to think that its unfair having a child backing out at the last minute

[Reallytired]

I took my son to the cinema as a birthday treat with a couple of friends and his cousin to see Madagascar 2. We also invited his cousin. One of them is nine years old and the other one is seven.

The night before the showing I asked my sil if her children wanted to and she told me that they were both very keen. I bought them tickets for the film at £5 each. As I was taking 8 children I wanted to sure of good seats and Madagacar 2 is very popular. If I had not booked there would have been a risk we could not all sat together.

The following day my sil turned up with the boys and said that her nine year old child did not fancy going afterall. I am really pissed off as I wasted £5 on a ticket that did not get used and if I knew he did not want to come I would have invited someone else.

I feel that my sil owes me an apology.

She owes you a fiver too, did you tell her you'd bought tickets ?

i think she owes you a fiver

She doesn't owe you an apology but she does owe you a fiver. Can't you just tell her?

Did she know you were prebooking?
If not then she cant apologise if she didn't know you had already paid.
If so then if I was her I ould give you the fiver.

I would be very disappointed if I were you too. Of course with that number of children you pre-book. I'd agree that she should probably pay the ticket price

Having said that, when you RSVP to a 'regular' childs party and for whatever reason end up not being able to go, you don't pay for the party bag that would have been supplied......

Does your SIL know that you pre-paid?

What's rudest is the idea that it's OK to let a nine year old cry off because he "doesn't fancy" attending an event he has previously had the chance to decline.

agreee with alphabet soup, that is really rude.

wouldn't have occured to me to pre-book so your SIL might not have realised.
That said, you asked her the night before and she said they were both keen, so either she hadn't asked the children or the 9yo changed his mind.
I would just put it down to experience.

agree with the pp if the 9yo had cried off, BUT do wonder if the SIL had actually asked the children, or was put on the spot and spoke for them - only for the 9yo to not want to go.

Weeelllll
If you explicitly said that you were pre booking, then your SIL owes you a fiver. If not, she doesn't.

But...um... Madagascar 2 has been out for over a month, so your SIL prob thought it wouldn't be that busy...I would've thought that.

I would have said 'oh dear, that's a shame, I've got him a ticket'.

As you haven't said anything but have stewed, I think you're going to have to chalk this up to experience but that's what I'd do in future. I think it's really difficult to go back to her now when you didn't say anything at the time

She knew I had to pre book. I had told her the night before that I was planning to pre book to be sure we could all sit together. I knew her ds was in two minds whether he wanted to come and it why I asked to confirm he was definately coming.

There is no way you can take a party of eight young children to the cinema without pre booking on a Saturday afternooon. Ofcourse its been out a month, but the cinema was 90% full.

I still think its bad mamers not to turn up to a party when you have said you will come, unless you are ill or have other extenduating circumstances. I feel that I have been mucked about.

Yes RT it is rude of her, pathetic really that she can't tell her own child, you said you'd go so you are going. It's her you should be mad with though not the child.
I'd bring it up next time you go anywhere, "are you sure he's coming because I lost £5 last time when he changed his mind"

You have been mucked about and she was rude.

But if her 9 yr-old had suddenly thrown a complete strop, and been narky and sulky, and said they didn't want to go and see a kids film with a load of little kids, then you probably wouldn't have wanted their presence anyway!

Hope you enjoyed the film!