Just typical

[sherrardk]

Boy #2 is having a soft play party next weekend and every child he invited has said they are coming (plus his sibling) - I was expecting (hoping) for at least 5 non responses or unable to attends. On the up side, himself has said he will pay

[sherrardk]

And while I am at it, where's my avatar gone?

[Euphemia]

The more the merrier!

[sherrardk]

Hi euphemia - not at £11.50 a pop it's not (party bags and cake not included although you do get a complimentary bag to take the presents homes in (bin bag)).

[Euphemia]

Oh, that makes it an expensive enterprise.

[Buenchico]

Hi Sherrardk.

Missing avatars usually reappear on the hour (when AB refreshes the data from Gravatar).

Why's the part NEXT weekend? I hope that you've had some lovely celebrations (and lots of lovely presents for the birthday boy) today as well!

[sherrardk]

He's getting too old for a bouncy castle and food provided by me at the village hall (then they are allowed to invite the whole class and various others). I was hassled when filling the form in and went for a standard party as I thought it included party bags (but it doesn't) although they get a tablecloth to scribble on, face painting or a tattoo and they get to meet one of the (unknown) characters.

[Buenchico]

Too old for a bouncy castle? I know some ADULTS who hire a bouncy castle one or twice per year just for the grown-ups to play on! (We've got very little in the way of entertainment here in Suffolk!)

[sherrardk]

Hi Buenchico - having a birthday so close to Christmas is tricky. If the invites go home before Christmas they tend to get over looked with all the cards and tat that they bring home. They only went back to school on 4 January and the party people need numbers one week before the party so that was impractical. The boy has had a fab day, himself managed to track down three different Lego Batman sets for the boy (plus some sea monsters (?) - similar to sea monkeys and an electronics set thing), even went out for tea and came home for cake.

[boxtops]

Chris, my niece had a bouncy castle for her 21st - she was mortified that it was her parents who spent most of the time on it... never too old, etc.!

[erin-x]

I love bouncy castles! My friend had one for her 16th birthday.. so much fun! haha :)

[Buenchico]

That sounds a lovely day, Sherrardk. Oh, to be 8 years old again!

[sherrardk]

Boy + new Lego = unadulterated happiness.

[ChuckFickens]

Bouncy castles are ace at any age!!

(although I'd suggest not adding too much alcohol and soapy water into the mix.... it tends to end up with broken noses.... I know this!)

[sherrardk]

I love bouncy castles but the boys in his class (him included) tend to get a bit bored and then they get silly and I end up shouting at them with my teacher voice (which surprises both me and any other mums who have stayed). Thirty + excited 7/8 year olds + two 3 year olds for two hours - feel tense just thinking about it.

[boxtops]

I think I agree with you, sherrard - stick with the Lego :-)

[sherrardk]

Hi box - the soft play parties are brill. Show up, hand over a wallet full of money plus cake and party bags, endure two hours of chaos (where thing 1 and thing 2 constantly run in different directions). Pick up bin bag of presents and go home.

[stokemaveric]

whatever happened to a birthday party at the hosts house?? you know where the kids used to come along to the kids house birthday whose it was and brought pressies along??? oh how things have changed!!!!!

[boxtops]

We've got one of those thingy play centres near us here, they look good fun.

[mojay]

oh wow - £11.50 a pop makes musical chairs and newspaper pass the parcel packages seem a life time ago - which indeed it was

[sherrardk]

Stoke, if I had a bigger house I would (I have had parties at different houses before) but when you considere I've got five kids of my own, the boy wouldn't be able to invite many friends to his party.