Would you expect a meal at a 3pm pool party? OK, UPDATE :-)

[Claire&TheBoys]

To the OP: I would put out some chips, maybe a fruit plate and some drinks. I would have the party time be 3:00-5:00 and to me, that would not include a meal.

My husband gets off at 5:00 and is home by 5:30. I try to have dinner ready to put on the table when he gets home so we can eat and I can get the kitchen cleaned up. Then we have time to do something together if we want (movie night) or if we need to go somewhere all together, we can do it and be home for the boys to be in bed by 8:30. Wednesdays I usually leave dinner on the stove for my husband, as the boys and I are on the way to church about 5:30 or so.

 

[mjkacmom]

That's what I was wondering... how are you all eating at 5:00? What are your work schedules? Around here, activities/practice tend to be right after school. The only exception for us is Girl Scouts, which meets at 6:00, which I find extremely inconvenient - it means dinner for DD before DH gets home, or dinner for DD at 8:30 or so, when she has a 9:00 bedtime.

99% of all of our activities range from 5:30 - 8:30, and during those hours, at least a couple of kids are missing. Most of the sports are coached by the dads, who are working after school.

 

[shortbun]

I would expect snacks heavy enough to make a meal. I would not expect someone to invite me over for 3pm and think that ice cream and cake would be the only food. If you're only having cake and things like nuts, chips...tell people. You could say, wer're having it at 3 so everyone can be home in time for dinner. Or-you can buy some big subs and cut them up with a fruit bowl, veggie tray and chips and cake/ice cream. It doesn't have to be anything you'd need to prep heavily.

eta: we try to eat by 5:30 because if we don't, it's 9 before the opportunity rolls around again. Besides, you're not supposed to eat late.

 

[aprilgail2]

I think we are pretty normal for where we live (Indy), and it is the same schedule I grew up with - small town Indiana. My dad got home at 6:00 and supper was on the table within 5 minutes. I'm not quite that good. I'm usually making my DH help me finish! I have a couple of friends with husbands who work different hours. I'll have to ask when they eat.

Growing up my dad used to get home at 6pm but my mom never made us wait for him to eat...the three of us would eat earlier and his plate would be warmed when he got home.

Ditto on the when people eat thing - 5pm? Really? I don't think I've ever had, served or been served dinner before 7pm in my life. Like 7-9, in between there, is what I consider dinner time, on the earlier side of the window if there are little kids involved, later side if there aren't, usually in the middle in general, like 7:30-8:30.

Five?! I'd be baffled.

Agree you should just put it on the invites if you haven't sent them out - 'snacks, ice cream and cake' or whatever.

I could never go to sleep at night if I had a full meal 2 hours before bedtime! If it got to be 8pm and I had not had dinner yet I would grab a snack and call it a night foodwise LOL--

 

[cornflake]

Growing up my dad used to get home at 6pm but my mom never made us wait for him to eat...the three of us would eat earlier and his plate would be warmed when he got home.

I could never go to sleep at night if I had a full meal 2 hours before bedtime! If it got to be 8pm and I had not had dinner yet I would grab a snack and call it a night foodwise LOL--

S'okie, I can't imagine going to bed at 10pm! That was my bedtime when I was a kid!

 

[tlbwriter]

S'okie, I can't imagine going to bed at 10pm! That was my bedtime when I was a kid!

What time do you get up in the morning? I get up at 5 am, and I try to get to bed by 9 pm. It would be ridiculous for me to eat as late as 8 pm.

 

[tlbwriter]

I would expect snacks heavy enough to make a meal. I would not expect someone to invite me over for 3pm and think that ice cream and cake would be the only food.

What would you normally eat between 3 and 5 pm if you weren't at a party?

 

[FireDancer]

I don't eat on a schedule. When I'm hungry I make lunch or dinner. Last night I got home from the pool and had dinner at 11:15.

 

[DisneyBeagle]

I would seriously reconsider adding an end time to your invitations. If not, people may stay for a lot longer than you planned. If they stay later than 5pm, they will want a meal.

 

[denisem]

Not enough information.

If this is a weekday party with one parent accompanying your child's friends, you may be safe.

However, if this is a weekend pool party with family/close friends...I wouldn't plan on a 2 hr. party.

 

[DVC-Don]

3 PM start with no stated end time, yep, I'd expect at least a hot dog or burger. Now, if it said 2 PM start to 4 PM end, then no.

 

[cornflake]

What time do you get up in the morning? I get up at 5 am, and I try to get to bed by 9 pm. It would be ridiculous for me to eat as late as 8 pm.

Not 5am! Eeek.

