Lame Birthdat Party?

You have nothing to worry about or apologize for. There are several craft stores in my area (Twin Cities) that host birthday parties. I think it is a way better idea than say Chuck E Cheese.

So a couple parents raised their kids in a barn? Nothing you could have done about that. No matter where you held the party or what activities you planned, ill-mannered children will act out.

Don't invite them to your next sleep-over or outing.

Stop worrying about it. I think it's affecting you more than your daughter.... It's not going to be a blip in her life when she's 25 so why make a big deal of it now? You apologized to your daughter and as long as she seems fine you should let yourself off of the hook. Can't make everything perfect all of the time and at least she got some really cool presents and some memories. Kids that age can be rowdy sometimes, it's normal and now just go back to doing quiet parties at home!

It wasn't a lame party. You are a good mom who tried to have a fun party for your daughter. So it didn't go as smoothly as you imagined. The what if's will make you crazy. I do the same thing. Try to put it behind you and do something smaller next time with fewer kids.
Personally, to make myself and my daughter feel better, I would plan a slumber party sometime in the coming months with a few her friends. I would make it fun but nothing too complicated. Pizza and board games or a movie.

Did the parents just drop everyone off? If so, feel free to correct their children as you are in charge. I know it is embarrassing to be out and have kids start acting up, but everyone could tell they weren't all your kids so you can still shop there.;0)

Next year you could do a slumber party for 3 or 5 of her closest girl friends, though I would not let the obnoxious kids come unless you feel ok about corrrecting them. I have never heard kids complain aboutt a party not being fun so don't be so hard on yourself.

The funnest parties are at gymnastics studios where the teen coaches lead the kids in activities. They do most of the work, allowing you to relax. And kids can have fun, but they have to be safe.

So was this at a craft store? I agree that wasn't the place to do a party, but you shouldn't beat yourself up about any of this. You can't help what kids do at all. She got presents and she got a party. You at least did something for your daughter. My parents would only take me to lunch. Yeah, lame. I would maybe get a gift. And when I did try to have a party at my house, no one would show up. My birthday was in the summer and so no one was around.
Next time, ask what and where she would like to go. Was it your idea to go to the craft store? If you do, do crafts, I would do several inexpensive ones and in a place where they can be girls and run around and play.

It is probably one of those times that you realized, just because it cost more, did not make it better. At least you tried to do something different. Those other girls are the ones that misbehaved.. No excuses for them..

Our daughter always wanted to do her party at our home or at her grandparents lake house.

She said she had fun at parties she attended at "places" but she and her friends all still talk about the fun they had our Home or lake house parties the best..

She could control what activities and change their minds.. etc.. They could be loud or just flop out and watch videos all night..

Just make this a learning lesson..

I don't see where you did a thing wrong. These girls did not know how to behave and that is no reflection on you. Your heart was in the right place and your daughter knows that and that's all that matters. Have a blessed day.

Hey!

I'm sorry that you had a sad experience! Particularly when you are working hard and really want it to be great, you feel like a total failure when it goes off the rails and you really shouldn't.

My kids LOVE project parties. We have a big Christmas cookie making experience every year when the kids can have a friend or two over (so we end up with 5-6 kids all together). Projects were all that my five year old wanted for her birthday last year. We did three separate projects - but we did them at the house. I would recommend doing them at your house or some place where you have a little more control and it doesn't matter if the kids need to blow off steam? What we did was we talked through a few different options and chose to do cookie decorating (I pre-made and cut out the cookies, so they just needed to decorate), sand art (on the porch), and a sticker scene project. We also played a bean bag toss game outside so that the kids could win prizes. My daughter also loves to watch movies, so we made a mini-oceana (like an ocean-themed cave) where they got to eat pizza and watermelon and watched the movie. Many of the kids then when back and did more cookie decorating (I go all out, cover the floor and the table, and just put out a silly number of decorating options, frostings, candies, etc. for them to use). The kids all took their creations home in a bag. Your daughter will probably want some older projects (check out the votive candle "stained glass" project via google - super easy, votives are buy-able at dollar stores, and if you put in a LED light they make little nightlights for kids, she's a great age for that one).

We did end up with a sibling or two that I wanted to list on ebay by the time it was over. However, this was no dissimilar to your problem. When you talk about the projects, make sure that you are inviting guests who your daughter thinks she will like to have and who will like doing the projects. Also, build in a break or two where they can fool around, go outside, whatever, so that they are not "working" the whole time. The multiple projects are great, because the kids can move on to the next project when they are done with the first (which you cannot usually do at a craft store). BTW, this does not have to be expensive. We got pretty much everything from Michaels, online at Oriental Trading Company, and a dollar store.

If you feel like you want to overcome what just happened, how about suggesting a craft day for Valentines day?

Hang in there!

D.

You tried C.. What I would suggest next time is checking out the location you want to have your next party to make sure it is not out in the open and you can have a private party. One place that I just loved going to for parties is a place call Pump It Up. In Athens, it is very clean, no carpet on the floors, private play areas and party room. But get this, they have a party coordinator that entertains the children, cuts the cake, serves the cake, documents what gift the child got AND who gave it to them. They even take the gifts out to your car!!!! Plus they clean up afterwards!!! All you have to do is show up and they do the rest. You can actually ENJOY the party and run around on the boucing toys with the children. Oh they even take a group picture!

I don't am not afflilicated with Pump it up. I just LOVED it. I have gone to parties at Chuck E Cheeses and you never know where the kids for your party are in the place. You don't know who showed up until it is time to cut the cake. Plus it always smells like dirty carpet in there.

The bottom line is to ask if any of these services are a part of the birthday package.

Try not to harp on the fact that you felt as if the party was lame. Your daughter and her friends have more than likely moved on.

If the place where you held the party ask you to fill out a survey about your experience, it is your duty to provide them with honest feed back so they can improve the services for the next little girls who wants to have a craft party.

To echo several other moms... hold your head up.... Don't feel guilty. As a rule we usually only invite 1 or 2 of my kids closest friends to share their special day with them. It presents less of a chance that the one bad apple with spoil the rest of the bunch. :-) - As to how to make it better next time...exclude the troublemakers from the invite list.... :-)