? about Birthday Parties

[pls5286]

I have a question about birthday parties.

Today we attended the movie birthday party of one of the boys who is in the Cub Scout Den of which I am a leader. Both of my children were invited, as the birthday boy has an older brother and mom wanted her older child to have someone to play with. Well, we went into the "party room" before the movie started waiting on all the guests to arrive, and then all the kids were served with kids boxes of popcorn, drinks and a small candy. We were then taken into the theater for the movie.

Once we were seated, I was then asked for ticket money and money for my kids popcorn After that a meal, which the parents also had to buy for their kids, and again, I couldnt just let my kids sit there while everyone else was eating.

This party, not including the present ended up costing around 75 bucks, which was not in my budget for this weekend, and I just could not walk out of the movie with my kids already there. Had I known that I would have had to pay, I would have politely declined and gotten him a present and given it to him at a different time. Is this normal for a "movie theater party". I would never dream of having someone pay to attend a birthday party.


eta...I have no problem paying for my ticket, but the question is for the kids that were actually invited to the party.

 

[rt2dz]

To expect them to pay for you, which you obviously didn’t, would be wrong. But to not pay for kids that 1) they invited as party guests and 2) they served is…um…let’s just say…wrong. And that’s all I’m going to say.

 

[Rebelmom67]

I would have gotten up and left with my kids. Ridiculous and beyond tacky.

 

[ROIE01581]

were you the only parent asked for the money at the movie. I would be very upset if someone invited my kids then asked for money once they were there. What if you did not stay. I would let the mother know I was upset. I would have given her the money for myself and said you invited my children.

 

[pls5286]

No. other parents were asked to pay as well. Several of them got upset. I would have left except my kids would have been very upset. Some of them did leave because they did not have the money, and the b-day boys grandmother ended up paying for some of her grandkids tix and food so they could stay. There is a much cheaper theater in another town that I would have chosen to take my kids to to see the same movie.

 

[ROIE01581]

I would let the parents know that your kids will not be attending any more of their parties in the future. So please take you off their list.

 

[teacups]

I cant believe that.
I dont mean you are telling a whopper... I mean I CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT!!

I personally picked up a flyer form our local mega plex since my son's 7th birthday is in a few weeks. It was $15.99 per person 10 people minimum. I decided not to do it for two reasons one being how much it would COST ME! (the other reason was that my son, aged 7, needs to runa nd scream and burn off energy so we are going to one of those climbing, rope, ladder, slide places. $7 person. Oh.. and I'm NOT charging the kids and parents! )

How low can people get?
I feel for you. I would have stayed too, and then been PO's all weekend. Those moms who are saying they'd walk out have it right!

 

[disneyjunkie]

We would have walked out.

I can’t believe someone had the nerve to do such a thing.

The parents should have asked the mom to reimburse them for the gifts they purchased.

 

[mommasita]

WOW. I would (as you did) expect to pay for myself, IF I stayed. But for children, that is nuts..What if it was at a Mc Donald's? They would have had to pay their own food their as well.

 

[Bluestars]

That was tacky and rude. How hard is it for people to only do something if they can afford it? They could have had a party at their house for a very low cost.

My kids have never been invited to a party and then been asked to pay their own way. If people are tacky enough to ask people to pay, they should mention the cost in the invitation.

 

[stitchlovestink]

I agree that you were not 'out of line' to expect the kid's tickets/food to be covered by the invitation itself. I really think that if there is going to be an 'extra expenditure' then it should be disclosed in the invitation. And I do believe that it should be extenuating circumstances for their to be an extra expenditure. Sometimes, I really wonder why parents plan these expensive parties and then expect the guests to pay their own way? doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Magic Mom]

That was really rude and inconsiderate. What did they expect people without money on them to do?

 

[lemondog]

Completely tacky. Completely rude. I am really shocked that the mom thought it was okay!!!

 

[EMom]

DD had a movie birthday party this year and we invited all the girls in her class, plus a few other friends. Probably about 10-12 showed up. It cost $15.00 per child and if any adults stayed, their ticket cost was only $6.00. For $15.00, each kid got a Snack Pack of popcorn, drink and candy, then we saw the movie and after that we were served pizza and drinks in a party room. I had to provide the cake and goody bags. The adults didn't get popcorn/drinks/candy for the $6.00, but there was plenty of pizza and drinks at the party room after the movie.

I paid the $6.00 each for DH and me as well as two moms who helped serve as chaperones. I let all the parents know that four adults would be there with the girls and that there would always be someone with them at all times, even on bathroom breaks. I have a reputation as the extra watchful mom, so everyone knew I'd never take my eyes off them.

Of course, I paid for every single girl! We invited them and they were our GUESTS! A guest does not pay to attend a party. Period. This is beyond tacky. If the family can't afford the cost, be it $15.00 or whatever, to pay for every guest, then they need to scale back the party and do something else. But one NEVER expects a guest to pay their own way.

I would have called her on it in a heartbeat, right in front of God and everybody. You know the other parents would have appreciated it. I'll bet she expected presents for the birthday boy, didn't she? She has nerve, I'll give her that. But I would have flat out said, "Let me get this straight. You expect me to pay the cost of my children attending your son's birthday party? You cannot be serious." And I wouldn't have paid.

 

[PaulaSue]

I'm Shocked and Embarrassed for that Family. She really should have done something smaller and paid for it.

 

[EMom]

And let me add, I was thrilled to pay $15.00 per child and have them be fed a treat during movie, plus pizza afterward. Also, it was the premiere weekend of HSM3 and they took us in first for our pick of seats and once we were seated, they brought the Snack Packs to us. I thought it was a great deal!