I told a mum it wasn't a drop-off party - she left her kid anyway

"She retorted: 'If you can't handle the supervision, don't invite anyone'." Would you leave your kid at this sort of party? 

Parents love the idea of a couple of hours of child-free time when their kid has a party; once they reach the "drop-off party" age, of course. 

However, at a recent party, some parents were angry they were told to stay put for a 10-year-old's birthday party.

The party-organiser mum chose to share her story, including an awkward interchange with a fellow parent. It made her wonder what age was the "right age" for a drop-off party.

"Just had my kiddo's bday party at a public pool. It's a decent-sized place with a lazy river, slides, and splash stuff; it's a fun spot.

"All the kids invited just finished Years 3 and 4, and I know most of the kids and parents pretty well. 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." 

Despite the clear directive, the guest's mum was still ready to walk away. 

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Mother wanted parents to stay at her 10YO's party. Source: supplied

"I would have put "drop-off" on the invite"

"She just kinda stared at me, and I apologised again, saying 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.

"She didn't come back, so she sent a text just before the party ended saying she was busy. She told me to leave her kids at the pool or have them sit by the parking lot. Someone came to get them 30 minutes later." 

It didn't end there; other parents were ready to drop and run - until the organiser stepped in. 

"Another parent, who had never met them or their kid before today, didn't introduce themselves; they just said, 'Here to drop off. ' They stayed, but it was pretty clear they were unhappy about it," she continues. 

She ended her post wondering if she was in the wrong, "For planning to give the office at the public pool this parent's number and tell them the kids are alone? For not wanting to take responsibility for these kids at a public pool and telling that to these parents?"

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"Kids get roughhousing way too easily"

Parents were divided in the comments. Many parents would have stayed, given that it was at a water park. Others think that at ten years old, they are fine on their own. 

One mother defended the OP, "I don’t think I’d just leave my kids at that age for a drop-off pool/ water park party. It sounds like there is way too much going on. Hell, even at 13/15, I’m not sure I’d leave my 13-year-old for a swim party without asking. Kids get roughhousing too easily, and the party parents may want help."

“I just hosted a birthday party for my 10-year-old. It was 15 boys, all Years 4 and 5. None of the parents stayed, even the ones I’m friends with,” one mother wrote.

Another wrote, “At that age, you 100% need to specify if you'd like parents to stay.”

One user agreed, “I would say you should explicitly state on the invite if you have 100% expectations of drop-off or parental supervision for an event you are hosting. If you expect something, make it clear for any kid party.”

"I would absolutely not stay and think it's super weird"

"I'm way too socially awkward to have any interest in hanging out with a bunch of parents I don’t know," one parent admitted. 

This mother firmly agreed: "As a mother of an 11-year-old, I would absolutely not stay and think it's super weird. TBH, I'd have declined the invitation if I was told a parent needed to stay. They're 10, sheesh. If you can't handle watching them, don't invite them."

"It's a water park! Two parents can’t be everywhere at once watching 15 kids. Prioritising kid safety over parenting feelings doesn’t make them an AH," a mother clapped back. 

“If you didn’t want to be responsible for kids at a pool, then you shouldn’t have invited them to a pool. At that age, my kids and their friends went off alone at the water park. Asking a parent to stay at a party outside in the summer heat is a lot,” another wrote.

After reading the comments, the mother jumped back into the chat: "Thank you for the feedback, everyone! Birthdays we've hosted/attended over the years have always been with the parents around. Honestly, the drop-off wasn't on my radar until today. I was caught off guard and apparently kind of TA."

Originally published as I told a mum it wasn't a drop-off party - she left her kid anyway