If you invite 3/4 year olds to party do you assume parents will stay

[jumpyjan]

and if you want them to stay how do you word it on the invitation?

Yes I would expect them to stay. I talk to the mum face to face as I'm handing over the invite and say things like "Are you and X going to be able to make it to our party?"

Thanks MrsGboring - I would go for that option but DH will hand the invitations over to nursery staff to give out so I either need to write something on the invite or do nothing and just hope they stay.

I thought maybe I could address to 'Childs Name & Mummy/Daddy' or I could write on the invite 'parents invited to stay too'.

I don't want to sound bossy but we don't have enough spare adults to look after other peoples children.

Definitely.

I assumed it was a given tbh, though at dd's 5th birthday (softplayhell) there were a fair few 3 and 4 yr olds just left

I'd assume parents wold stay. Ds1 (3.6) has been to lots of parties for 3/4 year olds and parents always stay (apart from one parent at one party which resulted in much tut-tutting from other parents). Nothing has ever been out on the invite about it (although some have put something to the effect that parents with babes in arms are welcome to bring them too, which sort of implies the parent is staying).

I would assume they would stay tbh. I would not put anything on the invite, as some people may take the 'you are invited to saty' as an option not to!

Gosh Q&A hadn't thought of that - this childrens party planning is a minefield! I have only just come around to the idea of inviting a few nursery friends and was just going to invite my friends with children around DD's age.

MrsJohnDeere - I quite like that line - might use that.

I guess if you all think that it is widely assumed that parents will stay I feel a bit more relaxed about it. I know I would not leave DD at a party on her own but was not sure if everyone felt like that.

Third or fourth birthday parties I'd assume they would stay. Fifth birthday parties IME probably about two-thirds don't.

Please don't assume they will stay. I have been to parties where they drop and run espcially if they have smaller ones. If you need them to stay please ask them.

Now I am as confused as ever! Any suggestions for how to word 'please dont dump and run' on the invitation?

maybe something along the lines of "looking forward to meeting you/meeting you again/catching up with you"

Maybe we've been lucky but it seems unusual for kids not to have an adult stay with them round here at 3/4

I would put on the invite child's name plus mummy/daddy. Be prepared for whole families to turn up. One parent at dc's school always asks if her whole brood can come and she has four in total. Parties are an eye opener

I would assume that the parents stay, however, as FranSanDisco says, there are plenty of parents who will happily frop their kid off and run so make sure parents know you're not expecting to take on childcare of their children while they go off and leave them.

drop their kid off I should say!

I would expect parents of nursery age children to stay. I would expect parents of school age children to leave. This is definitely the case in my children's circles although there may be 1 or 2 parents of nursery children who do leave. If they do, I would assume it is because they are confident their child will be fine- can go to toilet on own etc., not clingy, and they will usually leave a phone number. A couple of parents did this at one of our parteis but their kids were fine. So, if you don't want to offend anyone, I wouldn't write it on the invite. Most parents will stay and that way, there will be enough adults to step in if someone does think its fine to leave.

You could also ensure friends in the know arrive first. Their prescence would be a signal to others to stay.

Have a good one.

Good advice Prosseco - dont want to offend anyone and can't think of a way of wording it that does not sound a bit bossy/offensive.

OK I have a decision - am going to put on envelope 'childs name & mummy/daddy'. Hopefully noone would be offended by that but it gets the message across.

3 year olds i'd expect parents to stay.

4/5 year olds, not really... round here we don't but then we do live in a very small village where everyone knows everyone so feel quite safe leaving them.

and dd did manage to break her leg at the first party of the school year in september

I always found that first born children's parents would stay and watch carefully over their precious little one, while third and fourth born children would be chucked out of the car and thrown in the house with hardly a "how are you".

Or is that just my experience???

[ps- do make sure you have some toys and food out for smaller siblings if you are expecting their parents to stay]