I wouldn't judge you, but I agree with those who said it doesn't seem like a party place. Where do they run off the sugar before I bring them home?
You must have missed all the myriad of references to McDonalds play places, then.
Those always look limited to me. Not enough to entertain kids for a longer period of time. Of course mine isn't here yet so ask me in a few years if I still think this.
I am now officially jealous of the McD's party. So cheap. And I want a Happy Meal rightstatnow. I think we're going to do an out-of-house party this year. They are totally a shitton of work, and always expensive. Good food, booze, decorations...it adds up. And all the set-up and clean-up. I'm thinking a playplace or artsy place will work just fine this year. I do really like serving alcohol to my friends at these parties, though. We always have so much fun.
I don't understand why it's necessary at age three. Because then you're telling the kid that they have to make a choice between their friends/having fun at a birthday party, or morality. Well, to be fair, you're actually telling them that YOU'RE making that choice for them. This is pretty heavy for a kid who just wants to go have fun at a play place with his friends. Why not just bring your own food and allow them to go, instead of turning your politics into a punishment?
Because kids aren't dumb. We get our farm eggs, and they ask why we don't get eggs at the grocery, so I explain.
Yes, I do get to make that choice for them. If it was a close friend, We would go, I would remind the kids that they cannot have the french fries (they wouldn't want the meat anyway so no issue there, I would have to check the ice cream but I assume it is safe). If it wasn't a close friend, at age 3, I don't think a kid gets much socially out of a birthday party, so if I, as the parent, don't want to go (for whatever reason), I am not going. If we were talking about a school age kid, I would let my kid decide, with the reminder that if they go, some of the food is off limits for xyz reasons.
Now this can spin off into a whole new debate about what age kids should get to make their own food choices, and I am happy to have that debate for 8 more pages, but it should probably be in a s/o post.
Wow, I can't believe that this has gone on for 8 pages.
I don't like McDonalds now but as a kid, I had a party there (I think I was 5) and thought it was the SHIT!!! We were probably considered upper middle class and all the kids were having their parties there or at Chuck E. Cheese.
I rarely eat fast food but back in the day we were lucky to get McD's once a month. It was a MAJOR treat. Apparently that is what I got for having a SAHM that cooked us wholesome meals every night from scratch and still let us have a McD's party.
I think I want to hang with the non-blue ribbon winning moms. You guys sound like you a lot more fun.
To the OP I know how it is with 3 year olds. They can be somewhat insistent especially those strong willed kids. If it's that important to him then I would probably do it. I would rather see my kid happy with celebrating their birthday. His opinion is the only one that matters overall.
Post by dragonfly08 on Apr 11, 2013 14:52:47 GMT -5
DD #1 was invited to a McDs birthday party for one of her kindergarten classmates. I never considered not letting her go. We aren't big on fast food, to the point that I had to remind her that she really shouldn't tell the birthday boy's mom "McDs is gross" (which is what she thinks) and just order the damn nuggets. If she didn't want to eat them, fine, I'd feed her after the party.
They ate their meals, played games, went in the play area, ate cake. Not much different than many parties she's attended in homes or other locations.
Post by runforrest on Apr 11, 2013 14:53:12 GMT -5
I went to several when I was a kid, back in the day when they had styrofoam containers - one of the games was to see who could stack the most styrofoam containers before they tipped over.
We don't eat there (Arby's is my FF of choice, ya'll), but their orange drink is the best.hangover.cure.ever.
And I would take E and M if one of their friends was having a party at McD's.
This thread makes me really glad I don't give a shit what other people think. If I wanted to have a McD's party for my kid, I would. If nobody comes, that's on them. We'd still have a blast.
Somehow I missed 'check the ice cream'. I'd really like to witness that, so much.
i'm imagining it like a TSA checkpoint. there is a wand.
I meant check the ingredients online. I assumed the fries were ok until this thread, and surely they couldn't find a way to put beef flavoring in the ice cream, right?
Post by UMaineTeach on Apr 11, 2013 16:36:33 GMT -5
yes
my McDonlad's growing up had (still has) a party room in the basement - The Ronald Room, birthday package = a cake, a HM for all, and a (high school student) clown
When I was a young, eager Youth Worker, I had NO budget and 20 kids in a Youth Group and took them to a McDonalds Play Place for an winter-time activity night. (I planned weekly activities for a year.)
They LOVED it.
I am so sorry, world. I got Mickey D's to donate happy meals to a bunch of economically poor kids who were playing on their germy play scape.
The kids had a BALL !! It was a huge hit and a great night.
DRAMA: The other Youth Worker didn't like the place and narc'ed on me to the director and said it was unsafe. Asshole. He didn't say ONE WORD TO ME about any concerns. He just waited until the next day to say that the play scape was "shaking" and I was derelict in my duty to keep them safe. I hated that guy. The director was a big dick, too.
ANSWER: Yes, I would go to a McDonald's B-day Party. Kids like it. It's fun. The end.
Wow. I read all through this and I'm just shaking my head.
The kid is 3 and really wants his birthday at Mc Ds. That should be the end of it. Who cares if he could have his birthday a million other places, it's what he wants!!
And yes, now I want a 6 piece nugget with bbq sauce and a large dr pepper.
Do the McD's party judgers not eat at McDonalds at all? Is that what you are judging? Fast food? If not, why wouldn't you take your child to a party there?
I used to work at McD's when I was in high school and kids had a great time at the parties. We didn't even have a play place at my location either!
