Today we went to a fourth birthday party of a kid at JJ’s childcare who I have never met. I find JJ is getting invited to more parties and I dread to think what school will be like.
There’s no way I’ll be hosting a huge party every year. For a start JJ’s birthday is in the middle of winter and it’s hard to have a party here for lots of kids if I’m unsure of the weather. I also don’t want to fork out loads of money for an indoor playground type party and I’m ideologically opposed to fast food chain parties. Therefore I’m not left with much choice.
That aside, at the party today there were some childcare kids and some others. A couple of the childcare kids parents left their kids there and skipped off for the couple of hours the party was on. I haven’t yet considered doing the same for JJ and I wouldn’t want to be lumbered with an unattended four year old at JJ’s party, especially when it’s only me running the show.
But obviously it’s okay, or the parents hosting the party don’t want to say, well actually, no, it’s not okay for you not to be here when your child is here. Or maybe it’s just how I feel.
I know there will be a stage when I can take JJ to a party and he will be practically pushing me out the door to leave, or it will be expected that I’ll do the drop off and pick up. But I wouldn’t have thought for a four year old that would be the case.
I usually stay at the parties that the kidlet goes to unless the invitation specifically states that it’s OK to drop them off. And, I’m inevitably stuck taking care of someone else’s kid who just got dropped off.