 

[SDFgirl]

I agree with the majority here and I would serve food. If you want to make it easy have pizza delivered around 4:30.

I would also require one parent to stay and I would hire a neighborhood teen (someone on the swim team) to be the "life guard."

I can't tell you how many times I have heard of kids drowning at parties while the adults are chatting.

I am extra cautious about pools. And, I would never leave my 4 year old at a pool party. I or my husband would stay and watch so plan on feeding parents as well.

Thanks. This is at our neighborhood pool, there are lifeguards there. Also the party is a mix of adults and kids but mostly adults (13 kids and 30+ adults). Most of the kids are 3, 4, or 5...and their parents are good friends of ours, I know they will stay.

 

[bgirldeb]

Ah, then if it's at your neighborhood pool, cake and ice cream are fine! It's different than when people hang around your house

I would actually recommend not having too much food, because that way it could end at a reasonable time

 

[dngnb8]

If the party runs past 5, I would presume youre feeding my brat.

 

[Michelle67]

I wouldn't expect it, but I would wonder which way it was going to be. When I see mid-afternoon party invitations they usually specify one way or the other. Either "we will be having cake and ice cream" or "we will be having pizza (burgers, hot dogs, whatever)" so that parents don't have to wonder. Makes it easier to figure out how/when your family dinner will be that night.

 

[ksjayhawks]

If it is from 3 to 5 p.m., then I would not expect a meal, just snacks and cake/cupcake.

If it is no-ending time, then I would grill hamburgers/hotdogs or take the easy way and order pizzas.

 

[mhsjax]

They happen before dinner umm ok. Goodness do you have children?

I am not the pp, but I do have 3 kids and yes their activities happen before dinner. DD cheer starts at 4 and goes until 6 or 6:30. Football is right after school and goes until 7:00. Soccer well it starts around 5:00. too early for him to eat dinner and have it settle enough to keep from throwing it all up, so he waits until after.

 

[DebD4T]

I have never been to a party no matter what time of day that did not serve a meal there and just had out snacks and cake- that would be a hugh faux pas around here. Doesn't matter what time the party is- 1pm, 7pm--they all come with some kind of meal even if you are just grilling burgers and dogs and a couple sides!

This!!!

 

[Hellothemouse]

Up until 2nd grade or so, my kids went to bed at 8! School hasn't even started yet, and tonight we have dance at 5:30, soccer at 5:45, voice at 6, and psat tutoring at 7:15. And this is a slow night! My goal is to get the most people fed at the same time, before the running around starts.

Mine too!

You're husband is at home to eat dinner at 5? My husband works a normal office job. On the days when he is in the office, he can't leave the office until 6 because that's when it closes. By the time he drives home, its at least 6:45.

My MIL is always telling me that 'dinner is SUPPOSED to be on the table at 5'. I tell her it would be very unappetizing if it were, because nobody would be home to eat it if I put it on the table at 5. She can't get over the fact that not everyone works a factory job and gets out at 3:30 like her father and her husband.

.
Yes My husband has a full time job (He is in charge of the IT service desk at an oil company) He is also on call 2-3 weeks a month. He goes in to work around 745 and is done at 5 (course when he is on call he can leave on a moments notice) Some people "flex" and go in early and get done at 4, He doesn't.

That's what I was wondering... how are you all eating at 5:00? What are your work schedules? Around here, activities/practice tend to be right after school. The only exception for us is Girl Scouts, which meets at 6:00, which I find extremely inconvenient - it means dinner for DD before DH gets home, or dinner for DD at 8:30 or so, when she has a 9:00 bedtime.

I answered your first question above, Practices here are from 6-7 for cheer, 6:30-8 for gymnastics, 7-8 for piano. GScouts and Bscouts I don't know yet b/c it hasn't started for the yr yet (we take summer off)
I don't work I go to school full time. I make sure I schedule my classes around the kids school so I am either online doing them, doing them in the morning or early afternoon. If I can't make them around the kids then I have grandparents that come and watch them until Dad can get home

I make sure we are all fed and out the door - About 30 min to eat several times a week since it takes about 20 min to get to cheer/gymn.

To the OP: I would put out some chips, maybe a fruit plate and some drinks. I would have the party time be 3:00-5:00 and to me, that would not include a meal.

My husband gets off at 5:00 and is home by 5:30. I try to have dinner ready to put on the table when he gets home so we can eat and I can get the kitchen cleaned up. Then we have time to do something together if we want (movie night) or if we need to go somewhere all together, we can do it and be home for the boys to be in bed by 8:30. Wednesdays I usually leave dinner on the stove for my husband, as the boys and I are on the way to church about 5:30 or so.

This is what I like to do.