Couple labelled ‘bad parents’ after 1yo’s lavish $8k McDonald’s party

A Melbourne mum has defended her decision to throw a lavish $8k McDonald’s themed party for her daughter’s first birthday.

These Melbourne parents have been labelled “bad parents” after throwing a lavish $8k McDonald’s party for their one-year-old.

Mum Maggie wanted to give her daughter a special retro McDonald’s party, reminiscent of the 80s and 90s birthday bashes so many Aussie kids experienced, but which are now sadly a thing of the past.

The couple decked out their backyard with hamburgers, fries, cake and beers for the adults, complete with an inflatable slide, ball pit, and slushie machine and set up an infant play area so all the kids – and adults – could participate.

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Maggie and Kieran decided to throw the nostalgic party for their daughter's first birthday a few years ago. Picture: Supplied

“All the kids were excited that we had McDonald’s and was a great novelty,” Maggie told Kidspot.

They even purchased an original McDonald’s playground for Murphy after finding it for sale on eBay for $5000, although it wasn’t assembled in time for the party.

“We thought we’d go with the Macca’s themed party because we had just brought the old Mcdonald’s playground for Murphy’s first birthday present and remembered how much fun we used to have at Macca’s parties when we were kids,” she explains.

“We couldn’t believe our luck in finding the playground so cheap.”

While their efforts were praised by most online — “Omg younger me would have loved this,” one person commented — the Melbourne couple received some heat for their decision.

Some questioned why they would go to that much effort for a first birthday, while others outright accused Maggie of being a “bad parent”.

“She is just one and she not [going to] remember that party,” one person said.

“By all means do what you want, but I think a huge party like this is more appropriate for [five-year-olds] since a one-year-old can’t fully enjoy it as much,” another said.

“You prob [sic] wasted so much food you could [have given] it to poor people or homeless people,” one viewer wrote.

“Wow, what a bad parent already,” someone else commented.

Kieran and Maggie with their daughter Murphy at her birthday. Picture: Supplied

Maggie hit back at her critics, sharing more footage from the party she threw for her daughter, who is now five.

“[A bad parent] because we got Mcdonald’s for a party? Go to any play centre party for kids and they serve nuggets and chips. It’s a party!”

In response to someone saying it was a waste because her daughter wouldn’t even remember it, Maggie said that she didn’t remember any parties her parents threw her, but the kids enjoyed the set-up.

“It’s not a waste if they are having fun,” she wrote.

“Kids all had fun on the day and that’s all that matters.”

Maggie told Kidspot she tries not to respond to negative comments online, but feels as though people are too quick to label someone a “bad parent” or criticise parents for “the smallest thing”.

Three years on and the colourful playground still sits proudly in their backyard, alongside a Simpsons statue and inflatable water obstacle course. There are also lounges, bar seats and day beds for the parents to enjoy while the kids play.

There were mounds of hamburgers and fries at the party. Picture: Supplied

The Macca’s playground now sits proudly in the yard of their Bacchus Marsh home. Picture: Supplied

Maggie says their house is always frequented by friends and family, and she and her husband Kieran jump at any excuse for a catch-up.

“We enjoy being around people and getting the kids to socialise after being in lockdown for so long,” Maggie says of four-year-old Murphy and two-year-old Billie.

Having recently hosted a dress-up Halloween party, Maggie hasn’t ruled out throwing another Macca’s-themed bash for her kids.

“Might get some food warmers though this time,” she laughs.

In another video, Maggie showed how they clean the large playground with a disinfectant spray gun attached to a hose. Their little girl even picks up a sponge to help them join in on the cleaning.

“Clean as a whistle,” she said in response to someone concerned with how dirty it must be.

This article was originally published to Kidspotand has been reproduced here with permission