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@regberadaisy: I feel you! 6 of J's friend's (and cousins) have birthday's all leading up to his birthday. It's like a parade of parties and he's like, "when is it my turn?"
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@rachiecakes: fun! How did that work in terms of kids mingling/having fun together though? Since you can only have so many per lane? Did your alley have a private space? Fun idea though - my daughter loves bowling too!
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@regberadaisy: It was great! we reserved two lanes, 10 kids per lane, with the option to add an additional lane if we had more that RSVP'd last minute.
They set up a banquet/birthday table and chairs behind our lanes for the cake and pizza (they have a restaurant upstairs). -
I would not be offended. If I want DH to go, I would privately ask if it's ok that he gets his own ticket and tag along. If you say no, then I'll either take DD or we just don't go the party!
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@rachiecakes: oh my, extended family! Yeah I think I'm going to book an art place for DD's 6th bday and it's very small so I'm going to write "drop off's only" on the invite. Sorry to any party loving parents. And I think people should be cool with a drop off party by age 6 or else they can just choose not to come!
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Yeah it would be weird. We usually go to kids parties together with DS because it's our family time. And most parties we are friends with the couple. Idk if it would be different once we start going to a ton of day care parties... We've only been to a few so far.
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@Andrea: will you be inviting her whole class?
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@Andrea: 6 seems fine for a drop off party. Heck sleepover parties started at 7/8 in my circle. You have to cut the strings sometimes.
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@regberadaisy: No, I'll let her pick a few of her closest friends from school and then I'd like the rest to be our closest non-school friends plus her cousins.
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@Andrea: I like that! I'm trying to figure this part out. I can count 7 kids in her room that she talks about all the time.
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@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: girl, when is baby coming? I can't wait to follow along as your mind and brain change post baby.
Or maybe it won't!
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@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I think it's not so much about the parents cutting the string, as it's difficult for the hosts to manage a horde of children that aren't their own.
@regberadaisy: So I'd probably think it was a little weird. Depending on my situation I might be just fine with it, I might be annoyed. If LO2 was here, we might decide for just one parent to go. But most of the time we do everything together, so I'd be put off at only one adult being allowed to go.
My advice would be to invite a small amount of friends and both parents for the "A" list, and then if you get RSVP's for people who can't come, you can add some B list people.
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@regberadaisy: That totally makes sense. I'm sure she'll be thrilled to have a party with her friends wherever you end up throwing it.
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I think it would be based on circumstances. The National Zoo is about 40 minutes from our house and it would be odd if I couldn't bring DH. However, if it was some place local and during the week when DH couldn't go anyway, I wouldn't care.
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@ShootingStar: I might do that just because of max capacity issues right now.
Thanks!
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meh, i wouldn't be terribly annoyed because i'd understand it was for cost reasons, but it would probably go over nicer just to have a smaller guest list and not restrict the parents.
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I'd only be annoyed if I didn't like the person hosting already. If it was someone I was friendly with and they explained the reason behind it, I'd be totally cool. I say do what you want for your LO and if it offends a parent or two, oh well!
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Yes, I would be annoyed unless it was one of my friends who explained it. So if it were me, I'd just shorten the guest list or have the party at a different venue.
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@regberadaisy: 4 more months and then I join the mommy ranks
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I would not be annoyed if I was aware of the 50 person cap but I'm not sure there's an eloquent way to word that on an invitation? Maybe something like, "due to strict space constraints at the Zoo's party room, we ask that only one parent accompany your child."
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I wouldn't care. I'm usually alone or I have DH watch the other two at home while I take one to a party anyway.
DS went to a birthday the other day where we had to pay to get in which kind of annoyed me because we already spent $30 on a gift. But I think that's different.
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I wouldn't be annoyed. I was really surprised when I was planning our 3rd bday party and everyone who RSVPed was +3 (parents plus sibling). It made our guest list more than double and I had to find a last minute venue :T
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Are you worried more about the cost or the max capacity? If it's the cost, could you just say something like "kid + one adult free zoo entry, additional non zoo members $8"? I'm not sure what the etiquette is on stuff like that but at least they'd know if there was more than one adult in their party they'd have to pay.
If it's a capacity issue as well, I'd go with the suggestion of having "A list invitees" and once you know how many out of them to expect, send out the "B list."
