Is this a weird thing for the mum to write on a party invitation?

[Amitooldforcbeebies]

For context, we live abroad

Dd was invited to a classmates 8th birthday party. It’s in a soft play type place (big slides etc) its 3 hours long
On the Whatsapp invitation she said parents are of course invited too as they of course have an important role to play in the party too
Does anyone find this weird?
We always go to the birthday parties and haven’t dropped and left…yet, was hoping it would be soon though

Never had this said on an invitation before though, is this another way of saying parents have to stay?

I am guessing it’s worded that way as she can’t keep an eye on all of the children for 3 hours in a soft play centre, so needs parents there to make sure there’s an appropriate ratio of parents to kids?

It would be weird where I'm from (UK) but presumably some things are different where you are?

Maybe they couldn't think of a polite way of saying "please don't drop and run" so worded it like that. Unless they're thinking they want organised games at the end etc?

Some of my friends' kids parties have got some of the adults involved a bit but usually when they're good friends anyway.

Just sounds like she wants people to supervise their kids as it’s a busy active type of party.

I think soft play for 8 year olds is outside the norm? But otherwise it sounds like they were just giving permission for the parents who want to stay and supervise their children?

it does sound like you are expected to help

I think it's a indirect way of saying you need to watch your own kid.

If anything happens they can say they suggested parents stay, so if someone gets a bump on the head you can't sue them? Does the place have a requirement for a ratio of adults to children?

It’s good that she recognises that she won’t be able to supervise every attendee and has asked the parents to stay.
I don’t really understand what’s odd about asking.
If you don’t want to go you could just say.

It's unusual phrasing, but not really thread worthy.

It’s not ‘weird’ at all, shes asking parents to stay and watch their own kids. Better than you all having to guess

I assume she means 'please stay and supervise' but I would absolutely be asking! In a polite way.

I have flashbacks to a child's party where it turned out we were all expected to
'participate' in the (cringe-worthy) 'entertainment'. The party organiser is the sort of person who cheerfully does that sound of thing and enjoys nothing more than being told to crawl around a circle three times pretending to be an elephant or whatever. It's my absolute fucking nightmare.

(I mean, I hope no one is doing this with an eight year old, but you can see I am still disturbed by it.)

Exactly.

I mean, she’s being a bit indirect about this, but it’s pretty clear she’s saying ‘Don’t drop and go, I’m not going to be fishing young Ferdinand out of the ballpit covered in someone else’s sick.’

It’s awkwardly worded but not weird.

This

Just means she is not taking responsibility for your child and you have to stay. It's an odd way of phrasing it but think she was trying to be super polite. If you aren't in the UK could the wording be a bit odd due to it not translating exactly.

If you’re in an expat / international school community, there could also be an adults social event tacked on - that’s very normal

I’d have thought it was reasonably normal to want parents to stay for something like a soft play which needs a bit more supervision because one adult can’t have eyes on a dozen or more children in different areas of the play space. She’s phrased it in a hedgy way but yes, I’d read it as wanting you to stay and keep an eye on your own DC.

Just badly worded, prob because the Mum feels socially awkward about asking for anything from the other parents.

The venue probably has rules about supervision ratios and in any case she and her husband can't watch everyone. So she should be happy to say 'please stay and supervise - max five kids per adult' or similar

Yes, this is it.

The days of big children’s parties are behind me but I remember the children who needed little supervision would have their parents stay and the children who needed close supervision (for various reasons) would be dropped at the door and the parent scoot off.

Where abroad? I remember being most shocked (and very hungry) at the first party our DS was invited to in England. Parents didn’t even get a coffee! That is not the norm in most countries.

Basically this

We always fed and watered parents at DS’s parties, though we’re not originally from the UK. Admittedly the offerings at a soft play were pretty minimal.

At 8yrs old its def a dump and run scenario.....but looks like yous are expected to stay....

It really depends on the country.

Through a British lens, it might well be an attempt at a polite way of saying please stay and supervise your DC as the British are incredibly indirect as a culture.

Many other cultures are much more direct and it would be normal to simply say what you mean, so if they want you to say, you will know, as they will simply ask you to stay, no guessing / having to work out coded messages necessary.

It might be simply that the mum wants to make the parents feel included and that they can stay if they want.

Amitooldforcbeebies are you able to tell us where in the world you are?

when my kids were this age, in the mid noughties, parties were always drop and go and only parents of children with additional needs or batshit helicopter parents, stuck around.