To think a simple "x can't attend the party, sorry" would have done

[dilemma456]

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I broke my arm as a child walking down the steps out of primary school - tell him that sending his chid to school is also very dangerous

Well, it wasn't the walking that did it to be fair, it was the falling

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you must reply as courteously as possible so they realise how rude it is to be so judgemental. thanks for letting me know.

then send a piece of organic gluten free birthday cake to school on monday for her

Dear X's Dad

Thank you for highlighting the dangerous enviroment I was carelessly going to take small children to. I have cancelled the party and shall be putting DD back into her Unicorn fur lined basket sprinkled with fairy dust to keep her safe.

Hugs and kisses Dilemma x

PMSL there are lots of dangerous environments out there - I wonder of if he ever lets his precious children in a car??
I think its very rude and WOULD send a sarcastic response but then I am a bolshy cow

my friend found a used tampon down the side of a mat at a local soft play centre

but we still go there when it's a party.

Our local play centre stinks of pee someone found poo in the ball pit and my PFB once split her lip there - we still go they love it

its the 'very dangerous' that seems a bit

What a weirdo

gosh, what a cock.

At the party just tell everyone what he said. It will be the entertainment.
Actually, although I would do just that, personally, I feel very sorry for their child indeed, and might, because really I'm a nice person, would go up to them in the playground and say, 'Th party is in a very nice place, and I promise to look after your dd and return her in one piece', and if they were still rude, I would just hate them forever

At least you got a reply. My dd had a birthday last week and at least a third of those invited didn't seem to understand what rsvp means.

Manners cost nothing.

Maybe they had heard this story.

or this one

Candles on cakes can be pretty dangerous too. And balloons. And don't forget about paper cuts from birthday cards. And burst eardrums from people singing Happy Birthday too loudly.

Oh heck, birthdays are fraught with danger! Best avoid the whole ghastly business when you think about it

It reminds me of a similar thing when my son was 3. Had a soft play party. Afterwards I asked one of the mothers if her son had enjoyed it and she said that she 'thought they were too young for that kind of thing and too young to be expected to sit down to eat'. I was really hurt at the time as it had been a success (I had thought) and had taken alot of planning and cost alot of money! Very rude.

I would be tempted to write 'thankyou for letting me know x won't be able to attend, I'm sorry that I offended you by inviting your daughter'

He's a twat. Interesting that it's the father who replied. I think we can all make our own judgey assumptions about that family set-up.

I wouldn't reply but would make sure that EVERYONE knows (as someone else wisely suggested ages ago).

Loving some of the suggested replies btw.

Dear X's Dad

YABU

Fraek

Kind regards

Dilemma
x

mardy agree...at least that parent let op know....I rathewr know who is coming or who isn't...especailly if the cost depends on how many are coming...

howeverm that parent is a bit odd....I mean, very dangerous....
softplay can be many things, fro pure hell to utter delight...and of course it has some "dangerous" elements....but a dangerous environment, lol

Maybe he meant they are morally dangerous because they sell fruit shoots, or something?
or maybe he was worried about his pfb coming into contact with some oafish, rufty tufty boys

...yes quite dangerous,...wnet with DS and whilst flinging DS1 about on bouncy castle VERY nearly lost bladder control.

Some quite hilarious replies here, almost did it again!

DS (4) came back from a softplay birthday party yesterday and said he had, "too much fun"

pmsl at some of these replies!!

Jimjam's is the best though - pmsl at that one

What a complete wierdo. OK so at least he replied but couldn't he have just said 'sorry dd can't make it' rather than pissing on your bonfire with what he wrote?

Hope you have a lovely party

We can only live in hope that X's Mum/Dad sees or hears about this thread and realises that their poor child has no chance of growing up to deal with the real world if they don't get a grip. Blimey, I've been slated on MN for being over-cautious, but even I can't get my head around this one.

Re responding: thank them for letting you know x can't attend and apologise it wasn't clear that they are very welcome to stay, thus providing one-on-one supervision so that X wouldn't miss out on yet another party.