Do you leave your small children at a BD party or stay?

[WhenUwishUponAstar]

my ds will be 6 in June and NO way would I drop him off anywhere! It was hard enough for me to sit at the booth and not follow him around.

 

[hometech99]

I always follow them around Chuck-E-Cheese

(that long, quiet bathroom hallway is scarey. who would let kids go back there themselves? they can easily be followed!)

my kidsare not allowed in front of the house by themselves.

only out back in fenced yard with very large dog.

 

[WhenUwishUponAstar]

(that long, quiet bathroom hallway is scarey. who would let kids go back there themselves? they can easily be followed!)

OOH no way would I let him go by himself
and from the booth i could see him at all times and If I couldn't I would move booths.

LOL I just pictured myself playing musical booths that must have looked funny to the other patrons

 

[disdreams]

I had that happen to me at one of my kids parties. She even asked me to drive her son home. He was a total pain, too. We were at a big park and he kept wandering off the entire time. I felt like I had to watch him instead of pay my attention to my child. I would not drop my child off, unless it was at someone's house and no other parents were there, and if I felt they were old enough.

 

[JetMom]

I have left my children at parties at that age. If you know and trust the parents hosting it, I don't see a problem.

 

[AirForceRocks]

Originally posted by JetMom
I have left my children at parties at that age. If you know and trust the parents hosting it, I don't see a problem.

Same here. We started leaving our kids at parties when they were 6, as did the parents of their classmates. Perhaps it is a regional thing.

 

[mom2boys]

I watch way too much Law & Order. There was an episode about a child who was abducted from a Chuckie Cheese type place. Turned out to be an employee - so much for the braclet matching. I know that it's only tv but a lot of those story lines are based upon actual events.

 

[peg2001]

We always stay (DD4 and DD7). No way would I trust even a good friend to watch my child along with up to 20 others!

When we host birthday parties, I always make sure that parents know they are welcome to stay, even if that means they bring along a sibling or two. A few still usually drop off, even if they have never met us before, which I think is strange.

Peggy

 

[mrsv98]

DD's 4yo party is in 2 weeks and the gym place we are having it at makes it easy, they insist on parents staying with kids under 4yo and for older kids, they have to fill out a sheet with contact info, no drop and run! I included the info on the invitation so there wouldn't be any surprises and I have already had one mom tell me her DD can't come because she can't stay with her. That is too bad for the little girl, but I think it is much safer this way.

BTW, I like the setup of our CEC, the bathrooms are fairly close to the front area and the entrances are fully visible from many places in the restaurant. The only thing I don't like is the climbing tube and I tell DD it is for older kids, and she buys that, at least for now! The workers there are good about checking stamps, but I still wouldn't even think about leaving DD until she is at least a couple of years older.

 

[pammypooh]

I would stay.

Hometech99 - That is me too - I follow my kids around ChuckeCheese!

Pam

 

[RayJay]

No way, No how, My DW and watch my 6 yr old like hawks.

And yes, we have been accused of being over protective.

Don't care what people think or say, we will struggle with this always, we just believe in watching our kids, but I gotta tell ya I see alot of parents who don't.

There's more to the story but that's a different thread.....

RayJay

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

I would never leave my child at a "public place" for a birthday party -- unless another parent (not the birthday parent) was going to be there specifically watching both of our kids. That goes for my older child who just turned 9. I won't leave her at bowling alley parties, Sportsplex parties or any other place where there can be a lot of outside people in attendance. I have left her at home parties (where I feel comfortable) or at places where there is just the one party going on so the kids are well supervised.

My younger one is in kindergarten and this is the age here where parents start to leave them. For her birthday this year we had it at a local ice cream parlor. We did it right around lunch time and the parlor has very little traffic at that time of day. We had a puppet show followed by pizza and icecream. A few parents stayed, but the majority of them left. I was surprised by the first parent who brought there child because they practially didn't walk in -- it was almost like watch the kid walk in and leave. I would be hesitant to have my child be the first kid there -- worried that they might be upset to be left without a lot of other kids there.

 

[MelessaG]

At a public place, I always stay with my kids. At the home of a good friend, I may leave my kid-if I have discussed it with the parent first AND I know for sure other parents are staying to help with crowd control.

 

[year2late]

When my son was 6, I went to a Chuckee Cheese Party...




















Until the tokens ran out.

Seriously, I had a large party for my son at age six and about half the parents stayed. I told Alfie the Clown to harrass them...she willingly complied.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I'm having my DS's BD party in a couple weeks at a hotel pool. I insist that the parents stay and put so on the invitation. I just think its kind of rude too, to expect other parents to watch your children at a birthday party, unless prior arrangements have been made. The birthday kids parents has way too much to do and then have to worry about other kids too. I just wonder if something would happen, would the parent who left their child feel the birthday childs parents were responsible then. I'm not talking like 9 or 10 year olds. I could see leaving them. But I too seen that episode of Law and Order. And yea its only TV but its too late when something happens. I would leave my child at a house, if it was OK with the parents ahead of time but I would ask. I'm not knocking anyone who has a different opinion than me. I'm just stating mine and what I would do with my child and what I expect from the parents of the children who attend my childs birthday parties.

 

[Alice28]

At Chuck E Cheese I would definitely stay (we happen to be going to our first bday party there on Monday). If it were at someone's home, I probably would not stay, but return within 90 minutes or so. This is for my DS6 mind you; when he was younger, until he was 4-5, I stayed at the parties. But since then I leave him, go to the grocery store, run an errand, etc.

For his party in November, we had it at our home, just pizza, cake and games. One parent stayed, the other 5 left and came back within 2 hours. And the parent who stayed, stayed because she doesn't live close to here and there really wasn't anywhere for her to go...I had no problem with it.

 

[Lorix2]

If I know the people well and it's really just the kids and not a huge event, I'll drop him off for a bit and return early after asking if that's alright.

We recently just experienced a BD boy's (6 y/o) parents being completely rude by not acknowledging our presence (mom's that stayed). Nothing, no hello or any kindnesses at all.

I think they were angry that we stayed, but we didn't know them at all.

The kids had to remain in one room only with nothing to do. They could come into the kitchen ONE at a time for a piece of cake and a drink. The kitchen was housing all the extended family with tons of food. The invitation time was from 4-6. We didn't feed the kids dinner beforehand, because we assumed maybe they'd have pizza or the like being it was during dinner time. (WE as the parents did not expect to be fed). There was no "happy birthday" sung, an adult came out and snapped one picture of the kids and passed out goody bags about an hour into the party.

We felt that was our que to leave so we did. We had to take the kids out to Chuck E cheese to eat and play for awhile. The kids didn't even want cake, because they'd have to go into the kitchen alone with a ton of strange adults - any child would be intimidated.

I'm glad I didn't leave my child at this one.

Also, if it's a pool party, no matter how well I know them - I'm staying! It's too easy to lose track of kids who can/can't swim, etc...it's just not worth the risk.

 

[wahoo2]

In a big place like that I would stay. I always think that no one is going to watch my child like I do! Plus, it is sad but there are too many crazy people out there today.

 

[suzannews]

My DD will be 9 in June and I have stayed at every party she has attended. We've been to Chuck E Cheese, roller skating, pool party, bowling, the persons house, etc. I've never gotten the evil eye from any parent. When I RSVP, I usually remember to say that I will be staying and will help with anything needed. I never eat and usually don't drink anything while I'm there unless its a sip of my daughters drink.

I am a VERY overprotective parent and proud of it.