Chuck E Cheese B-Day Invitation Wording: Siblings & Food

[penn19]

Of course I would call and explain that I had no one to watch my other one, but I can't imagine anyone saying, "OK, then don't come." They would feel obligated to include the sibling. I try very hard not to decline invites as I know my kids are always sad when someone can't come to their party.

Yikes! I think that is tacky (unless I am reading it wrong) You would call and go on the premise that the host would not want to hurt your feelings by teling you that the sibling couldn't come to the party?
If I invite a child to a party and especially a party I am paying by the head I would like to assume that a sibling would not come and hang out at the party. It is the invitees chance to have fun with friends etc.....I have gone to parties and brought siblings, BUT they do not in any way shape or form participate in the party. I let the host know, hey I'm here if there are any issues but I will be over here with my kid(s). I would never expect to have someone else feed and entertain my other kids. I am sorry if I invite someone and they don't have a sitter or whatever their reason is, but that isn't my problem. You either accept or decline.

 

[Anne34]

Well, if they are rude enough to bring siblings that aren't invited, I think you can be "rude enough" to not feed them. Sorry but that grates on my nerves when people just bring along people that aren't invited, and expect the host to pay for them.

With that said, I have had two CEC parties and the parents that brought siblings sat in another area and bought the siblings their own food and tokens.

I would address the invitation to the child that is invited. Then maybe put a blurb in that drop off and pick up time are xxx, and if the parent plans on staying, please let me know so I can plan accordingly for food. That way you know if they are bringing tom dick and harry along with them.

This is what has always happened for us too. The parents that brought siblings stayed at their own tables and bought their own food (I have also done this). Most kids at 7 can be left alone (They are at school, right?) or have the parents nearby.

I agree it is rude to bring siblings to a party for another child. Put only the child's name on the invitation and if a parent stays, then you have some extras for them.

 

[JamesMom]

Op, here, again

Thanks to all the wonderful advice here I have...

Scheduled an informal party for Thursday night, 6pm 1/14.

Sent out e-vites addressed to the child specifically (thanks for the tip!!) tonight.

Made NO mention of siblings, said pizza, drinks & tokens for the kids and drop offs are welcome.

Whew! Let the chips fall where they may. My son and I are happy with the choice and look forward to the party! I'll play it by ear on party night to ensure my son and his guests have a good time. I'll make his Wall-E cake that morning.

Thanks again for all the comments - really made me think about things more carefully. glad I checked in here before sending my original invites.

 

[hedgehog2owl]

Op, here, again

Thanks to all the wonderful advice here I have...

Scheduled an informal party for Thursday night, 6pm 1/14.

Sent out e-vites addressed to the child specifically (thanks for the tip!!) tonight.

Made NO mention of siblings, said pizza, drinks & tokens for the kids and drop offs are welcome.

Whew! Let the chips fall where they may. My son and I are happy with the choice and look forward to the party! I'll play it by ear on party night to ensure my son and his guests have a good time. I'll make his Wall-E cake that morning.

Thanks again for all the comments - really made me think about things more carefully. glad I checked in here before sending my original invites.

Great job! Hope he has a great party!

 

[NYCDiane]

I can't see anyone bringing siblings to a party. However, it DOES happen. It happened at the 2 b'day parties I had for my daughter (at ages 6 & 7). One was at CEC, the other at her martial arts school. Thankfully, both times, I had extra food/cake/drinks for the extra kids.

 

[mjkacmom]

I think it is rude to specifically state no siblings, or that sibling must pay thier own way. Mabye it is a southern thing, but I was always taught it was rude to show up to anyone's party uninvited, even if my sister was invited, and I would hope that parents would understand that only the child/ children included in the invitation were invited. .

LOL - I love how people justify rudeness by claiming they are in a "unique" situation, and have more than one child. Almost everyone I know has as least 2 children, and many have more than that. However, it's only certain people who feel they have the right to bring siblings, just because they have children. I wonder what they think the rest of the moms did with their other children?

 

[delmar411]

Yikes... inviting people to a party and asking them to pay for their own food, drinks, play tokens??? And I'm assuming you're expecting them to bring gifts for your son also??

I can tell you, if I got this invite, I would toss it in the trash and tell you I have other plans that day.

She said those were part of the party for the kids. She didnt' ask them to provide those things....

 

[KirstenB]

Yikes... inviting people to a party and asking them to pay for their own food, drinks, play tokens??? And I'm assuming you're expecting them to bring gifts for your son also??

I can tell you, if I got this invite, I would toss it in the trash and tell you I have other plans that day.

I think she's providing food/drink/tokens to all the kids invited to the party. There was just a question about siblings of the invitees. OP, sounds like you've got it all squared away. I hope your ds has a great party.

 

[JamesMom]

Yikes... inviting people to a party and asking them to pay for their own food, drinks, play tokens??? And I'm assuming you're expecting them to bring gifts for your son also??

I can tell you, if I got this invite, I would toss it in the trash and tell you I have other plans that day.

Opps, I thought I said, WE would provide pizza, drinks and tokens for the kids. Trust me - that's what the invite says.

 

[zoemurr]

Of course I would call and explain that I had no one to watch my other one, but I can't imagine anyone saying, "OK, then don't come." They would feel obligated to include the sibling. I try very hard not to decline invites as I know my kids are always sad when someone can't come to their party.

