Child free event - assume or specify?

[PickledWotsit]

If you were throwing a daytime party (birthday, baby shower, bbq on a summers day or whatever - that sort of thing) do you think you need to explicitly say that it's child free or should people assume it is unless they have received an explicit invitation for their children?

Random vote:

YABU - it's up to the party planner to specify its child free otherwise you should expect children to come with parents

YANBU - Guests should assume child free unless they are told otherwise.

Daytime event in the summer where there wouldn’t be a set number of spaces, I would assume children are invited unless otherwise stated.

Yes, I think you need to specify that it is child free. But there are probably nice ways of wording it that others will be along to suggest.

YABU- If you are inviting people with children , unless you specifically say for a daytime event- ie a BBQ etc the assumption would be that kids are allowed

For a daytime event, I think it’s better to specific to avoid any confusion.

if the invite has specific names on and the kids aren’t listed I’d assume it’s child free. If it’s just a standard card with event details then I would expect it should specify child free.
So if at the top it says Sarah and Darren then they would be dicks to take the kids, if no names are mentioned I’d assume whole tribe unless child free was set out

YABU. If you are inviting people that have children, you need to make it clear whether they are included or not.
I hate those ambiguous invitations that don't specify. We end up having to chase it up to find out as don't want to assume. If it's not specified, lots will assume one way or the other and there will be disappointment.

Knowing what people are like these days, I think you have to specify.
Never, when receiving an invite for Mr & Mrs Born, did we ever assume our children were (or ask if they could be) included, but judging by many posts on here it’s probably best to specify.

Formal event with named invitations... I would presume just the people named, but would check if not sure (I have received wedding invitations without the children's names but they've been invited)

Casual invitation like to attend bbq... I would presume the invite was to the family.

Going on the fact you've planned it as daytime rather than evening I'd assume you've done it to allow for children to be included then families can leave early evening when children may be tired.

Not a formal event with named invitees. Just a text to say X happening at X time at X place hope you can make it kind of thing, daytime, very chilled and informal.

I would specify child free because BBQs are often relaxed events with a garden to run round in. I would always specify because people have to arrange childcare or not come. All these child free things is new. Have you had a bad experience or are you just trying to cut costs?

100% assume children invited

I'd assume children are invited.

It's not something I'm planning. I turned up to something with DC as it was never specified it was child free and everything I'd been to in the past similar had always welcomed children (day time informal gathering, not a named invite) and was made to feel quite shit about it.

Well then this needs to specify one way or the other. This sort of chilled invite just leaves people scratching their heads wondering.

not a baby shower

but a summer bbq absolutely!!

If it's an informal non named invite event I think people would assume you're inviting them and their family unless it's a clear "girls brunch and games with drinks" or "men's bbq game night" that's quite obviously not a family sort of time!

Is it child free or not? If not, then easy to just say the 'all the family are welcome.' If it is child free I'd just specify adults only. Prepare for many not to come though as childcare is not always easy!

this was last summer and you’re starting a thread about it in… Feb?!

If it's just a text and not a named invitation, and for a daytime event, I would definitetly assume kids were invited.

How big was the event OP? did anyone else bring children along?

I never said anything about last summer? I was giving examples of the type of event I was talking about so people didn't think it was a formal wedding breakfast or something.

The hosts were in the wrong here. No need to feel shit at all I'd be very surprised to find such an event to be child free and I suspect most people would assume the children were also invited.

what was the event?

baby shower? i’d assume no children

Summer bbq i’d assume children

For a daytime event like the one you've described, I would assume the whole family was invited. That's why if it's kid free, you definitely have to specify that on the invite.