kids birthday party question...

[Flora]

I am trying to finalize plans for my 8 year old's party...


if you were taking your kid to a party from 4-6 and they did NOT eat a meal (only cake) would you be surprised? annoyed?

How about if it was 4-5:30?

I am having someone do M's party - it is a spy theme and the kids will go through "training" to get their badges

The biggest package includes a 2 hour party (cake included), but we would feel like we need to feed the kids, and thus some of the planner's time would just be watching the kids eat, and we would have the extra expense of pizza

Or, we can save $85, go with the 1 1/2 hour party (cake not included), and feed the kids pizza and cake at the end while she is cleaning up (seems a little odd, though, and I think that means they would have to get out of their spy gear before she leaves, and usually they would "earn" their badges at the end, but this means she would have to give them out earlier, or we would give them out...)

Or I can save the $85 and NOT feed them pizza...


---$85 may not sound like a lot, but in terms of a kids party, to me, it is. Add the cost of pizza for 10 kids on top....

[Samantha]

If it were me, I'd go with the 1 1/2 hour party and feed the kids pizza and cake myself. Have the kids out of their gear and with their badges by the end of the 1.5 hours. Then have them eat pizza while you cut and serve the cake and then wait for parents to pick them up.

If you go with the 2 hour party and don't intend to feed them a meal, I'd do the cake at the beginning of the party, so that they will be ready to eat dinner when they are picked up. I'd be a little annoyed if I picked my kid up at 6 and she had just stuffed herself with only cake. (But not overly so, it's a party after all.)

I'd also mention the plans, whatever they are, on the invitation.

ETA: And I'd go with Pizza Hut's $5 Pizza Mias. 3 of those babies and you're done.

[Mardi]

Originally Posted by Samantha

If it were me, I'd go with the 1 1/2 hour party and feed the kids pizza and cake myself. Have the kids out of their gear and with their badges by the end of the 1.5 hours. Then have them eat pizza while you cut and serve the cake and then wait for parents to pick them up.

If you go with the 2 hour party and don't intend to feed them a meal, I'd do the cake at the beginning of the party, so that they will be ready to eat dinner when they are picked up. I'd be a little annoyed if I picked my kid up at 6 and she had just stuffed herself with only cake. (But not overly so, it's a party after all.)

I'd also mention the plans, whatever they are, on the invitation.

ETA: And I'd go with Pizza Hut's $5 Pizza Mias. 3 of those babies and you're done.

I never assume there is food other than cake&icecream for the kids when my son attends a party.... unless the invite says so. but saying on there that "Cake will be served" doesn't leave the parents guessing.

[tommie frazier]

at that age, the only food assumed is what you are told about. mention that cake will be served, they can assume the others that aren't mentioned aren't and be fine.

i have no problem with it.

I agree, whatever you decide, let the other parents know. None of those plans would be terribly inconvenient, so long as I knew what to expect.

[JohnLocke]

And I thought my life was the only one full of such trivial decisions.

[Ron Weasley]

Originally Posted by Flora

I am trying to finalize plans for my 8 year old's party...


if you were taking your kid to a party from 4-6 and they did NOT eat a meal (only cake) would you be surprised? annoyed?

How about if it was 4-5:30?

I am having someone do M's party - it is a spy theme and the kids will go through "training" to get their badges

The biggest package includes a 2 hour party (cake included), but we would feel like we need to feed the kids, and thus some of the planner's time would just be watching the kids eat, and we would have the extra expense of pizza

Or, we can save $85, go with the 1 1/2 hour party (cake not included), and feed the kids pizza and cake at the end while she is cleaning up (seems a little odd, though, and I think that means they would have to get out of their spy gear before she leaves, and usually they would "earn" their badges at the end, but this means she would have to give them out earlier, or we would give them out...)

Or I can save the $85 and NOT feed them pizza...


---$85 may not sound like a lot, but in terms of a kids party, to me, it is. Add the cost of pizza for 10 kids on top....

I suppose that mine is the dissenting voice. You really wouldn't want to deal with my 8 year old when he misses a meal. I would expect food to be served at a party during these time frames, but would check beforehand to make sure. If the party was an important friend, I would let him go and be prepared for trouble when he came home. Otherwise, I would make a polite excuse.

We've done both extravagant and modest parties for our two boys. Our philosophy is basically to make sure the birthday boy feels special and his friends have fun. "Getting the most" out of any rented resource or hired help is less important than showing everyone a good time. This outlook would help us not worry about a party planner watching children eat rather than other activities as long as everyone was having a good time.

just my $.02

RW

[Patience]

I agree with the 1 1/2 idea

1) I don't remember ever giving or going to a kids party when there wasn't a meal involved
2) If you are giving them cake at 6:00 or 5:30 or even 5:00, that will end up ruining there dinner for the night or leave them hungry at 8:00 pm
3) I have no idea what the party planner is needed for - how many kids are we talking here? and where is the party. Ditch the party planner and feed the children

[proof by exhaustion]

Im generally opposed to having such structured activity at a party. Kids are kids. Give them an empty cardboard box and some shredded newspaper and they will have the time of their life. Then you can afford to give them pizza, cake, and maybe even some pretty awesome gift bags full of useless plastic trinkets.

[goarmy]

if it ends at six, no meal needed - but I would probably still mention the lack of meal on the invites