Yikes! I think that is tacky (unless I am reading it wrong) You would call and go on the premise that the host would not want to hurt your feelings by teling you that the sibling couldn't come to the party?
If I invite a child to a party and especially a party I am paying by the head I would like to assume that a sibling would not come and hang out at the party. It is the invitees chance to have fun with friends etc.....I have gone to parties and brought siblings, BUT they do not in any way shape or form participate in the party. I let the host know, hey I'm here if there are any issues but I will be over here with my kid(s). I would never expect to have someone else feed and entertain my other kids. I am sorry if I invite someone and they don't have a sitter or whatever their reason is, but that isn't my problem. You either accept or decline.

that I would never want to say that to someone because (I feel) it would put the other parent in the awkward position of feeling they needed to invite the sibling. Another poster had suggested calling and explaining that we could not go because we had no care for the other child, and I thought that was an awkward thing to do. No, I didn't mean I would say it expecting to take advantage of them.

And to the PP that said they had a "snack bar" I had no idea. One trip there was plenty for me..

 

[Ashlotte]

I have coupons for large pizza, 4 drinks and 100 tokens for $30.
Thanks in advance

I haven't read any replies yet, but I wanted to chime in that you can find a better coupon than that. We always find one for $18.99 for a large pizza, 4 drinks, and 40 tokens. I think if you go to slickdeals.net and type Chuck E Cheese in the search box, some current threads and coupons should appear.

As for your dilemma, I think I have this issue every year. I personally would send out an invite with the friend's name only and plan to provide pizza and tokens for the guests and at least some pizza for the adults. Some will decline, but some will want some. I would provide it for siblings too, if they come. I think it's probably the most polite/hospitable thing to do, although not cheap.

 

[summerrluvv]

Some parents just do not have any other option but to bring the sibling or the invited child cannot attend.

So your child doesn't go. Period.

If I'm having my child's party at a place where there is a cap on the attendees, and you bring a sibling, that creates a problem. Kids don't *have* to go to everything they are invited to.

 

[Ashlotte]

Then maybe put a blurb in that drop off and pick up time are xxx, and if the parent plans on staying, please let me know so I can plan accordingly for food. That way you know if they are bringing tom dick and harry along with them.

I don't know about other parents, and maybe I am overprotective (okay, I KNOW I am overprotective ), but I would never consider dropping my 7-year-old off at a CEC party during the dinner hour and trusting a hosting parent to be in charge of keeping tabs of 5-13 kids while also dealing with the cake, food, doling out of tokens, etc. etc. That place is just way too crowded and chaotic. A self contained party like the Little Gym perhaps, but not a restaurant open to the public like that. Not to mention that if it isn't really close to your home and you don't want to drive back and forth wasting time and gas, it is hugely inconvenient to expect someone to drop their kid off and then keep busy elsewhere for an hour or so just to avoid feeding them.

 

[Leajess99]

So your child doesn't go. Period.

If I'm having my child's party at a place where there is a cap on the attendees, and you bring a sibling, that creates a problem. Kids don't *have* to go to everything they are invited to.

My kids don't go. When my youngest was invited to a party at a local pizza fun place, I took my older child and her friend and we ate out in the regular area. I let the mom know where I was in case there was a problem. If the party is at a place where there is a cap than my child does not attend if I have no one to watch my other child. I am not big on birthday parties anyway. Many of these people invite the whole class even if their child is not truely friends with the other children. Thanks but no thanks. My kids get trips and parties with family and close friends for their birthdays. It saves on the headaches.

 

[JennsBabySky]

OP, I think your resolution is perfect and I'm glad that you posted this. The responses will come in handy when planning my next party.

On a side note, some of the responses have me a little unsure. I have a 5 and 9 year old. When my 9 year old was younger, I would occassionally take my younger son to the party (before he was old enough to participate) and sit in the back to observe. I was uncomfortable leaving my older daughter at a party alone when she was 4 and 5. Luckily, my youngest was a very happy (and sleepy), child. So, don't worry, I didn't bring a crying baby to the party.... I'd have waited in my car before doing that! For some reason my daughter was invited to a ton of gymnastics parties when my son was under a year old and she was only 4, but because of her age and the possibility of getting hurt, I was afraid to leave for too long. Once my son started walking (and shadowing his sister around), I'd enlist my mom or friends to watch my son.

Now that they are both older, depending on whether I know the family and the venue, I might drop off or stay for the party, but I'd typically never bring the other sibling. Also, I wouldn't decline the invitation and tell the hostess it was because I did not have babysitting for the other child because I wouldn't want them to feel obligated to invite the other child.

It hasn't happened yet, but for public venues like CEC and such, I would consider bringing my other sibling to hang out at CEC and play. I wouldn't have the other sibling join the party and I certainly wouldn't expect tokens or food. However, I rarely take them to CEC, so as long as I was there, I'd probably just have spend some one on one time with the uninvited child. We so rarely have that now.

Under these latter circumstances, would it be considered rude of me to bring the other sibling?

OP, have a great party!!!

 

[summerrluvv]

Many of these people invite the whole class even if their child is not truely friends with the other children. Thanks but no thanks. My kids get trips and parties with family and close friends for their birthdays. It saves on the headaches.

I know in many schools, it's invite the whole class or no one. Unless of course you are mailing the invitations to their home.

I've posted this before, but I invite the whole class. My son has developmental delays, and it's hard to gauge who is really his friend, and who he thinks is his friend. Many people don't even RSVP at all (rude), so from your response, I'm guessing they are annoyed their child was invited to my child's birthday party, but I have no choice but to invite them.