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Just been reading about how extravagant childrens birthday parties have got.

I remember when it was sandwiches, crisps, pop, jelly and blancmange (usually a rabbit blancmange in green grass jelly). This was served in the middle of a party where games such as Tail On The Donkey, Musical Chairs, Pass the Parcel and Postman's Knock were played. all organised by the parents. At the end all the children went home, collected by their parents, clutching a balloon and a piece of home made birthday cake.

I knew it was getting more commercial when my own children were small and you were expected to provide a party bag containing gifts that probably cost more than what the recipients had spent on a present for the party child.

Then when I was running my catering business, up to last year, I could not believe the amount of requests I got to cater for childrens parties, providing "themed" food and cake, I even had a request to provide food for a one year old childs birthday, for 10 one year olds! My immediate thought was "What? you can't make a few sandwiches?" What does a One year old want. But of course it's not the child you are catering for now, it's all the parents who also attend!!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32116506

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Sat in a cafe in town last week & a youngster about 5 years old was shouting to his mother "I HATE YOU".

Been mine then he would have got his arse tanned, his parents said & did nothing.

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When my kids were growing up, alongside the foster kids, one of the things they learnt was not to play up when we were out. Kids will be kids but there comes a point when they have to behave when told. After a couple of warnings the kid playing up would be told that he/she wouldn't get any dinner that evening. Everyone would then be on their best behaviour. The kid that got the warnings wouldn't get any dinner that evening. He/she could cry as much as they wanted, they still didn't get any. Do you know how often this happened?...not very often and it was usually to one of the new foster kids. You can think of me what you will but I could take my/foster children out to the seaside or a restaurant and they'd behave and have good manners. How many times do you see kids screaming and shouting as they roll on the floor? The mother screams and shouts back with threats of what's going to happen when they get home. When they get to the checkout what happens, the mother will buy the screaming kid a chocolate bar to shut it up. An absolute disgrace.

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Nothing to do with kids parties, but their behavior. We were at a restaurant at a golf course yesterday evening. Quite a few families had come to dine. As we sat there a roadrunner came up the lawn and got pretty close to the restaurant. They are such cute (big) birds, and I was just about to get my camera out when the brats 2 tables away, ran out the door yelling and chased the poor bird until they could go no further. Everyone thought this so cute, except me who could have cheerfully strangled the little barstewards. My kids would have no more thought of doing that than fly in the air. They were bought up to love all creatures and respect them. I sometimes have little hope for the kids of today.

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Fortunately some kids still have good upbringing.

Having a meal & a few pints in the Lime Kiln on Sunday & a family arrived at the next table to us.

Mum & Dad with 3 young kids, they behaved impeccably & were an absolute credit to their parents.

Not the usual mouth breathing inbreds who frequent Wetherspoons these days.

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There's still a few, Catfan, but they are very much in decline. I don't know how long I will live, but at seventy its a statistical certainty that it will probably not be an awful lot longer. The more I look at this world the less I am desparate to stay here.

What I fail to understand is that our generation did not bring up our kids to act like little barbarians and yet often our kids do not seem to follow our example. I know I'm starting to sound like a miserable old #%¥? But I'm really not. I just don't understand the situation.

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