To ask a parent not to have balloons at their childs party??

[Thomcat]

Well of course that's unreasonable and I would never ask that, but we do have a problem with balloons and I didn't know where to post this or what to call thread.

Here's the problem:

DD1 gets asked to parties a lot, like everyone else.
She is 7 and Has Down's syndrome.
She has a huge, massive fear of balloons. HUUUUUGE fear.

We quite often don't get through the door if she spots a balloon and we have to come home again.

So, we have the latest invitation and I have been holding onto it for over a week as I just don't know what to do.

It's at Pizza Hut and I just know they will decorate the place with balloons. They just will.

If I say yes to yet another party and then have to leave before we really even get through the door again, in no particular order it's:
a) it's a massive pita for me to have dressed DD1 up, settled the other 2 kids, go all the way there just to come home again
b) it's unfair on DD1 who gets all excited about going to a perty only to be confronted with a balloon.
c) unfair on the bou whose party it is as he really likes DD1
d) unfair on the othjer mum who will inevitably feel all bad (happened before many times)

So what do I do?

Do I ring and say yes we'd love to come but just please understand if we have to leave if DD1's balloon phobia kicks off? Then leave it up to her if she still has balloons on the day and it's tough on DD1 if there is??????

If a mum called me and asked me not to have balloons at a party for dd for the reasons you have outlined, I would gladly oblige, and not be put out in the slightest.

yanbu I hate the things as well
I would understand

I think it is not unreasonable to ask them to refrain from ahving balloons. If it was my party and you explained about your daughter then I wouldn't even think twice.

It seems a shame that your DD has to miss parties all the time, wee soul.

I also wouldn't mind not having any balloons at a birthday party.

i would understand. dd2 was sh*t-scared of balloons fopr years, and it was a PITA to deal with. plus my neice has a latex allergy as well.

Perfectly reasonable.

i too would oblige - ring them

Agree with Pinkjenny.

What an awful situation for you, how hard that must be for you.

I certainly would understand if someone contacted me re this situation and would happily remove the balloons.

If i were you i would ring and say that you don't wish to be a pain but your dd is very frightened of balloons and although you really want to bring her you just want to check if balloons will be there. If she says yes they will then decline. If she is like me she will likely say, that she will make sure there are none.

If it was my party and I invited your dd I would far rather not have the balloons than have her upset.
I think you need to be very explicit about how serious this is for dd - if you just said 'please understand if we have to leave if DD1's balloon phobia kicks off' I might not quite get the message.

Would not be a problem for me either. I think most parents would happily oblige.

YANBU and i dont think the party girls mum would mind obliging in the circumstances.
I bloody hate balloons.

Oh God really??????????
Oh it would be so nice to know that we can go, and stay, it really would. I've let more parties than stayed at with her
Feel like crying!
Do you really, truly not think it bad of me to just let her know that if there are balloons there we'll have to leave?
Why do I feel like crying! How utterly mad!!!!!!!! I think it's the relief that I might really be able to say something to a mum about it beforehand.
I hate having to leave and have all the other kids ask 'what's wrong with Lottie?'

I think your suggested approach is perfect - if you rang me and said that I would make damn sure there were no balloons.

I do know an adult with the same issue, but I am afraid I think he can make himself scarce and I am not prepared to ban balloons from DS's party for his benefit.

If it was my childs party and you explained the reasons outlined here I wouldnt even think twice about not having balloons.

Id be alot more upset if I thought your dd couldnt come because of that and Im sure the little boy would much rather have his friend there than balloons..

I would be seriously at any mum that did mind, to be honest!!

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I'm so stupidly emotional about this!!!!LOL! It must have been upsetting me more than I ever realised! How mad!

Can you not sit outside for 5 minutes and send someone brave in with a pin and a bin bag?

Thank you all SO much

Oh big hugs thomcat, don't get too upset. Just be honest about how serious her phobia is.. I'm sure she won't mind.

I think that what you are suggesting sounds fine. I know a little boy who is terrified of balloons, and although my son loves them, he was fine with putting his away when he visited. If the little boy really wants your daughter to be there, I'm sure he'd understand too. You could always offer to bring a happy birthday banner, or some party poppers or similar. It's not fair to bring her, knowing you'd be likely to have to leave.

I'm sure you've tried, but as she won't be able to avoid balloons forever, maybe you could see this as a nudge to work on the phobia. Would she be ok with an deflated one, for example? Is it the possibility they might pop or just the look of them?

if i go to a party and there is a clown there its me who is scared and not the kids i would leave, but suffer for the kids. [shudders]

Yes, phone and say exactly what you've said here. It's not like you're asking for no cake and no presents, after all. hope you both have a lovely time.

I still feel a bit bad at bringing it up but if I say it in the way I outlined before that should be ok.

Phew!

It's not unreasonable at all. I don't usually do balloons either.
Wont there be balloons in PizzaHut anyway though? Your girls are gorgeous Thomcat.