MondayblueFridayyellow]

Some of the parents in our children's class have very kindly organised a surprise leaving party for the year 6 children.
The 'surprise' has unfortunately been leaked by one of the children. One of the mothers has sent a message to the whatsapp group (please see below. I have changed the names)
Do you think this message is a bit over the top? I feel for whoever's child it is as they will now be picked on.

The Message:

Evening all I have some very upsetting and heartbreaking news to share with you. 😢💔

It’s come to my attention there a couple of children who have access to this and the other PARENT group chat and have spoiled the surprise. Especially one child in particular I know who the child is and feel like naming and shaming!
They have shared all the information from the day of the party, time, what’s happening there and the hoodies.
They have even shared the sizes and colours to the children and that is sensitive information.

Myself, Parent 1, Parent 2, Parent 3 have all worked incredibly hard over the past few months from calling venues, DJ’s booking things and surprises.
We also all work full time have so much going on in our personal lives and it hasn’t been easy.
To say the least I’m extremely hurt by this as we have even kept all of this away from our own children. It really feels like a kick in the stomach. It’s been so stressful and now I personally am fuming all hard work has been wasted.
Parent groups are for parents and there are other conversations on the groups that aren’t for children’s eyes or ears.
We have expressed time after time this is a surprise and that our children do not know.

The jumpers have been a nightmare amongst other things going backwards and forwards to suppliers etc.

I really really hope the person that has done this is ashamed of themselves and comes clean to the parents and apologises!

For me the excitement has gone and if this information had come out even a week ago no would have cancelled the whole thing.

The school haven’t taken on the stress of organising any of it and we stepped up if it wasn’t for us the kids would just be having that one last thing together at flip out and nothing else.

I’m sorry to rant but I hope you can all understand how hurt we are feeling.

💔💔💔

It’s a harsh lesson, but that kid won’t be ruining any more surprises for a while.

I’m lol

i don't want to be a killjoy (actually i don't care if people think i am) but I've reported this thread as hugely outing and not really in the spirit

My friend organised a surprise party for his wife and he had to go to such lengths (finding old schoolfriends etc) that she thought he was having an affair

But you've just illustrated why surprise parties are bollocks and all about the organiser. The wife must have been really upset if she suspected her H was having an affair.

I had a colleague who organised a surprise birthday party for his wife and she got really upset because in the weeks running up to her birthday she was really upset that no-one was doing anything for it or free to do anything for her birthday.

Why do parties need to be surprises? Why are they more, not less, fun for being a surprise? Its all about the organiser wanting to enjoy the 'reveal'.

But surely there is a party and hoodies for the Y6 leavers every year, so how could it have been a surprise? Is this seriously the first year this happened at your school?

WhatsApp class groups are not the place for any kind of sensitive exchange.

One can only hope!

Hahahaha

Peer wifey.

If I'm being honest, same. However any messages I sent would convey the sentiment of being a tad pissed off rather than the uber melodramatic delivery the mum in the OP has gone for.

But if the parents in question let their kid read the messages in the group that's not on, yes it was only party plans now, but what if it was sensitive information about another child and the kid went into school blabbing about that!

Why is her effort wasted if the party is still going ahead? All the organisation with suppliers etc would surely have been the same regardless if it was a surprise or not?

I'm also slightly envious of someone's life that this is their idea of heartbreaking news

Love it

I worry for the child who revealed the surprise

Witness protection - NOW!!!

Do you or anyone know who the kid is?

It obviously meant a lot to her and the other parents doing the organizing that it would be a surprise and they have gone to a lot of effort, all to end up being mostly mocked on Mumsnet so I feel bad for her.

Realistically though the children are going to get a lot more excitement and pleasure from looking forward to the party over the coming days/weeks than they would from the surprise as that would only last a few seconds.

Can you not see the over reaction? Way too much and in the scheme of things is not a heart breaking event. WhatsApp groups should be banned. End of. They cause nothing but problems.

Ah OK - DS2 left yr6 during covid restrictions and DS1 is a lot older so maybe things are different now.
I think the primary school still organises the hoodies, they do a play (during the school day) and then a BBQ and water fight on the school field. I imagine the PTA gives funds for the BBQ food/drink.

To be so “heartbroken” smacks of organising the secret event in the hope of lots of back-slapping

The way this parent is behaving is outrageous.

What an asshole!! Seriously. I would be giving this weirdo a wide berth from now on.

Im sure the children are going to be just as excited!

The kid won’t be the only one if this ends up in the DM! There’ll be a witch hunt. Although, if there are 30 kids, you could always blame it on one of the other 29 mums.

I'd have to ask her if she plays any sort of racquet sport or if she plays golf. She may respond asking you why. To which you reply that you're just wanting to know if she plays left or right handed and what her grip size is so you can get her the right size as a thank you for all her hard work.

She is probably so engrossed that she won't realise that you're actually saying "Here's a grip you can have!"

And in another 10/15 years she'll me posting on MN 'my child has gone NC with me for no reason, we've always done the BEST for her (him? Sorry missed if it was said), thrown her the most elaborate parties and made an absolute fuss over her at all times.'

Totally missing that she makes it all about her

I could understand if it was a parent that had spilled the beans, but it was an 11 year old, she needs to chill the fuck out, the kid was probably super excited and couldn't keep quiet.

Its the martyrdom that is so unnecessary..there is absolutely no need to take on all this extra "work" and then moan about it. They wanted the glory and drama of it for themselves with the big unveiling....

Totally agree. I would hate a surprise party - I just know it would happen when my hair needs a wash and I'm wearing my gardening clothes and wellie shoes. And your colleague's wife spent weeks being upset, when she could have spent weeks looking forward to her party. It makes no sense to me either.