Did I Do The Right Thing?!

[slo]

If I were the other parents, there would be no way I would allow you to pay for my meal. I choose to stay, and therefore I should pay for myself. You did the right thing - so no worries!!!!

 

[Daxx]

I'd pay for the people I invited. If you do the inviting, you pay. As for the rest...they would have to pony up the dough.

ETA: I just realized that this forces me into the position of having to side with the man in this happy disagreement...and I don't like siding with the man. Please make future posts easier for me to be on YOUR side. Thanks.

Actually, I think you are on my side. I ONLY invited the two boys ... not their siblings or their parents. The parents and siblings decided to stick around.

They could've dropped off the invited boys (ages 9 yo) but chose to hang out w/us instead.

Thanks for the input. I feel better now. I always hate questioning my decisions after the fact!!!! DS is an only child, so I don't have the sibling tagging along at parties and am not really that familiar w/the protocol. Usually, when it's DS's bday, it's a group of 10 kids (that being the minimum at most party places) w/pizza. I usually will give the siblings extra tokens and there's usually enough pizza for the siblings, too ... but in this case, it was a per-person dining fee, so I didn't know how to handle the siblings who, technically, were not invited guests but tag-alongs. Now I get it -- I pay for invited guests only. Tag-alongs (meaning siblings and parents) aren't included in the bill.

 

[bananiem]

You did the right thing.
Did either of the other 2 families seem to act like they expected you to pay for their meal?

 

[Jeanny]

nah, you should have only paid for the invited kids. The parents were the ones who technically invited themselves along with the rest of their family. I would never expect anyone to pay for me if it was clearly stated only the two friends were invited.
Don't loose any sleep over it.

 

[robinb]

I think I would have only paid for the kids that I invited, including the game tokens.

 

[Daxx]

You did the right thing.
Did either of the other 2 families seem to act like they expected you to pay for their meal?

Oh, no ... they did not act like they expected me to pick up the tab. I just felt bad that the one couple's bill was so high! However, DH reminded me that they bought a beer and mudslide, so that was prob. an extra $10 added to their tab that nobody else had!

 

[bananiem]

Oh, no ... they did not act like they expected me to pick up the tab. I just felt bad that the one couple's bill was so high! However, DH reminded me that they bought a beer and mudslide, so that was prob. an extra $10 added to their tab that nobody else had!

Then no worries!!!!

 

[Luv'sTink]

I think you did the right thing. I would have only paid for the invited guests.

 

[Stitchfans]

You shouldn't feel guilty. The parents didn't have to order, and technically didn't have to "hang around" your party. They could of and should of trailed off by themselves, got their own table. This way it wouldn't put you on the defence. But since they are good friends they should and as you said did understand, and paid for themselves, so alls well.

 

[Becky2005]

I think I accidently voted wrong. I wanted to vote just pay for invited guests, but I think I pushed the middle one.

I'm sure the parents fully expected to pay their own way and the uninvited sibling's way. I would have. You were generous to give the uninvited boys game cards. I think you handled it well.

It wouldn't even cross my mind to expect the hostess to pay for myself & extra siblings just because I choose to stay at the same place the party was happening at.

It sounds like the parents knew who were the invited kids, had fully intended to pay for their other children and didn't expect you to pick up the tab at all.

 

[Frantasmic]

You paid for the extra boys' game tickets, which was above and beyond. The parents made the choice to stick around and eat.

You are in the clear. You have my permission to assuage your conscience.