An angry mum caused a social media row after complaining her son left a birthday party without a party bag. The anonymous parent asked other parents on Mumsnet if she was being unreasonable about the snub.
She went on to explain that her son had also not been given a birthday present from the children concerned when it was his special day. The post caused a split among fellow Mumsnet users with most of them saying that the party bag seemed the most concerning point, rather than the child not receiving a present, reports EdinburghLive.
The aggrieved parent wrote: "A kid came to half of DS’s [Dear Son] party - he couldn’t make the activity so came for the pizza at a pizza restaurant - I obviously paid for all the pizzas. This kid brought no present, just a “card” on a piece of paper he’d drawn on.
"He got a party bag at DS’s party. I felt like it was a little rude to come to a party with no present - but whatever, kids have enough cr** so they don’t need more - but this was a party where only five children were invited so it stuck out. I wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.
"This morning, DS went to that kid’s party, which was an activity, no food. About eight kids. At the end, there were “no party bags left” when it came to DS (he’s quite shy and not terribly pushy so would have waited until the end). DS obviously gave a present.
She added: "Anyway happy to be told that I’m being petty and annoying. I haven’t said anything to anyone and won’t but inside am thinking it’s rude. (DS isn’t especially bothered anymore but was sad at the time to be the only kid with no party bag.)"
One user commented: "Does sound a bit off. I always made up enough bags and then a couple of spares in case errant siblings turned up." But others called her "petty."
The mum responded: "Agree with the other poster who calls me petty - I kind of know it and am only inwardly mildly seething - but I take extra bags as I’d hate for a kid to be left out if I was the host so I kind of expect other parents to do the same!"
Another mum replied: "Not the kid’s fault but that’s really awful. Isn’t standard party bag planning “prepare more bags than invitees, just in case? Sounds like they over invited and assumed there’d be some drop-outs."
A further parent added: "I do think it's sad to leave one child without a party bag, when all the other children had one. I would have probably pulled some bits out of the other bags and improvised if I was the parents and had miscounted, rather than leave one child without anything.
"The not bringing a present to your child's party wouldn't upset me though. You shouldn't expect gifts."
Another one echoed that people shouldn't expect gifts but could understand why the original poster was upset. They said: "I'm very much in the camp of don't expect x y and z and everyone does things differently. But to be part of a party where everyone got a party bag except you is a horrid feeling."
One sympathised with the mum and said: "I'm not surprised your DS was upset and of course you're upset for him."
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