"Stay home from the party and watch my kid"

[Anonymous]

My sister has two DDs. The older is turning 5 next week and the younger is 2 1/2. My older niece is having a birthday party at a Gymboree type place (a giant fast food play place only indoors with a game room) this Saturday. The party will be in a private play room appropriate for kids 4 and older, but there is also a smaller play area for younger kids in the room. There will be about 15 kids (including my niece and my 4.5 year old DS) ages 4 and 5 there at a two hour party.

My sister just called me and said she doesn't want her younger one at the party because she will want to play where the bigger kids are and will throw a fit and that she (my sister) "doesn't want to deal with her and wants to relax and enjoy the party." So she asked if my DH can take DS to the party and if I will stay home and watch my younger niece.

Both my sister and her husband will be at the party. I just don't understand why having my younger niece there is such a big deal. This is DS' first time attending a birthday party, and he is mildly autistic so both DH and I are planning to be at the party to support him. I definitely think DH could handle DS alone, but I just don't think I should have to stay home from my niece's birthday party because my sister doesn't want to deal with HER kid.

What do you ladies think? What would you do?

To add: I did tell her no. She sounded very annoyed and said, "I guess I will figure something out"

[Anonymous - Original Poster]

I did offer to help out at the party. Also, my mom and my sister's husband's mom, sister, and grandparents will all be there to help.

Quoting RiotousDigits:

I would offer to give her a hand with the little sister AT the party.

If that wasn't good enough, she can hire a sitter

[RaynesMommy07]

Tell her no. There's no reason she can't bring her child. She's being lazy and ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

She's having a party for one of her kids and doesn't want the other one to go? Too bad for her. She should have done something different for the birthday party. We're having our kids parties at Gymboree. Their birthdays are in March, April, and May so we're doing a combined birthday party. They will be 1, 3, and 4. We were told that we could invite kids 5 and younger. We have their 1st birthday there every time and for our son's first birthday party there were kids that were 8 there and they didn't say anything and everyone had fun.

[Anonymous - Original Poster]

I can't understand why she would plan a party that she doesn't want her youngest to attend.

Sounds like your little ones have a fun party planned :)

Quoting Anonymous:

She's having a party for one of her kids and doesn't want the other one to go? Too bad for her. She should have done something different for the birthday party. We're having our kids parties at Gymboree. Their birthdays are in March, April, and May so we're doing a combined birthday party. They will be 1, 3, and 4. We were told that we could invite kids 5 and younger. We have their 1st birthday there every time and for our son's first birthday party there were kids that were 8 there and they didn't say anything and everyone had fun.