Who finds children's parties soul-destroying?

[UnquietDad]

The noise, the relentnessness, the waste, the MESS.... We only had 6 guests and had it at home (DD's 8th) but it was still pretty horrendous.

We thought we'd save on wastage by asking them what sandwiches they wanted rather than plonking platefuls down - orders duly taken and delivered - plates abandoned at the end with sandwiches with ONE FECKING BITE taken out of them. Ditto slices of pizza. Some of them had piled up cheese and ham on their plates making it unusable but still without eating it.

Your feelings are not unusual.

Most of the people I know feel that way.
I, however, love children's parties.

So I don't belong here.

Did dd enjoy it though ?

She did.

My friend recently had a party. Well, I say party, it was more like a toddler group without the fun. She had basically hired out a village hall and that was it. Just a load of kids and parents in a village hall. No banners, no balloons, no entertainment except for a tiny cd player playing nursery rhymes. Oh, and pass the parcel with one layer of wrapping paper and my friends sister telling her when to stop the music!
In the end the kids were turning on each other. Mental!

Don't have them at home. Amen.

Arrgh, yes. I've ranted on here before about childrens birthday parties, especially here in England. We don't 'do' them the traditional way - go for more of a 'family and friends who actually love the child' BBQ/buffet/whatever party, and I put out food for everyone to eat, as opposed to 'childrens' food. Seems to work - no complaintes yet!

At other parties though - hate the noise, hate the waste, hate the focus being on children being seperate from adults (must eat 'kids' food, must play 'kids only' games, must have irritaing 'kids' music) - its so Victorian.

My DCs only ever take one bite from their sandwiches, and DD leaves a crust on a muffin.(You know, the traditional toasty kind, round with no crust).

Even the baby's started doing it.

cornsilk - good point, and we haven't where we have done big ones. But it was intended to be a small, quiet tea-party for her 6 best friends - hardly worth hiring a hall.

Yes but 6 plus yours is... well, more than 6 and that = too much work.

It is a nightmare surveying the post party nuclear wasteland mess I agree,but I have a sneaking infantile love of doing party games with the dc and blowing out candles and so on.

oh I do love birthdays, and love making their cakes, and love them blowing out the candles etc. Am not a complete scrooge. At many children's parties, it just doesn't seem (to me) that there is a real celebration going on - its not the way we celebrate our kids lives anyway.

thou speakest the truth.

childrens parties are utter pants. its either tacky wacky warehouse shit or "look i have hired a 5 piece orchestra" - type one upmanship

then there are the unaid rules

do you stay?
do you go?
if you stay and you dont know the mums and they don't talk to you - do you keep sitting like a twat on your own in the corner?

i never did childrens parties. i hate small talk with people i don't really care to know - on top of the above.

i usually made sure i could drop them off and pick them up

I love children's parties!

I love the fun, smiles sheer enjoyment - whatever is going on in the child's life suspended for a little while as fantasy life takes over.

I'm glad we've been able to give our children just a touch of magic in their lives, now and again

thats way too gleeful.

Food waste is not specific to childrens' parties. Adults do the same, they load their plates then nibble and leave.

I think a party should include the opportunity to feast and wallow in decadence and debauchery (read mess ). After all it is supposed to be an infrequent event.

Personally I like parties, particularly hosting them, child or adult. I think the part of the aim is to provide the setting for excessiveness and slight wildness. The very thigns that are usually kept in check.

And really, the odd party wil NOT destroy the planet. There are plently of other corportions to blame for that. It isn't isn't encouraging a lifestyle or attitude it is a chance to be frivolous and carefree.

corporations

not a comment on portion size

childrens parties are pants becuase they usually involve children

who can actually admit that they hate going to the park

who can actually admit that they hate going to the park

who can actually admit that they hate going to the park

depends on the park. if its a park where your kids can run off and leave you alone whilst you read a book

then i like that park

if its one of those horrible parks with a play centre thingy and woodchip and its the only other mini park within a 5 mile area and all the other parents bring their bratty kids - then no thanks

what about when teh kids are 2 and you have to follow them around?

there is nothing about parks i like - i'd rather be at work.

This is an age thing I think.

Custy, your children are older now and mine are still under 5. So parks for are all good for me really (though I prefer the garden cos I can MN do housework and write and such. But playgrounds I can either meet up with mates if I'm fortunate or chat listlessly to other mums if I'm not.

Point is since you have to supervise them, other company is nice. parties are similar actually.

Since you have to supervise to an extent, being at a good party with mates is better than being at home alone.

babs You have to go with a mate to appreciate a park.

Then dcs play together and you chat. Otherwise you have to play