topic Re: Birthday Bill - Unbelievable! in Community Chat

Birthday Bill - Unbelievable!

JustJules — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:04:26 GMT

What is the world coming to? In Plymouth, England a 5 year old boy was given an "Invoice" for the US equivalent of $24 by his friend's parents for missing the Birthday party. The boy was supposed to attend the party but his parents realized at the last minute that they already had plans scheduled to visit his grandparents. They asked him what he would prefer and he chose to spend time with his grandparents. No big deal. A few weeks later he came home from school with the Invoice in his backpack. The charges read "1 Child's party no show fee". The boy's father thought it was a joke at first so he visited the friend's mother and told her he had no intention of paying the bill. Things got unpleasant and now the woman is threatening to take the matter to civil claims court.

Who ever heard of such a thing? The nerve of the mother. When I grew up and attended friend's Birthday parties, all that was expected was a gift. There was no expectation of being charged for any costs, that is the responsibility of the parents hosting the party. What's next? Does this woman pass out bills after her dinner parties? I'm sure the case will be thrown out, but what a waste of court time all over $24. How unfortunate for the little boy, it has probably ruined their friendship. The whole thing is RIDICULOUS to me! What would you do? Would you pay the Birthday "Invoice" or think the mom is out of line?

Re: Birthday Bill - Unbelievable!

bikerbabe — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:06:01 GMT

Idiots.

Re: Birthday Bill - Unbelievable!

croemer — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:07:22 GMT

What happened to taking what was left over home...versus this stupidity?

Re: Birthday Bill - Unbelievable!

VanSleepy — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:13:19 GMT

Yes, it's crazy. I bet some brides would love to send out invoices for no shows. Must have been a nice party at $24/kid. Or am I out of touch lol

Re: Birthday Bill - Unbelievable!

Marienkaefer2 — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:16:06 GMT

I think it's nutty, but then the world is full of nutjobs.

Re: Birthday Bill - Unbelievable!

nunya — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:18:09 GMT

She's crazy.

Re: Birthday Bill - Unbelievable!

sidsmom — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:20:12 GMT

My gut tells me there's a huge 'back story' that's not being told...depending on how the invite was given. RSVP w/ $24..maybe he said yes & that was an unwritten contract that he owes $24. Iknowiknow...spending that amount on a kids birthday party is nuts. Again...a back story.

Re: Birthday Bill - Unbelievable!

WenGirl42 — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:21:02 GMT

Both families are acting like idiots. To be fair, though (not that I think the party giver should have billed the no-show), the mother hosting the party called each attending child's family several days before the event to confirm they were actually coming, before she gave the final count and paid for that number of children. The parents of the invited kid should never have allowed him to miss the party just because he didn't feel like going after that, OR they should have notified the mother he wasn't coming. Yes, I think it's ridiculous to throw such a formal and expensive party for a child's birthday, but the real issue here is how incredibly rude and cavalier people are regarding RSVPs and committing to parties

Re: Birthday Bill - Unbelievable!

CouponQueen — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:21:11 GMT

Its crazy but personally I understand. I have had so many no shows when my kids were little and I had to pay for them. When you give a head count to some of these venues for kids parties you have to pay for the number you say..when somebody doesn't show..you still pay!

Maybe it will teach people to be a bit more responsible on things like this..No I don't expect them to have to pay but I get the reasoning behind it..over the years with two kids..it cost me quite a bit for all the no shows..who did RSVP YES..and we would get various responses when asked in school...oh they didn't feel like it..went to another friends..parents didn't want to drive them and pick them up..etc..just ridiculous.

To me if your child RSVPs and cannot make it..polite thing to do is call....and the father 'forgot..'

Re: Birthday Bill - Unbelievable!

WenGirl42 — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:23:50 GMT

On 1/21/2015 CouponQueen said:
Its crazy but personally I understand. I have had so many no shows when my kids were little and I had to pay for them. When you give a head count to some of these venues for kids parties you have to pay for the number you say..when somebody doesn't show..you still pay!

Maybe it will teach people to be a bit more responsible on things like this..No I don't expect them to have to pay but I get the reasoning behind it..over the years with two kids..it cost me quite a bit for all the no shows..who did RSVP YES..and we would get various responses when asked in school...oh they didn't feel like it..went to another friends..parents didn't want to drive them and pick them up..etc..just ridiculous.