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I wouldn't be annoyed AT ALL in my circle only 1 parent ever comes along to the birthday parties unless it is family or a SUPER close friend! I am surprised so many parents both go to the parties on here!
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@jmarionsmith: now that I remember there's a max capacity, I think we can swing that. So max capacity is my concern now. In which case I personally feel it's more important that dd has more of her friends there than letting her friends bring both parents.
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I think I'd be rather put off just bc the "norm" in our social circle is that a kid's party invite is really like inviting the whole fam. I always have to budget based on kids bringing both parents, siblings, etc (even if I don't necessarily want to :P). I'd pick another venue or eat the cost, if I were you~
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@regberadaisy: I agree. If it's a capacity thing, I really don't see an issue with requesting only one parent but that's just me. And personally, I know my socially anxious husband would loooooove to get an invitation like that.
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It sounds like you've made a decision, and I'm sure it will be a blast. You mentioned your daughter would prefer if she was surrounded by all her friends, on her special day. Something to consider is whether you think most of the parents will be on board with the limitations. I think a family who gets limited time together would be more likely to decline an invite that excluded one of the parents.
I think it just really depends. Personally, I wouldn't mind paying for adult zoo admission, at all. $8 is really reasonable and I hardly think it's rude to only cover the cost of the child invited.
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Oh I forgot this is a party for adults... Oh wait, it's a kids party. If you insist on bringing 2 adults, surely you can pay for one. Crazy how so many people are annoyed at the thought of this haha. The same people who say that parties shouldn't be to show off to your friends...
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@pinkcupcake: and siblings??? I can't imagine!
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@MsMini: I'm with you. I went to a party recently and it was all couple and their kids and I was odd mom out. No one talked to me because they were all with their SOs, it was awkward.
Everyone around here brings their SOs to kids parties.. it's totally strange to me.I'm the last mom at pick-up at DS's school, so I never see any parents. I have yet to really get to know anyone because any party we go to everyone is all coupled off..
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Wouldn't mind at all. Next month LO is invited to a Disney on Ice party and only one parent is invited to keep costs down. I think it's a fun opportunity for her and her dad, so no big d.
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This wouldn't be a big deal to me at all. we routinely split up to attend parties. If we wanted to bring the rest of the family we would gladly pay our way. Everyone knows zoo parties are pricey..
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I also don't think this is a big deal at all-we've had this issue with some friends, and have always offered to have DH stay home and me bring LO to the party if they needed to cut down on attending adults.
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My husband would LOVE this. I don't think I would feel comfortable doing this myself, but would be absolutely fine if I was the recipient.
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Even if one spouse was planning to stay home with the other kid(s), I would be annoyed if I saw that on an invite.
Our preschool friends birthday parties, all the couples like to attend because they like to socialize with the other parents.
My parties are always worded so that the whole family, spouses, siblings, live in grandparents are welcome.
If you can't afford it, don't do it.
Also, it's common sense. If the party is at the zoo or any other place that requires an entrance fee, I would pay for myself/spouse and children unless the host specifically states that children entrance fees have been taken care of.
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I guess I'm in the minority, but other than family/best friend parties, it wouldn't even occur to us to have my husband come to a kid's birthday party with us. I understand people bristling at the idea of stipulations written out on a bday party invite but I think in this situation maybe you could add a separate note or email and say invite includes one child and one parent, you're welcome to bring others at $x per person. It's kind of complicated but if your kid wants a zoo party i'd do it.
ETA Another idea if lo is into animals is a party at a farm. We have a few by us that put on really great parties and it's very reasonable. I doubt they'd charge for adults.
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@chopstixwife: I would never think to have a party at a place that requires entry fee and expect guests to pay?
@JerricaBenton: thank you! That's the only point that has me scratching my head. A lot of people are offended at the thought of both parents not being invited. So it's automatically don't do it, without concern to the fact that this is the party "my child" would want. It's a kids birthday party! She's the birthday child!
ETA: cute idea! The only place I know that does farm parties is a bit of a hike for us and possibly longer for guests.
But anyway, I did want opinions. Now that I know
and because there's a capacity limit I'll prob do a A list then B list. 
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Wouldn't mind because I take them by myself the majority of the time!
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I wouldn't be annoyed at ALL- because I totally understand where you're coming from. I also would be fine if the second parent was invited but had to pay.
I can't believe your zoo is only $8!! Even the small one around here is like $15-20!
Or maybe it won't!
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