Parents say "enough" as child parties go wild

Reuters ^ | January 17, 2007 | Belinda Goldsmith

[Ptarmigan]

NEW YORK, Jan 16 (Reuters Life!) - Heard the one about a group of seven-year-olds picked up in stretch limousines to transport them to a friend's birthday party?

Or New York's designer candy store, Dylan's Candy Bar, that charges $1,200 for a 90-minute party for 20 preschoolers?

Or the sleepover party at New York's upmarket FAO Schwarz toy store on ritzy Fifth Avenue where a store spokeswoman said prices start from $25,000?

[Fierce Allegiance]

Some people are either too cranky or just too dumb to get it. Sorry you caught crap from FR's Cranky Granny Squad.

[martin_fierro]

I assume that the poor kids have to settle for sleepovers at Toys R' Us.

We po' fo'k slept over at the KB Toys store.

After they went bankrupt.

[Moonman62]

I have a friend who peaked in high school, star athlete, won several achievement awards, got several scholarships to go to prestigious schools... Unfortunately, those were his glory days and he has spent the rest of his life remembering them, but never living up to them nor matching them.

Did he marry a redhead and sell shoes?

[pandoraou812]

Thats what my family did too. Once in awhile if the birthday fell on a Saturday or Sunday we would get to go to a movie. Now I get to go out to dinner and thats just fine.

[Sender]

Absolutely, we must end the inequalities of income once and for all. No child left at FAO Schwartz. The children who can't afford this will be traumatized and develop low self esteem. Democrats will deal with income inequality in their first 100 hours.

We'll take that exorbitant party money and harvest it for use in research against global warming and harmful sonar. We'll use it to teach kids not to eat meat or trust religion. We'll end military spending and fully fund the arts and entitlements for our millions of new citizens. My comrades, the North American village is within our grasp! We need little but a Democratic President to arm the detonator!

[martin_fierro]

I may do the local cruise line around the islands in my town.

Make HER row.

[Fierce Allegiance]

Man, you must be from the rich section of town. We went to the toy department at Zayres. At least mom got us a greasy cold bag of popcorn (to share). They had this cool water bubbler too, that if you sucked hard enough would actually let water flow through the gum stuck in it.

[sockmonkey]

I see nothing wrong with it. I just can't wait to see what happens when these little spoiled brats get to the real world.

There are specialty party places that are big business for themed kid's parties. I personally think they are great for parents who decide to go that route. They provide the premises, costumes, food, entertain them for two hours, and clean up the mess.

I would love to be seven years old, and be invited to a place with a big old pirate ship, where I could dress up like Jack Sparrow, wield a sword, or slap on an eyepatch, rifle through chests of jewels..climb the crows nest, make folks walk the plank, then get to pig out on cake and ice cream afterwards.

[Fierce Allegiance]

It's a kids birthday party, man! Besides, been there, done that! That's first date stuff. If I do decide to get a new wife, i want a strong woman, a Latvian or Kazak type wife! I'm old enough where making sure the chores are doe are more important than the peripheral stuff.

[cubreporter]

Games, cake, ice cream, goodies in paper cupcake liners, open presents and home.

[cricket]

I detect a bit of class envy here. Talk about stereotypes.

No. . .really think this is more about 'class pity'. . .

[Tanniker Smith]

Okay, I thought $200 for 90 minutes at the bowling alley was a little much.

[DuncanWaring]

Probably.

[Rte66]

You reminded me of some of my birthday parties that I actually liked. We didn't have many.

I remember my 4th, out in the front yard. I got a spanking because I took some of my birthday cake and ice cream out to the curb to a little ragamuffin child who just wandered by. My mom didn't like that - the kid even got into some of the photos.

Going to the movies, though, was fun. Anything in Todd-AO - lots of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Oklahoma!, The King and I, South Pacific, West Side Story, The Sound of Music, and so on - except I wasn't allowed to see Carousel. It always had to be at one of the downtown theaters when they were still very grand - or at the *only* downtown theater when we lived in a small town.

Saturday matinees, about 10 little girls. Lunch first, sometimes at a very nice tea room, or ice cream and cake afterwards at an ice cream parlor. The last one I recall was Flower Drum Song - we were getting older and the "mean girls" from jr high who were among my friends acted lousy, so I didn't want to do the movie birthday thing anymore. Can't recall any family BDs after that, either.

I always make a big to-do over other people's birthdays, because that's your *one* day that is really your holiday. My own BDs as an adult have often been fun, too - just not lately.

[lesser_satan]

It's not just this up-and-coming generation I worry about. How many Boomers and X-er's have huge mortgages, jobs that barely pay the bills, and zilch in the bank?

I'm sure after Hillary is made Queen-for-Life she'll nationalize all our 401K's and IRA's to subsidize all the dumb-f$%ks who were too stupid/ lazy/ stoned to worry about retirement.

[Clemenza]

Of course the REALLY poor kids do their parties at the Dollar Store.

I hear the Mexicans and East Indian kids prefer their sleepovers at Wal Mart, as do their parents. :-)

[Clemenza]

Welcome to New York! Now you know why I have to import a wife.

[LurkedLongEnough]

It's easy to criticize these parents ... but, sadly, I bet they would give it all away for just one more dinner at Windows on the World.

[pandoraou812]

That was so nice of you to give the little child some cake and ice cream.....I remember the grand old movie theaters with the velvet curtains and there was balcony. Everything seemed so grand to me then as a child but now that I look back it was probably starting to decay. I don't like movie theaters anymore. It just isn't the same...... I remember going to another bigger town to see My Fair Lady and going to a tea room for lunch with an elderly Aunt. We had a great time......My favorite birthday was the one when I was about 6 yrs old. My sister had measles and I had to go stay with my favorite Aunt so I wouldn't get them too. She had ice cream in all kinds of flower shapes and tons of little presents with beautiful wrapping paper. Everyone made me feel so special and it is one of my favorite memories in my childhood.

[Hildy]

.really think this is more about 'class pity'. . .

If you say so. :)