Comments on: Kid’s Birthday Parties: Parents I Want Your Input

By: Cynthia Samuels

Cynthia Samuels — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 17:25:00 +0000

I’ve never heard of fees either, but we also never had “outside” birthday parties – mostly sleepovers and crafts parties and later dinner at a sportsbar or Chinese restaurant and THEN sleepovers. No one seems traumatized.
I honestly think those fancy shmancy parties are for the parents, not the kids.

By: Playground Confidential

Playground Confidential — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 03:32:00 +0000

Right. So it is obviously in better taste to foot your own kids birthday party bill yourself. Still, be gracious guests and pony up the couple of bucks and don’t let this ruin your week. And worry about teaching your own kids the value of money and not always getting everything under the sun.

By: Beth

Beth — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:25:00 +0000

Charging guests? – awful! What’s next? Our girlfriends will ask us to drop by for a glass of wine – and then charge a fee at the door?

By: April

April — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:29:00 +0000

My guess is that this mother can’t afford to do it herself, but really wants her kid to feel just as special as all her kid’s friends. Depending on my own financial situation, and how important the friend was to my child would dictate whether or not my child(ren) would go. It’s not about the parents, it’s about the kids.

By: Whit

Whit — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 07:43:00 +0000

I’ve never heard of anyone doing this, and I wouldn’t do it but it doesn’t really bother me and I’d still go and not think twice. And I’d take a gift.

Something tells me I’m the only dad on here.

By: imsilentnomore

imsilentnomore — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 23:22:00 +0000

I'm with the others, I think it is tacky. I'm thinking of having a bowling party next month for my son but I would never do it and ask for the kids to pay their own way.

I think that if you let your child attend you will send the message that it is ok and the trend may continue with other parents.

By: Stimey

Stimey — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 23:11:00 +0000

I've never seen an invitation like this. I agree that it is pretty tacky. However, it were for a kid that my kids really wanted to celebrate, I would probably suck it up and let them go.

If I were ever in a situation where I couldn't afford a birthday party but wanted to invite a bunch of kids in this way, I would probably at the very least put a "no gifts" caveat on the invite.

By: Leslie

Leslie — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:32:00 +0000

I think asking guests to pay is tacky. I’m not sure it’s so out of line I wouldn’t attend, though. I guess that would depend on who the party was for and how much my kid digs him/her.

By: happyarewe

happyarewe — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:25:00 +0000

Talk about raising an Entitled Generation! If you can’t afford a huge party, you need to teach your kids about having financial discipline and valuing time spent together over the bells and whistles of one big shin-dig. Gah, this just makes me ill. I would never dare to ask for $ to cover expenses, and I wouldn’t dare accept an invitation to a party that does.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 19:48:00 +0000

I am with the majority here. Not a good idea to charge guests to come to a birthday party.

My 8yo daughter wanted to have an ice skating party, but I told her we could only invite two-three friends if we did that. She ultimately decided that she'd rather invite the whole class and have the party at home. They decorated their own cupcakes (had a blast!) played Hannah Montana freeze dance and Polly Pocket. We set up some Hannah Montana toys as the table centerpiece.

It was the most laid back party I've ever thrown (I'm usually a theme overboard type) and it was the most fun for the kids and parents!