To be annoyed play centre held a party at the same time as open session?

[Hohohoididnotgo]

I went to a little role play cafe today with my children. It’s only small so probably only capacity for about thirty kids. Fine except today there was a birthday party which was pretty much the whole centre. So after an hour or so of play pretty much every other child there went and sat at a table with food, balloons and cake and were playing party games.

I have had this before at soft play and obviously it happens but at soft play it’s bigger and less obvious and when the children go to eat and play games it’s in a separate room. This wasn’t.

AIBU? I felt a bit sad for mine as they’d struck up friendships with some kids playing and then they were left almost alone!

Quick someone go and shift the axis of planet earth to make sure it's revolving around the op and her kids

The place has capacity for thirty children and I would say there were about 25 at the party, so when the other children went to eat it was just my two children and one other.

So yes - I think closing for parties is reasonable in that context. As I’ve said it isn’t like a big soft play where a few children go out and you barely notice. I definitely don’t think it’s fair to make a few children carry on while everyone else in the room is doing something they aren’t.

No, and I’m not sure why what I’m saying means you think this.

Neither of them are at school but the only comparable event to this really would be a nativity play being held involving the whole class apart from them and one or two others and yeah, I think most people would be puzzled and query that.

No one made them carry on but you.

I've had this before - really, really uncomfortable and my child was upset. If it happened again, I'd take my child out and ask for a refund. I absolutely blamed both the venue, and the birthday child's parents - if I was them, it wouldn't occur to me, to not invite the three children being excluded in the venue, from a slice of cake and game off pass the parcel! How tight / hard nosed would you have to be? It's not like they were short of cake.

This. Resilience is severely unrated in its importance to function in today's society and is often lacking in both children and adults. Be grateful for the opportunity.

Yes, they are a business but that doesn’t mean it should purely be about profit.

Isn't that the dictionary definition of business? I mean it's literally what they operate for. Otherwise they would be charity.

Once you explained your dc accepted it, you should too.

You don't think a business should be about profit 😄 🤣🤣🤣

Right now we know you are pulling out leg. A business not focused on profit won't be a business long.

Head wobble @Hohohoididnotgo

This is incredibly entitled. Why should your children be invited to a party where they don't know these guests? This is precisely why so many young people are growing up thinking the world revolves around them.

Give over!
'It's not fair to make a few children carry on...' 🤣🤣

They're not being sent down the pit or up a chimney. I think you feel the 'right thing to do' would be for the parents or business owner to say, "Oh come on then poor little left out children, come and join in the party for free!"
I've no doubt you sat with a face like a slapped arse so it's not surprising your kids picked up on that and seemed to be upset.

There you op the one other one who hasn't a clue how these businesses work.

"A business is not only about profit", wake up its a business. You are unreasonable and entitled. No one is going to turn business away because of your children.
Honestly I have never heard such rubbish.

But surely you just tell them it’s a party?. Distract them with chat about a party they had or been to and let them continue to play, in an area that they have now almost entirely to themselves to enjoy.

I honestly don’t understand how this would be an issue at all.

They weren't on their own. They had you to play with.

oh I really tried. She was 22 months and there was no barrier between the party and the rest of the soft play, so every time I put her down she just ran back. Honestly some people comment as if they’ve never experienced a determined toddler.

Tell your children that it's completely fine that some complete strangers are having a party near them. Then tell yourself. Then call your ma ans ask why the hell she didn't teach you that at their age!

Surprised me ? it bloody shocks me someone unable to understand the business concept of profit focused. 🤣🤣🤣

I wouldn’t invite random children we had just met to join my DC’s party, what a strange request. Imagine wanting to join a party full of strangers, in any case. Mind-boggling.

@Pookie2022 we've all had 'demanding toddlers' but most of us also have manners

If you want to shelter kids from every tiny thing like this in life then they struggle as they get older. It's actually good for their development to learn that life has disappointments and that it's not all about them.

Also you have more than one child so they had each other, it's not like they were all alone.

I just can't see the issue.

Ah mumsnet…how I love thee, never change 😂😂😂

It reminds me of the posts about school mums, calling them cliques and feeling hacked off you don’t get invited to join. I genuinely think some people feel this entitled.

I’d have asked you if your kids wanted to join OP but, in your shoes, I’d have tried to sell it to them as a great opportunity to have the space all to themselves.

I'd love to know what Sir Alan Sugar would make of being told business shouldn't be about profit 🤔. He's been getting it so wrong for all these years the poor chap.