Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Birthday Party Etiquette



So Sunday we had my daughters birthday party she invited about 10 kids of her choosing. Most of the children I knew in one way or another, so I didn't anticipate any surprises. Boy was I wrong!

The party started at 1pm and the ids started to arrive about 5 minutes of 1. The first child to arrive was a child whose parents I had met once before at their daughters birthday party. They said their hellos and stood around a bit till some other children showed up. The mother then came to me and said what time should I pick up Amy** (**not her real name) oh 3:30 should be good I said. All the while thinking she was going to pick up her husband and her daughter. Oh no! She and her husband left! Now I am not sure about all you moms out there but I am not sure that a pool party is the best party to leave your child unattended at, maybe it's just me.

So the kids proceed to the locker room where young Amy announces she doesn't have a towel (only a cover up) and doesn't know how to swim. Ok now the thoughts in my mind are racing. These parents left their child with me whom they have only met once in passing AND their child doesn't swim??? WTF

Other parents were appalled and I must say I was too. Thankfully the pool we chose had a decent shallow end where the kids played with the dumping buckets and water geysers. But if these kids which most all knew how to swim were to have moved to deeper water that could have spelled trouble. Mind you this is a public pool with lifeguards and many many other kids.

The parents came at 3:30 to pick up their child, the child took off from the party room were in once she saw her parents and my husband rushed after her to make sure she was Ok and that her parents were truly there. He said he casually said that he was unaware that Amy couldn't swim and that they were leaving her unattended at the party. He said they both gave him this blank stare as if to say of course we would leave her.

Needless to say I have made a mental note and I will not allow Lauren to ever be unattended with them. What are your thoughts were the parents out of line or am I totally over reacting?

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