Stop and Drops (parties and playdates)

[zpsemommy]

Recently, I took my 6 1/2 year old to a party for a girl turning 7, a classmate, and was shocked to find out that I was the only parent, not including a neighborhood dad, that stayed to chaperone! We have never had anyone do the stop and drop with their kids at our parties before, and hadn't really given it any consideration either. Now, we will be sure to include a line letting the parents know that they are welcome to stay and that we have to have at least one parent/guardian to remain at the party with their child.

At what age is is approproate to stop and drop?

What are the reasons you would or would not have dropped your kids off at this party?


***Note*** I stayed because:
1) It was never a consideration for me not to.
2) We had never met this mom or any of the other guests.
3) It was a pool party and it seemed safer to have more adults, since there was only one in the pool with the kids. They were jumping in from all sides, running around the deck, and generally acting like crazed monkeys. The mom throwing the party seemd oblivious to the chaos. (This was at a subdivision community pool.)

Love, Lexa 

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[KnKsMama78]

"Stop and Drop". Haha! What a creative way to describe it! The only circumstance where I would do such is when it's a close friend that I'm very familiar with, or family member, and the "Stop and Drop" is prearranged. I think it's not only irresponsible, but rude. I don't think you'd be out of line by making such a request on the invitations, so long as you're prepared to host that many people!

[stefanierios]

I've never dropped my kid off at a party, but the oldest is only 4.  I wouldn't want any parents dropping their kids at my party either though b/c I wouldn't want to babysit that many kids, and I certaintly wouldn't want to be responsible if one of them got seriously hurt.

[jodia001]

I have done it with the last few parties that Logan went to but he was 13-14 & it was with freinds with parents that I knew. And I still made sure they were ok with me leaving.

When Logan turned 8 we had a party at Chuckie Cheese for him & we invited a few friends from school. There was one kid...his mother didn't even come inside with him & she wasn't there at the specified time that the party was to end. The boy didn't know her cell phone number. We waited there with him for almost 2 hours until she showed up. She was busy shopping! I was in shock! How did she know that he made it to the right group or didn't get grabbed by someone before he got to us? What if I didn't realize that she wasn't there & had left?

[zpsemommy]

Quoting jodia001:

I have done it with the last few parties that Logan went to but he was 13-14 & it was with freinds with parents that I knew. And I still made sure they were ok with me leaving.

When Logan turned 8 we had a party at Chuckie Cheese for him & we invited a few friends from school. There was one kid...his mother didn't even come inside with him & she wasn't there at the specified time that the party was to end. The boy didn't know her cell phone number. We waited there with him for almost 2 hours until she showed up. She was busy shopping! I was in shock! How did she know that he made it to the right group or didn't get grabbed by someone before he got to us? What if I didn't realize that she wasn't there & had left?

Exactly!!! We will make sure to specify that we need an adult to stay because we can't be responsible for that many other kids!
13-14 seems appropriate, but if it's not at home, then there should be some way to make sure that the other parent knows that you have a set time, and need their phone # as well. Hmmmm.

Some people are just so oblivious! I'm not a helicopter mom, but I was in hover mode that day!

Love, Lexa 

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Moms Mentoring Younger Moms

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[yogapantz]

I stay.  I want to see my kid having fun!  I have to say though, that when my sister did my nephew's second birthday, both parents came and stayed and it ened up being way more crowded & they made it so that she ran out of refreshments way faster.  When the dads are guzzling the lemonade and the kids don't get any, that's not cool.