Competitive birthday parties: tell us your worst!

[HelenMumsnet]

Hello. Justine's going to be on the BBC World Service tomorrow talking about children's birthday parties - and how some parents do seem to like to outdo each other on the all-singing, all-entertainer-ing, all-super-luxury-party-bagging front.

So, we were wondering... Have you ever felt other parents were judging your efforts on the birthday-party front?

And what's the worst example of party oneupmumship you've seen?

PMSL at the slide show! That's fabulous!

Footballers child. Age 6.

Hired the whole cinema to watch a disney film

Then they boys were given a transformer in their party bag

And had a Happy Meal

"Life sized Minnie Mouse handing out canapes to the parents, party itself started at 9pm. For a one year old."

See, to me those parents were acknowledging that the party was not really for their baby and opting to host it after his bedtime.

Around here it is all out children's parties bouncy castles, entertainers and party bags for one year olds

I will undoubtedly be judged as lazy for not bothering

fortyplus that is appalling - I would have taken the goldfish back for them to look after themselves.

I have to admit I skimmed checking for anyone talking about my parties since the other mothers go on and on and on about them but they are more like Katz's (in fact, DS's next one may well be a direct copy of her science party ) and clearly amateur-league compared to examples quoted here.

In answer to the OP - 'have you even felt judged by other parents..." - yes. Our parties have been fairly simple affairs - I try to do nice but fun party food for everyone (including adults, especially as we do parties with family/Godparents/friends and DCs little friends all together), and try not to fill the party bags with tat but to do something a bit creative (although still preetty cheap...and this seems to go down just fine in our circles...

but, when it comes to the cake, I always make something special and decorate with fondant icing - it takes me forever as I am a complete amature, but its a labour of love asd I enjoy it and like to 'spoil' my kids in this way. The sad thing is I always get negative comments along the lines of "wow, you must have way too much time on your hands", "I've got far too much on to be making cakes like that", "Oh, you'll soon get sick of doing cakes like that, once you've done a few more parties...", "why do you have to make the rest of us look bad by making cakes like that?" etc etc.

Of course there are nice comments too, but it is always a shame to hear these other comments too.

Thanks for all your brilliant responses - very funny thread. Have recorded a v brief interview - not sure when it's airing .

katz.....sorry everyone i'm just doing a quick hijack
are you katz from the junie2005 thread?

pellmell - yep why? do i know you?

Hi Katz ....
I was always on those Junie threads
I often wonder where you all are...
I had a different name back then (obviousely)
You may know if I mention that dd1 is severely disabled and much older than dd2?

ah - yep gotcha, we have a thread here well sort of!

Just to add on to the whole batman thing, it seems to me that these children never get to play games such as pass the parcel, muscial statues etc etc so I used to do a fancy Halloween party each year where I would do the catering (sarnies, whotsits, saugages etc!) and play all the traditional games, have to say they all loved it.

Have loved some of the stories though

NeedaNewName do you do the one about learning to fly a broomstick? It's brilliant!

I have described it on here before - I'll try to find it unless it was in chat

LEARNING TO FLY A BROOMSTICK
2 would be far too young to learn to fly a broomstick, but for around 6 upwards it's brilliant! My 2 still talk about it! Apparently they really did believe they were flying!
First, you need a broomstick... toy one is fine.
Start off giving them all a chat about how you learned to fly a broomstick when you were little and you are prepared to share the secret with them but they have to wear a blindfold. Some will drop out at this stage, but tell them they'll have to wait outside the room with all the ones who are going to do it.
The kids come in one at a time, blindfolded. Lead the child to where you have prepared a strong plank of wood resting on something at each end - it needs to be just far enough off the ground so that the 2 strong men that you have positioned at each end can get their fingers underneath it.
So now you have blindfolded child, mounted on broomstick, standing on the plank.
This is where it's up to you to give a convincing 'flying lesson'! Start off with the grip, tell them they have to lean back to go up, forwards to go down, tell them to concentrate very hard and repeat after you the magic words... anything you like! Tell them they must think about feeling as light as a feather etc... Then the men VERY gently lift the plank SLIGHTLY and move it around very gently - don't lift it more than an inch or 2 because of the obvious risk of child losing balance & falling. You have to give convincing oohs and ahhs 'Yes - that's IT!... not too high now!' etc etc - you get the picture. Then you tap them gently on the head with a book and say - down a bit! - that was the ceiling!!!!
Then the plank comes to rest and the child steps off. MAGIC!!

competative birthday present .....beat this! DD friend got a horse box for her 14th - but when i saw it I realise it is not a horse box but like a van you move horses in with an engine.......

what the? this is girl is turning 14

I don't agree - her mother wanted the horse box to pose around at pony club and it saved the hassle of having to get the kid a presaent

hmm fortyplus

it sits on their drive looking all big and van-ish.

Show off show off pick your nose and blow off!

I think you need to feel sorry for the girl - the van was for mother and she didn't even get a hoofpick!

squeaver - I know. But I am still glad to have lived in communitites where ostentatious displays like this would bring ridicule .

the flying broomstick game looks fab - will have to try and save this for that alone!

If you do a search for threads containing the words flying broomstick you will find it anyhow - that's how I got it back again