ugh sounds awful, like she can't get people to come to her adult party so she is taking the kids party and making it about her instead
this post was submitted on 27 Sep 2025
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Whoops wrong comment
OP didn't really mention toys? yeah I'd say still drop off a toy sure
Accidentally commented on the wrong thing, mb. They said it in a different comment
Hard pass. Or drop in, tell them up front you've got an unavoidable conflict, give them the present, and take your kid to one of those indoor jump parks on the way home.
We went it was fine. Just had to set expectations with our son that we had a hard two hour limit.
They had no presents, instead QR codes to donate to charities that the kid (10) cares about. And then as she's bringing out the cake, she proceeds to say, "I didn't have any candles, so I just made some. It was easier" my wife and I just about died laughing
Luckily my good friend was there and we were able to find a quiet place to hang. The whole thing was surreal. I feel bad for the kid though honestly, like he probably just wants a star wars themed chocolate cake and presents or something but instead he gets a Martha Stewart living event lol
They had no presents, instead QR codes to donate to charities that the kid (10) cares about.
in about 15-20 years the therapy for this is going to be very expensive
We do the no presents thing, I don't want to burden anyone with having to buy something for my kid that they don't really know, especially if budgets are tight. They have enough stuff as it is anyway.
We save presents for family parties.
When our kiddo was 6 or 7 we had a birthday party where they wanted their friends to bring things to donate to the animal shelter
QR codes instead of gifts sounds awful. Just let the kid have some toys. Comes across as the parents wanting to virtue signal about how “pure” their child is and they really care a lot about charity.
☝️ this
so, what is the issue? either you go and take your child or you dont.
the agreement is thus….
Since when? I get making it convenient enough for the other parents to say yes but to be blunt, you dont really get to dictate what another parent does for their child. Thats a bit of a reach. Just stay home. lol.
Nah you're missing it a bit comrade, the kids are 9-10, you have to go because if not your kid is the odd one out and again, you want folks to show up to yours, it's just how it is. Saturdays are precious though and even taking 3 hours out of the afternoon is a sacrifice, we do it for the kids, but taking over the entire afternoon is selfish.
Believe me if I could have just stayed home I would have but love is sacrifice 😂
I'm not dictating anything I went to the stupid party just venting to my Internet friends
Sometimes these parties can be fun, you're not obligated to stay, but you get a good story out of it.
Sounds like my nightmare
I will grant "noon to ???" is offensive to parents who are going to have to deal with the aftermath (your child will be an overstimulated nightmare after a social outing lasting more than two hours).
I will, however, profess the hot take that the commenters (not necessarily OP) advancing the "just give them pizza and toys" position are treatbrained and setting their children up to be treatlerite consumptive libs.
I think it is good to offer unusual foods at parties because many children do not have the means or the social structures to find those foods at home. Exploring and developing their palate is how you avoid serving exclusively tendies and butter pasta to your 25 year old. Hummus is not caviar, it's baby food that's okay for adults. Fuck this salmon nonsense, though. :im-vegan:
QR codes are cringe, but a child who chooses to expand their ethical horizons one year instead of getting 12 perfunctory pieces of future landfill decoration is the kind of political action we're supposed to be encouraging. Besides, "cringe" is just the word we use to describe a person being sincere about a thing we're cynical about.
Personally, I could do with less of the "standard" birthday because it means I have to bring vegan stuff to every god damn one so that my child isn't "left out" of half of the experience. Better still if they've planned out some kid-centric activities so I can hang out with adults a couple of Saturdays a year and grouse about how annoying my favorite little person is instead of whatever I would otherwise be doing (chores, groceries, entertaining a child).
It also seems kind of fucked to complain about no booze at a children's party that presumably the parents of said children are meant to drive to and from, but I accept that drunk driving is the American disease (and maybe that part's jokey). 🤷