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AIBU?

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Original poster

I'm fuming because fathers in charge of paintballing doubled the cost of our joint party?

68 replies

curiouscat · 19/02/2009 20:49

DS just turned 11 and had a joint paintballing party with a friend. Other mum and I didn't go as have 2 dd's each to look after. We organised paintballing party expecting it to cost £400 which we would split between our two families. A lot but they were going to have a fantastic boys day out, 3 dads went and 12 boys. When they got back, they had bought more ammunition while there as the boys used it all up quickly. Now the total cost of the party was £880.

How can they be so extravagant? They all had a really great time, and the men said if they hadn't got more ammo they'd have had to come home after a couple of hours instead of being gone 830am-5pm.

I just feel the hosting dads were showing off to eachother in wanting to appear generous.

OP posts:
Lilyloo · 19/02/2009 21:11

I would lso be annoyed at what it portrays to ds that it is ok to spend that amount of money on a birthday party.
What do you do next year ..

I would be really angry too hope you sort it out.

Original poster
curiouscat · 19/02/2009 21:13

Thanks Mintyy I'm glad someone agrees it's cringy. The other mum made kind of cross noises too, but we didn't like to spoil the great fun the 11 year olds had.

Maybe next time she and I will spend £880 and take ourselves to a spa leaving the men and boys with a baked bean for company

OP posts:
myfunnynametaken · 19/02/2009 21:13

did your ds enjoy it though?

twinsetandpearls · 19/02/2009 21:16

I dont know whether they were showing off or just got carried away. But you know them better than me.

I also dont think the op is showing off, I hope we are not going to see people have a chip at others simply because they are financially comfortable.

Original poster
curiouscat · 19/02/2009 21:18

Well nickschick I thought £200 was a lot but manageable as they'd not paintballed before etc. But really £440 is another thing altogether imo. I don't really see how that makes me a show off and sorry if you felt that way.

OP posts:
Lilyloo · 19/02/2009 21:19

Nickschick i dont think that at all she just looking for reassurance she is right to be angry.

Pimmpom · 19/02/2009 21:20

Ds just been to one of these. On the invite it said so much ammo was included and for the child to bring money if they wanted to buy more. DS spent £10 or £15. In hindsight, maybe this should have been done. Not much use to you now I know.

twinsetandpearls · 19/02/2009 21:20

I dont think that £200 is that extravagent for a party if you are having some kind of entertainment. £400 is a lot especially for so few children, but for a class party again is not off the scale but £800 seems wild.

Original poster
curiouscat · 19/02/2009 21:25

I wish we'd known and done what Pimmpom's ds friend did. DH said if they went again it'd be cheaper as the boys would know to fire less and more targetedly or something. I agree with Lilyloo though it sends completely the wrong message to our kids that that sort of money's ok for a party. I've never spent that on an adult party.

OP posts:
Pimmpom · 19/02/2009 21:39

Yes, exactly curiouscat. DS said he took his time when he was spending his money, and didn't waste any shots.

paolosgirl · 19/02/2009 21:44

Bloody hell!!! DS (11) had his birthday recently - 2 friends to the cinema followed by pizza. What on earth were you thinking of???? Even if you can afford it - why???

Hawkmoth · 19/02/2009 21:59

What'll he be doing next year???

LightShinesInTheDarkness · 19/02/2009 22:00

paolo - because she can!
If we had the money, we would choose the party we wanted, rather than just the one we could afford.
Wouldn't we all, if we're honest?

Minxie1977 · 19/02/2009 22:06

I think YAB a little U - as fattiemamma says if you leave these things to the men

When DH went paintballing he spent double what he was told it would cost - this is men playing WAR!! If you can afford it why worry - it's his money to spend too isn't it?

Original poster
curiouscat · 19/02/2009 23:20

Yes, last time we let the men in charge thanks for all the supportive comments, I thought I was being a killjoy.

OP posts:
Flum · 19/02/2009 23:25

IN THE FATHERS DEFENCE

I have been paintballing and they only give a very small number of paintballs at the beginning and they do not last long. This is how they make their money. It is a little bit of a scam - especially if they have the automatic machine gun types as they use LOADS of paintballs.

The need for extra ammo is probably in the small print.

laweaselmys · 20/02/2009 08:05

I recall similar happening when I went paint balling at that age. Kids don't realise just how quickly they are going to go through the ammo, and you can't take part in the challenges if you don't have any! So I can easily see the Dad's buying more for kids that had run out (so they weren't excluded) and the whole thing getting massively out of control.

They really should have just left earlier though. I would be annoyed too.

ShannaraTiger · 20/02/2009 08:12

I bet the dh's were having so much fun they din't want to come home -never leave men in charge they drop down to one of the kds. At least DS had a great birthday though.

piscesmoon · 20/02/2009 08:25

I would be very annoyed but I can see how it happened-you do go through the ammo very quickly. You book the party with lunch and assume that it will keep going to a certain time and then find that it only does that if you buy more ammo. My DS had one when he was older and we dropped him off, with only a very few friends. When we picked him up we found that one of the friends had bought the extra ammo and he and his father refused to let me reimburse them -(they were well off and it was in the region of £20) but very embarrassing. I think these companies should make it very clear that the ammo won't last long.
Take one friend to the cinema next year to make up!

GetOrfMoiLand · 20/02/2009 08:48

When I went paintballing they only give you a tiny amount of ammo, to buy more cost an absolute fortune.

kiddiz · 20/02/2009 09:14

Ds1 used to work as a marshall at a paintball place and you are indeed right. Selling extra ammo is how they make their money.

paolosgirl · 20/02/2009 14:42

Lightshines - no, I absolutely would not, under any circumstance, spend £880 on a party for 11 year olds. I'm a great believer in teaching children the value of money - and sounding evermore like my mother

brimfull · 20/02/2009 14:50

well I cannot imagine my dh ever doing this

paintball company must be laughing all the way to the bank...for an 11 yr olds party !! some people have more money than sense

mshadowsisfab · 20/02/2009 14:54

yabu
when ds went to one of these parties, he was told before hand that if he wanted more ammo he had to pay, I think he spent about £50 and it wasn't even his party. if the kids invited didn't know this, the party would have been over very quick if the dads hadn't forked out.

lazymumofteenagesons · 20/02/2009 15:00

We did one of these parties for my son a few years ago. Luckily I was there and every time one of the kids asked for a refil I did it and I only gave them half, otherwise they were emptying the whole thing each session. It still came to about 300 quid.

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