To have a 5 year olds birthday party at 4-6pm on a Saturday?

[Bigreddog25]

Would you be happy to go to a 5 year olds birthday party at 4-6pm?

Food will be served towards the end of the party, so 5.30 ish- is that too late?

The hall is local.
Thanks

Op asked for views, I gave mine, not sure what the issue is with that. I doubt my post is going to have any impact at all on anything 🤣

I would have LOVED this when DC was 5.
You would have basically fed them a slightly early dinner and worn them out, leaving me to get DC home and plonk them in the bath to wind down, after which I could tip them into bed and enjoy a curry and a film on the sofa with DH. Nice.

It's a great time! I love a party that actually covers a meal, rather than expecting kids to eat at 3 pm, then have dinner when they get home.

The hardest part is being the parent of the birthday child, waiting all day for their party. Make sure you have something planned for the day.

Sounds completely normal and fine 🙂

We certainly wouldn't eat an evening meal earlier than 5.30pm - that's an early tea time for most people. My DD5 has hobbies several nights that don't even start until 6pm.

We went to a 4th birthday party last year 4-6pm. At first I thought that’s quite late… but actually on the day it was fine. Toddler wore himself out, had food then when we left just had to do bedtime routine and sleep. Was great!

for what it’s worth I don’t mind the 4-6pm parties but you’ve done nothing wrong, this is what AIBU is for! x

Ideal time as far as I am concerned. Actually covers a meal time. They understand around and wear themselves out. Come home bath and ready for bed. Time to read or watch TV to come down before sleep.

We recently went to a 4 year old's bowling party that was 4-6 pm. They fed all the children tea and had some food for the parents too. Was a lovely party!

Each to their own but who on earth has a takeaway between 4 and 6 on a Saturday. You can still have yours ! It isn't even a late party. The ones that are 7 to 9 for infant school kids are the annoying ones as after bedtime (or at least for us).

I agree! It’s a great time for a party. Perfectly normal and I actually prefer this sort of time.

I dont have a takeaway at that time. It would just throw a lot of things/timings out of whack and be a day ruiner for me personally.

At 4 I would have preferred a party the other end of the day so 10 am when they had the most energy.

Yeah I’d have been ok with that when mine were 5, especially as dinner will be sorted!

You can’t please everyone. I think the time is fine 🤷‍♀️ do what’s best for you/the venue

As per a few responses- too late in the day

Just decline it if it would cause this much difficulty.

The only parties I've seen parents collectively moan about out loud are early morning ones, and 7-9pm for preschoolers.

I dis consider 10am. But it's her birthday so she will want to do presents in the morning, then we'd have to get her ready and get the hall set up etc. Would have meant a very early start 🤣

Sounds perfect to me - that's just a slightly early dinner and wearing them out ready for an early night. My kid was going to sleep around 8pm at aged 5, so definitely not too late.

And a vast improvement on the 9am parties we got invited to a few times... 9am in a soft play is a real shock to the senses!

Luckily parties are in the past, but no, I wouldnt decline, its for the DC afterall, not me. Doesn't mean I have to love the time though😂

Was the opposite IME, parents only ever openly moaned about later parties for similar reasons. Most parents i knew were huge fans of morning parties - can get it done then get on with your day etc.

Beware of the parents who don't reply or drop out last minute. Have a plan for any leftover food.

I would have loved this at this stage - the random meal at a random time always threw off the rest of the day. Some fun + dinner = easy night for me.

Sounds great! Lots of kids have clubs or activities in the morning so leaves plenty of time!

That sounds like a great time, I hate parties that are in the middle of the day so you can’t do anything else!

That's a very good point about the present opening, you are right, it's a very early start! I hope they enjoy their day!

Yeah sod that. We didn't normally do a hall party on their actual birthday so earlier wasn't a problem but they are a ball ache for the list of all the shit you have to remember. It gets much easier when it's a venue and there's ten kids and then you're done!
I hope she has a lovely day!