Totally at a loss to understand childrens' parties - why are they all entertainment and crap food for the kids, rather than a celebration of our children by those who love them?

[catASTROPHE]

We've been to a few lately, and the more I thnk about the more I think it is WEIRD.

Whats the point of the party? To get those who love our children together and to celebrate them and enjoy them, surely.

Naturally, as some of the guests will be children, we will cater to their tastes as well.

But why the mountains of aspartame and salt laden food, and raucus games, and kiddy music, while the parents, godparents and adult friends stand around at the edge with a plastic cup of weak squash?

Honestly, I'm interested to know what the thinking behind these parties is.

snap, lemonaid

i agree with cod

Dd has just turned 3. We had two parties. First, 5 friends (and their mothers) came for lunch. They ate a lot of popcorn and icing, and perhaps a few sausages, charged around like mad things, played a couple of party games and went home. (Mothers ate pretty much the same TBH, alhough they probably ate the buns to which the icing was attached).

Next day, lots of grown-ups, plus one other child came. Fancy lunch cooked by me, lots of wine, lots of chat, slightly bored dd.

The second party was filled with the people who love dd best. But it was really for them. She much preferred the first.

To be like Topsy and Tim at their party?

at this question.

has your child had a party yet? have you tried asking him/her if he/she would like a proper party or a "celebration by those who love them"? I know which mine would choose.

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mmmm cake

Doesn't the kid who arrives late win pass the parcel at T&T's party, too?

My idea of an adult party involves lots of not madly healthy food and alcohol-laden drink, populated by a nice mix of old friends and attractive strangers, at which someone misbehaves in a way that embarrasses them later, and everyone has a raucously good time.

So, essentially, a grown-up version of the sort of party I suspect you're not hog whimpering wild about.

yes, but it's all right because the others don't all cry when they lose (like they all did at a party I went to last year. But then they were Spanish children and had never heard of pass the parcel).

god i know every line of that topsy and tim book.

I used to too, SP, but it is mercifully fading now... Good point, mi

I'm afraid the idea of compulsory games is making the hair stand up on my head. I'm 43. I want to loaf in the back of the room with a glass of wine, thank you.

not even musical statues, mi?

Come to that, DD1's birthday party a few weeks back was a celebration of those who loved her, notably her 15 bestest bestest friends.

I could do sleeping lions. I'd be ace at sleeping lions.

spot on, MI - had never before drawn the comparison between little Emily getting rabid on Party Rings and showing the assembled posse her knickers; and Jocasta downing too much Merlot and snogging the attractive-yet-disreputable Miles up against the fridge.

Suddenly it all makes sense...

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It's like the Dylan Moran routine where he's complaining about children growing up so fast, and how he goes to children's parties and they're all lying about languidly, sipping lattes

Well so far we've managed both. From about 3 onwards the dcs effectively have had 2 parties - a family one (if you will a celebration of the child) with all generations present, and a kids party. Of course the dcs only recognise the latter as the real party. We adultd always have champagne on their birthdays - I view I have as much to celebrate as they do. It is a bit of a faff having 2 cakes, but no one from the family has ever tried to ask for a party bag yet!

this thread is so depressing

This is what I think! The point of a 1 year old's party is to congratulate the parents on surviving the first year. The parents should have champagne and enjoy themselves; any presents should be for the parents and not the child.

The point of a 7 year old's party is to spend time with friends of her own choice doing something she and her friends enjoy. It should have a wow factor for the children if possible eg a great cake (NOT about a wow factor designed to impress the adults ). It is a one-off celebration so eating sweets and cakes is highly appropriate. So are a few tears from the birthday child!

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lolol tamum @ dylan moran

I had flowers and drank wine on my twisn first birthday, and totally went over the top trying to organise a fab party and ended up in hospital

DD has just had two celebrations, she had a kids party yesterday, big hall, stupid ammount of kids, childrens entertainers and endless ammounts of crap food that she will only ever get at parties, she loved it and hasn't stopped thanking me yet
Thats what imo kids parties should be, they're for the kids not the adults. I arranged for her to see all family and adults today, being her actual birthday we took her out for dinner and she saw all the adults in her life, but actually they all turned up at the kids party yesterday anyway and loved it almost as much as the kids! lmao