Aussie mum unsure if party drop off act is acceptable

"Do you ever do this?" she asked, not wanting to judge.

The rules seem to always be changing when it comes to children’s parties.

The only thing that seems to stay the same at kids' birthday parties? The fairy bread and party pie menu.

But there’s one grey area every parent eventually finds themselves questioning: At what age is it okay to leave your child at a party on their own? 

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RELATED: I'm asking my kid's teachers to do unpaid party admin

Do you ever just drop and leave them?

One Aussie mum, Montana, posed the question to TikTok in a couple of clips, after taking her child to a six-year-old's birthday party.   

“My husband was like, ‘you’re just dropping her right?’ and I was like ‘No. I’m staying,’” Montana explained. 

“I want to know at what age do you just drop? Do you ever just drop and leave them?” she asked. 

“I don’t know if I would have a party full of five and six-year-old kids, if I would appreciate it if every parent just dropping their kids and then me being responsible for all the kids and parenting all the kids,” she shared.  

Image TikTok/montana.older / iStock

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"Anything can happen!" 

The comments section lit up with opinions. Many wholeheartedly agreed with her stance.

“Absolutely no way, you have no idea what goes on when you leave or who else will be coming and going to the home,” one commenter wrote. 

A third added “My son is six and I am not even close to leaving him at a party.”

“No you stay anything can happen! ANYTHING” another agreed.

A professional echoed these views, writing, "As a social worker, thank you. Never leave children in a busy environment where adults are distracted and anything can happen."

Others felt it was fine to leave kids under the right circumstances.

“I have left my daughter at six, probably not before then. Also depends how many kids they have there. If there are 20 kids I’ll probably stay!” one mother shared. 

“When my daughter had her ninth Birthday at home the parents didn’t stay. Before then I think some did/some didn’t. At six, I would stay,” a second answered.

Most agreed that it depends on the situation: the age of the child, the size of the party, and the quality of supervision.  

"If you can't handle the supervision, don't invite anyone.

Just last year, Kidspot brought you the story of a mum who threw a party for her 10-year-old, but found herself in an awkward situation when one parent wanted to leave her kids at the event.

"One parent brought my kid's 10-year-old buddy and their twin, and when she started to leave, I apologised and told her it wasn't a drop-off party. She just kinda stared at me," the mum explained. 

"I would have put "drop-off" on the invite had I thought to and wasn't comfortable accepting responsibility for her kids at a public pool. There was another uncomfortable silence, and then she said she would get her older kid and be back in an hour and left." 

According to the host mum, several other parents did the same, dropping their children off and leaving them to fend for themselves at the public pool.

The experience left her wondering if she was being unreasonable, or if age 10 is too young to be left alone at a swimming party. 

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Originally published as Aussie mum unsure if party drop off act is acceptable