Guests paying to get in to a bday party?

[angierae]

DD16 is (finally!) done with birthday parties, but we almost always did them out of the house because I rarely lived anywhere big enough to have a party. We've done bowling, laser tag, Chuck E Cheese, etc. I've always paid for whatever the "party package" was that paid for each kid at the party.

Last year she wanted to have her Sweet 16 at a place that's full of classic arcade games (going back to turn of the century type stuff, it's really a neat place) and the party package included a ton of quarters for each kid, plus the owner gives the birthday child a $10 roll of quarters which she split up among her friends.

Some of them brought money of their own to play more stuff, but it was certainly not something they needed to do. I wouldn't have a party if I couldn't afford to pay for the guests, and I definitely would have declined to attend this party.

I've also never had a sibling show up unexpected (I have, a time or two, gotten a phone call asking if a sibling could attend - and both times they offered to pay for the sibling - I said they could go ahead and come, but if I couldn't have afforded it, I guarantee you I would have said no.)

 

[ljcraw555]

I can't believe she wasn't going to let your 11 year old DS eat or enter the party room! The fact that you would have to pay your invited child's and your own admission was bad enough!

Serioulsy, the things people do!

 

[Crystal0608]

Not letting a kid in the party room? Harsh. Almost as bad as a paying guest.

Our previous neighbor invited us to a location where we would have to have paid a minimum of $40 for admission for her dd's bday this weekend, um no. She emailed later she was covering everyone's $5 parking charge. I've previously paid for both kids to swim at a party at a public pool, plus asked to chaperone but pay my way in. We were invited to a pizza party (again both kids) where I had to pay for all 4 us buffets. In 7 years, I don't think I've been invited to one of her kid's parties without paying for food or admission for my kids, so for the past two years I nicely turn them down. Thank goodness I moved, much less awkward.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

I wouldnt go to this party but then again a couple years ago I finally put my foot down about a friends daughters party. She kept doing this thing where her daughter would have a small friends party and go to dinner and the movies. The mom paid for nothing. So in addition to the 30.00 for a gift. There was 20.00 for dinner (last time was Red Robin) and then 15.00 for a movie. It was the most expensive birthday present for child that was not my own. The straw was that neither the mother nor child said thank you. EVER.

I agree with PP's who said have a party you can afford. Weddings are the same but that is another post......

I was in a position where i had to take my younger son to a party my older son was invited to but I called the mom and told her the situation and asked about paying for my DYS because like other places mentioned the party rooms are booked for blocks of guests. She had a few cancellations so she said to bring him and not worry about paying as she was paying for the specified number of guests anyways. I definitely would have paid for him to attend though!!