I've taken my children to parties at McD's and never considered judging the parents for hosting something there.
Help me understand!
I'v also had parties for my girls (TWICE) at Chuck e Cheese. What's the big deal? Yeah, yeah, it's so gross. You know what? Kids are fucking gross! At some point, you have to get over it!
Look, I admit to being a food snob. And I'll also add that there are a million indoor play space options in Seattle. Our community centers are great.
It's not about cheeseburgers and cake. While those things are known as "sometimes foods" in our house, we definitely eat them. But we either make them ourselves or go to a local burger joint.
i judge McDs for way more than their nasty food. I'll just ditto Elle, for why.
i get that it's cheap and easy, and I guess I'm lucky that I have lots of other cheap and easy options.
This.
We've been to a number of preschooler parties in the past several months and the food has been a mix of healthy and "treat"-type food. But the treat food was good pizza or muffins or cupcakes, not deep fried McDs. And fruit was always available.
You're not automatically a mommy martyr snob for preferring other options to McDonalds for eff's sake.
If Lu was invited to a party there, we'd go and she'd eat the Happy Meal and all would be cool. But I would wonder why that choice over tons of better (and just as cheap) options.
Hey, now, Happy Meals come with apple slices!
The reason we're doing it there is because the kid wants it and not because it's cheap, but I truly don't think we could have it anywhere else except home and have it be cheaper. And at home I'd actually end up spending way more because I'd decorate, buy alcohol and all kinds of other crap. The McD's party is $50 for 8 kids and $5 each additional kid. The frozen yogurt place by us is $12.50 per kid. The activity room at the YMCA is $175 plus the cost of food we bring in. A little arts place I looked at is $250 plus the cost of food. Even park pavilion rental is $100, and I can't imagine I'd spend any less than $50 on food, and probably would spend $100 on food and decorations even for a park pavilion. Maybe something like just going to a pizza restaurant would be cheaper since I'd just be paying for like a slice of pizza for each kid, but that would be boring as hell for the kids since there wouldn't be a private room or playground for them to run around and have fun.
Do the McD's party judgers not eat at McDonalds at all? Is that what you are judging? Fast food? If not, why wouldn't you take your child to a party there?
I used to work at McD's when I was in high school and kids had a great time at the parties. We didn't even have a play place at my location either!
I've taken my children to parties at McD's and never considered judging the parents for hosting something there.
Help me understand!
I'v also had parties for my girls (TWICE) at Chuck e Cheese. What's the big deal? Yeah, yeah, it's so gross. You know what? Kids are fucking gross! At some point, you have to get over it!
I admit that McD's food is pretty gross, although I do love their shakes and ice cream. I used to say I'd never take my kid to McDonald's, BUT there is one with a playground right outside of our neighborhood and it's just 1/10 of a mile from our house. Everything else is further away. My son loves their playground, so about once a month I'll take him over there, get him a happy meal, and let him play on the playground to his hearts content. Sometimes we don't get a meal and just get ice cream or smoothies. He thinks it's one of the most fun things ever, so despite the fact that I think the food isn't good, I take him there to see him have fun.
The animal cruelty thing, well, I don't know all the details of that, but it's also something I am not really passionate about. For food we eat at home, I do choose to have my own hens for eggs and buy free range meat from local farmers, but I don't feel so strongly about the issue that I limit places we eat out based on where they purchase their meat.
I don't know. I can see why some people might think the parents might be being extreme by taking the stance, but for me vegetarianism is not a political issue. The animals are treated so cruelly before being slaughtered for food, people make jokes about it ("I'll go eat a burger for you too! Hehe" And if you don't think it's funny, you're uptight. I have a super soft heart for animals and I don't understand why teaching your children your beliefs about animals from an early age extreme (or as another poster put it "another form of cruelty". I don't go around preaching about it, and I'm even skittish talking about it (I live in the south), but when it comes to my children, I wouldn't see anything wrong with raising them up that way.
Go Dawgs: It is clear this is what you want to do, so do it.
If we got an invite, we'd be there with smiles on our faces and a tupperware of organic fruis and veggies. Like many 2.5 year olds, mine doesn't like ground beef or unidentifiable meat.
Realistically, we won't get that invite since the local burger joint is all organic, humane, grass fed, locally sourced (and they'll also serve you a shot in your milkshake or beer, so really why would you bother finding a mcdonalds?). Plus, standard birthdays are cupcakes, sandwiches and beer at the park. No bounce house needed.
All of that complaining about Pinterest, and here I am on Pinterest to get ideas for the McDonald's party. It's a sickness. L loves dinosaurs, so I'm thinking about a "Dino-mite" party at McDonald's. And turning this photo I found online into invitations.
And making these party hats
And this cake
I wonder if McDonald's would let me hide eggs around the playground for the kids to do a dino egg hunt.
Go Dawgs: It is clear this is what you want to do, so do it.
If we got an invite, we'd be there with smiles on our faces and a tupperware of organic fruis and veggies. Like many 2.5 year olds, mine doesn't like ground beef or unidentifiable meat.
Realistically, we won't get that invite since the local burger joint is all organic, humane, grass fed, locally sourced (and they'll also serve you a shot in your milkshake or beer, so really why would you bother finding a mcdonalds?). Plus, standard birthdays are cupcakes, sandwiches and beer at the park. No bounce house needed.
WHERE DO YOU LIVE? That sounds awesome. Especially the shot of beer in the milkshake.