To me if your child RSVPs and cannot make it..polite thing to do is call....and the father 'forgot..'

ITA, but I doubt it will teach people anything since the overwhelming response seems to be in favor of the deadbeat family.

Re: Birthday Bill - Unbelievable!

nunya — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:27:08 GMT

If she is worried over $24 she obviously couldn't afford that party.

Re: Birthday Bill - Unbelievable!

tansy — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:31:38 GMT

The party boy is no longer allowed to play with the no-show child. I think I would have sighed heavily and just paid the $24 probably under the circumstances. Children's parties are getting out of hand.

Re: Birthday Bill - Unbelievable!

SeaGal — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:32:10 GMT

S happens and sometimes we are not able to stick to our plans, this party thrower lady should take that into consideration and if she cant afford to cover any no shows maybe she should whoa back and consider a simpler venue, say perhaps her own backyard...

Re: Birthday Bill - Unbelievable!

SuiGeneris — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:33:00 GMT

My favorite part of the BBC News article is this list of "The unwritten rules of children's parties:"

Birthday boy/girl must be given preference for starting activity. Small guests pushing past should be restrained by attending adults
Party bags or gifts for each attending child - the children will always remember "that party" when they didn't get one
If you don't RSVP don't think you can just turn up. And if you do, don't expect a party bag (see above)
Avoid party talk around the parents of the uninvited
Host child MUST win at least one round of pass the parcel. Sweets within each layer for everyone else
Children must be given 15 minutes at the buffet before adults are allowed to hoover up the cocktail sausages

Re: Birthday Bill - Unbelievable!

Qwackertoo — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:33:03 GMT

I had seen the story in the headlines but didn't really pay attention.

For some reason I thought it was much more involved . . . like a getaway weekend skiing or something and they were no shows for that . . . and a big expense. Maybe the host of the news program I was half watching/listening to brought it up and I thought THAT was what the story was about.

While yes 24.00 is expensive . . . I'm out of touch with the cost of kiddie b-days these days.

We didn't do big birthdays EVERY year for our kids . . . although I think daughter had more than son . . . she was just more social than he was . . . ice skating, traditional Chuckie Cheese, horseback riding and then home party for Sweet 16. Son, one with a Thomas the Tank bounce house.

Re: Birthday Bill - Unbelievable!

croemer — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:34:17 GMT

On 1/21/2015 WenGirl42 said:
Both families are acting like idiots. To be fair, though (not that I think the party giver should have billed the no-show), the mother hosting the party called each attending child's family several days before the event to confirm they were actually coming, before she gave the final count and paid for that number of children. The parents of the invited kid should never have allowed him to miss the party just because he didn't feel like going after that, OR they should have notified the mother he wasn't coming. Yes, I think it's ridiculous to throw such a formal and expensive party for a child's birthday, but the real issue here is how incredibly rude and cavalier people are regarding RSVPs and committing to parties

Hmm...well that was just rude and you make some good points WEN...though for 24.00 I would not have gone as far as billing the child/parents. Now there are some weddings that each plate is 100 or more and... if quite a few do not show up...I can imagine how disappointing and expensive that could be.

Re: Birthday Bill - Unbelievable!

WenGirl42 — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:35:39 GMT

On 1/21/2015 SeaGal said:
S happens and sometimes we are not able to stick to our plans, this party thrower lady should take that into consideration and if she cant afford to cover any no shows maybe she should whoa back and consider a simpler venue, say perhaps her own backyard...

This was not an "S happens" situation, though. If the invitee's mom had any sense or shame she would have painted it that way, not "oh, well, you know...something better came up that day." That is the fundamental problem here.

Re: Birthday Bill - Unbelievable!

Chrystaltree2 — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:37:12 GMT

Oh, let's not blame "the world" for one mother's silliness. I have no doubt that there 's more to this story between the two mothers. I wouldn't have got upset or even taken the "bill" seriously. I'd have threw it in the trash (where it belongs) and gone about my day. And I wouldn't have felt the need to call the tv stations. That's as silly as the "bill".

Re: Birthday Bill - Unbelievable!

brii — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:38:32 GMT

I wouldn't bill anybody that didn't show up, but I understand how frustrating it is when someone doesn't show up and you're still responsible for paying.

Re: Birthday Bill - Unbelievable!

SuiGeneris — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:41:01 GMT

The ""defendant"" is a very cute little boy: