Be The Perfect Party Guest with These 5 Basic Etiquettes

There are some social dilemmas parents may get into when attending a children’s party with their kids. Do you let your child’s siblings tag along? What gift should you give? Should you leave right after the party, or do you wait till everyone else leaves?

 

To avoid getting into these dilemmas, we put up a list of basic etiquettes that everyone should know when attending a children’s party:

Do I send an RSVP?

RSVP is common courtesy in children parties as much as in adult parties. Besides, it’s the adults who are handling the expenses. It lets the hosts know how many people are attending so they could prepare for the food, seats, and entertainment.

Make sure to call or text the host to confirm your attendance or let them know you’re not going.

 

Do I drop off all my kids?

While it would have been nice if all your kids were invited to a party, chances are, this will not always be the case.

When deciding who to invite, parents will naturally invite kids with the same age as their child and kids who are his/her friends. If you are in doubt whether the siblings are invited as well, ask the parents. But do not get hurt if they say no. They might be working on a tight budget. Also, take into consideration that the activities they have planned are based on the celebrant’s age. Your older (or younger) kids might not enjoy at all.

Ideally, just let the one whose name is on the invitation attend. If they wanted the siblings to tag along, they would have included their names on the invitation.

What present do I give?

Deciding what to give as a gift is always a challenge. We want the gift to be special and useful, and not something that will just collect dust on the shelf.

Gifts should be age and gender appropriate. You can also ask the parents what the birthday child is fond of. Avoid giving toys with small removable parts to young kids.

 

Are there any rules about the cake?

“Did you make the cake?” is a question that’s much more awkward than it seems. The conversation would have already mentioned that the host had baked the cake if it tastes as fantastic as it looks. If the cake is an eyesore and doesn’t taste so good, then you’ll come off as rude.

Compliment the cake and food by telling them that it was delicious and you enjoyed it, and not by asking them if they made it.

May I stay after the party’s over?

Our hosts have taken extra steps to ensure that everyone has fun. One of which is indicating the time when the party will start and end.

Much preparation has been put into making the celebration a success so please make sure you come on time. Your child will miss out on a lot of the things the hosts have prepared for their guests if you come late.

Leaving on time is as important. The celebrant might be excited to open his gifts but can’t as long as there are still guests present. The hosts might have other things to attend to – like cleaning up (if the party was done at their home) or there might be another event that is going to use the same venue (if the party is done at a different venue).

Whatever the reason is, it will be best not to stay longer than what is mentioned in the invitation.