DS invited to first ever birthday party - help!

[mankymummy]

What do I take?

Obviously a present, but how much should I spend, what sort of thing should I buy (its for a little boy)?

How long will it last?

Should I leave him or stay and offer to help?

I dont know the mum at all, its a little boy that DS goes to nursery with. DS is 2+8.

Any help gratefully received....

Ask the mum whether she'd like you to stay - there's nothing so awful as mums who drop and run without asking if that's what's expected! Or who stay without asking and drive you mad!

If you are not staying arrive with a piece of paper with your child's name on it plus your name & mob number - just in case.

The present should be small and inexpensive - but def not cheap! Some duplo?

Your Ds may well find giving a present "challenging" - that's code for screams they want to take home the toy that came with them to the party as he can't believe you would give away something he likes!

Good luck

At 2+8 I would definitely have stayed.

£5-£10 on a present depending on what you can afford - small duplo set or something similar sounds ideal.

Doesn't it say on the invite how long it will last? I would think 2 hours max at that age.

..and last but not least don't be surprised if DS spends almost the entire party superglued to you. Parties are a new and strange concept which will take some getting used to (but will come to be the highlight of his week/month )

I spend £3-5 on school presents!

I think the mother will be expecting parents to stay and take something you think he'd like - a toy, a colouring book, a story book, a puzzle...

My DS has his first birthday party today, he is 2 + 9! The party is at the little girls house and I will be staying. I have just been out and bought her a little bag, purse and some hair accessories, it all cost about 10 euros!

The parents will probably expect you to stay as your ds is only 2. I'd never have left my boys at a party on their own at that age.
I spend around £5 on presents, more for special friends.
Most children's parties are about two hours.
Hope your DS has a great time.

There is no way I would leave a 2.8 child at a party on their own. I think the mum of the party child would faint at the thought of being in charge of a bunch of under threes!

DS2 is nearly 4 and he still clings to me at parties for at least the first hour.

thats absolutely brilliant, thanks everyone.

i wouldnt be happy leaving DS, so if it seems normal to stay then I will ask if its ok to stay - hopefully i wont get booted out the door.

thanks alot.

I nearly did faint last year smartiejake - DD's third birthday party in the offing, and one mum asked if parents would be staying or leaving ... it hadn't occurred to me for a moment that they might not stay. I mean, they were all fairly newly potty trained at that age for a start. Even at her 4th in March most parents stayed, and if they didn't then another mum would be in charge of their child, they weren't just left.

I would have been horrified if someone had left an unaccompanied 2 year old at a party I was giving. I think parents are generally expected to stay at parties for the under-fives.

DD is going to a party tomorrow, she is 4.6 - has been to 4 parties before but has always wanted me to stay. I did try leaving her at the last one becasue I could see their house across the road from mine - and then 10 minutes later - saw birthday girls Mum walking my DD back because she wanted to come home! So each party she is invited to I ask DD if she wants me to stay or not - she always says yes - so I will stay until she feels comfortable.

I wouldn't expect a child to stay by themselves before the age of four at the earliest and even then, most parents stay.

Hope he enjoys it!

yeah i would stay with a child of that age. I usually spend about £4 on a present, places like BM bargains and homebargains are great for picking up branded toys for cheap.

I think the 'getting in the way' by staying with the child only applies to much older children who are clearly fine without mum, so then you become an extra job for the host, they feel they have to make cups of tea for you, make chit chat ect when they are frantically putting out sausages on sticks and setting up pass the parcel.

thanks for all the replies. bought a pressie... playdo for 5 pound-ish, had lovely time.

DS absolutely had a mad time.

messed up a bit because i didnt take any wine, didnt realise it was going to be that sort of chilled out party... but hey...

thank everyone.

glad it went well

wouldn't have crossed my mind to have taken wine, though I love that sort of party!

thanks tass...

it was lovely, very, very chilled. as am i now...