birthday party question

[peggyfromwastate]

Steven wants a baseball party package from the minor league team here. This includes admission for up to 10 buddies to the game plus some other assorted goodie- baseball themed. His name will be on the readerboard, all that good stuff. It is minor league baseball, so it's pretty much as expensive as any other party except for one held in your own house. BUT, the games start at 6 pm. There is one Sunday afternoon game at 2 pm, but it is Thomas themed. Steven used to adore Thomas the Tank Engine, but that was when he was... 3 or 4. Not 9.

My question is:

Would you let your 9 year old going into 4th grade go to a Saturday night baseball game where he'd be gone from your care from 5 pm to around 10 pm. We probably wouldn't be able to get the boys back until then.

OR

Should we do the afternoon game, which would not infringe on anyone's bedtime.

This party would be in June, probably just as school is getting out.

[Pollyanna]

I would do the evening game. Can parents stay with their child but pay their own way? At that age our boys would have wanted either dh or I to stay. I always give that information on the invitations, "if you or a sibling would like to take part in the festivities tickets will cost, etc". If it doesn't cost too much extra I just say, "parents and siblings welcome, please rsvp with total number attending party".

Sounds like a ton of fun!!

[L.Jane]

I would go for the night one. They are of the age where sleepovers occur, and no one actually sleeps those nights. I think staying up that late every once in a while is a nice treat.

[Meenah]

I would definitely go for the evening game!!!

[peggyfromwastate]

OK- I feel much better. Thanks! I also asked Steven's best friend's mom (and she has only one child) and she thought it would be OK, especially if it's not a school night. For her, she thought if she didn't know the parents she would hesitate, but we know most of the parents through scouts and swim team, etc., etc.

Sleepovers are not common out here. Not at all. Kate has some friends who have never been to a sleepover- whenever she has one only about 3 girls can stay. Usually at least 2 or 3 of them get picked up at 10. I don't really know why...

I think we'll go for an evening party. Steven will be so excited. Kate can watch the baby for me... So then we'll have 2 adults able to focus on the boys and hopefully all will be good....

I haven't done a friend- birthday party for the kids since we moved out here- there just never was time, and we were usually back in Washington when their birthday rolled around. So, yeah, I need to make up for lost time!!!

[oceanchild]

Sleepovers are not common out here. Not at all. Kate has some friends who have never been to a sleepover- whenever she has one only about 3 girls can stay. Usually at least 2 or 3 of them get picked up at 10. I don't really know why...

I'm going to assume it's because you live in the helicopter parent capital of the world.

[fluffhead]

We're quite strict about early bedtimes, and even I would say go for the evening - no school the next day and only 10 PM sounds fine for 8-9 year olds.

[DCJenn]

Vote for the evening game here, too. We used to be allowed to stay up super late when I had sleepovers (we'd watch SNL and not get it) so I think it's just a 'party thing' to be allowed to be out a little later.

Are you going to the Frederick Keys or the Bowie Baysox?

J.

[peggyfromwastate]

The Frederick Keys-- just up the road...

[DCJenn]

My brother interned there during undergrad. I'll ask him if he knows anyone there still. He worked in minor league baseball for about 10 years after college.

J.

[peggyfromwastate]

Cool! Bet he met some interesting people...