If you want to bring siblings to my child's party, BYO food for them

"Could I ask if it would be ok to bring along an extra snack or drink (such as chips, fruit, or carton of juice) to help us accommodate the increase in numbers?"

Kids' birthday parties can be expensive and with the cost-of-living crisis, every dollar matters. Especially when you are having the birthday party at a venue and they charge per child.

 

Which is why a mum has raised the issue of bringing siblings to her child's party. Her response was inspiring, but had a lot of other mums seeing red - maybe because they wished they'd thought of it too.

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"Just bring a snack"

The mum was mid-party-planning and became tired of being bombarded by parents wanting to bring more than one of their children to her son's 5th birthday party.

"About seven different parents have asked to bring two-year-old siblings along as well," she writes to reddit. 

"To accommodate them, we will need to pay more to increase numbers at the venue. Part of me wants to help the parents out by saying yes - but the result will be more children eating the party food and drinks on top of paying an extra $95 to accommodate the additional staff person required."

With the additional requirements for siblings she pondered if she said yes, could she get away with asking those parents to bring snacks? 

"Could I say, yes, and would it be ok to bring along an extra snack or drink (such as a bag of chips, or fruit, or veggies, or carton of juice, etc, something simple) to help us accommodate the increase in numbers?"

An extra snack doesn't seem too unreasonable, the mother could have said a flat no! This way the cost of extra mouths to feed is alleviated and no one can complain they needed to get a sitter for the sibling! 

Comments were divided

"I would go with no second kids. The problem is that these are the parents who asked about bringing another kid. If word gets out you will have to allow everyone to bring a sibling," one wrote in support of no siblings. 

Another who had the same experience added, "I just had to do this for my daughter's birthday. I worded it politely and everyone obliged. It sucks, but when you are renting a place, it gets expensive. Hell, it's expensive just to host the kids you ARE accounting for. Parents should understand, and obviously, when the tables are flipped, you do them the same courtesy.

"Honestly, unless the party is at someone's house, I kind of think it's rude to even ask."

"Ask them to pay for the sibling. That’s how every invite we have gotten is written. At the yes or no or rsvp at this number it always has (siblings welcome but parent needs to pay $xx) since you have already sent it out let the parent know that it will cost extra for them and you can only accommodate for the children invited but if they want to pay this amount you’ll be happy to allow them," was a possible solution from another mum. 

A mother wants parents to bring snacks if they bring more than one child. Source: iStock

RELATED: I turned away a child from my kid's party

Be like Oprah, everyone gets an invite! 

"This may not be popular, given the several recent posts I have seen with nobody showing up, if saying no or asking them to bring extra snacks, means the invited child may not show up, I would just say yes. Buy one extra box of snack pack from a warehouse store. Ask them to stay to look after their 2-year-old because you and the staff cannot do it. Maybe make new friends that way," one wrote in support of siblings. 

"I’ve seen lots of siblings turn up at parties but at public venues like soft play/trampoline places they are never considered part of the official party list and their parents always pay for their additional child’s entry and add on a meal/bring their own snacks if required," said another. 

How did the party turn out?

The woman caved, and opened invites to siblings; but what about the snacks? 

"In the end, I called the venue and asked to increase the party size so we can now host up to 30 children. I then let the seven parents know they are welcome to bring siblings. I told my spouse that I wasn’t comfortable asking people to bring snacks. And he got it. I’ll just get an extra “side cake” and some extra fruit / pretzels etc," the mum concludes. 

Originally published as If you want to bring siblings to my child's party, BYO food for them