AIBU to not want parents to stay at a small birthday party? I'm panicking a bit lol

[AgricClucky31]

I'm having a party for my child soon. It's at our house, only a few 5/6 yr olds are invited. Our house is on the school route, they know where to drop off and pick up etc. AIBU to expect them to drop and run? We have party games and it's supposed to be fun for the kids. They don't want an audience or parents there, surely? I certainly don't. I want to be able to engage with the kids and run it, rather than socialising and deferring to their parents, etc.
A friend has just highlighted that they may stay. I hadn't considered this. If they do indicate they want to stay, what do I say? (They really will be under our feet as our house is super small.)

Thanks for listening! :)

I would clearly state the pick up time on the invite so not 1-3 drop off 1 and pick up 3 so they know they are not expected to stay. I think people are always unsure what is expected of them.

You need to make this clear to them. I wouldn't be happy for my child to stay without me tbh

You needed to say this in the invites. Many will be glad to drop and run. Some kids may not be happy to stay or parents may not be happy to leave them.

I suspect most parents will stay, and if you let them know they can't I suspect several might decline.

I'm not really sure what the problem is. Just get a couple of extra bottles of soft drink and a bowl of crisps and leave them to it. They won't want entertaining

Around here the only parents who stay at that age parties are the ones whose kids are anxious ag being left. People are always mostly keen to leave but unsure of the polite way to ask if that's ok so just mention it to them

Is it an after school party? If so you can always suggest to the parents that you can pick up their children from school and they pick up at the end.
Otherwise, just say to parents in advance that they are welcome to drop their child (afraid at that age you can't really force them not to stay - any anyway some children don't like being left).
If parents do come, give them a cup of tea and position a couple of chairs for them to sit in, away from the party room (in kitchen?) then get on with the games. They can chat to each other and won't expect to be entertained.

Do what Kiki said on the invite. A friend of mine does this, works perfectly.
Just make sure you have contact details for all parents.

You also need to consider what you will do if a child is not willing to stay without their parent.

Thank you everyone. Invites are already sent unfortunately. There are only 6 children coming, max. The parents and children know me or have seen me in the play ground. Some I know better than others. 2 are being dropped off by childminders who have 6 kids with them, so I know they're not staying as their parents are collecting afterwards. The kids are all independent enough i think.

I really don't like audiences lol. I play imaginative games in the park with my children and I end up with everyone elses too, because I run around and actually play. It'd be nice to relax and not keep up appearance.

If some of the parents stay; could you get them involved somehow by helping so you don't feel they are an audience. X

Thank you everyone. The party went really well and no parents even suggested staying :) I think they were all thinking how mad I was throwing a party on my own unaided, and legged it quick! 😂 We really enjoyed it. The boys enjoyed it and I received lovely comments from the parents about what their children thought. Xx

That sounds great!

What games did you play? Thinking of similar for my DC (small party at home)

Hi, sorry for late reply.

We played Pass the Parcel (obvs! Lol), musical statues, split them into two teams and passed a ball backwards through legs and over their head, alternating- back person then runs to the front, etc. Until they're bk where they started again. Another was passing a ball in a circle, when music stops the person with the ball has to go in the middle to do an animal/ character impression or dance move. We sellotaped red wool in the hallway to look like laser beams (spider web) & they took it in turns to get through without touching the lasers. (I enjoyed playing this one lol). We also had the lights off with a star projector and glitterball to make it cool, as it was a Star Wars party. I made TIE Fighters and X Wings to hang too. Pin the Lightsabre on Darth Vader. We had inflatable lightsabres which we used to duel with and have an ultimate winner. There were rules of no hitting faces, just the other sabre and it was won by using the best/ realistic moves. Glow stick bracelets and sweets for winners and losers of games. Get the losers to help judge the winners during the games, etc. We had the Star Wars soundtrack playing too. Haha. My son is a nerd. Bless him.

I think that was it. I was pooped lol.

Ah some brilliant ideas thank you!!

No worries. I hope you have a good party :)