Someone Tell Me It Isn't True!

What a wild week thus far! And we're only two days into it. Yes, my week starts on Monday and ends on Sunday.

On Monday I brought Big S' classmate, Shivaal, his birthday gifts to take home with him and open. I also became the Room-Mom for the day for Lil S' class. I was not welcome in Big S' class and that is another story in itself. After school I gave the girls a ride home instead of them taking the bus like they would normally do if I wasn't there. So I asked Big S if she found out what had happened with Shivaal that his birthday party had to be cancelled. Her answer really bothered me, although she didn't have any adverse feelings. She said that Shivaal told everyone that for his birthday he got a pogo stick and a power jeep, but that his party was cancelled because it was going to cost $200.00.

WHAT?! Shouldn't that have been thought out and planned for before inviting everyone? I don't know about most people, but I have a tendency to buy gifts in price ranges based on the type of party. For instance, if the party is taking place somewhere I know to be pricey, especially if I know there were a lot of invites, I'm going to spend a little more on the gift, knowing that the poor parent has a lot of money going out on that occasion. If the party isn't a big deal, the girl next door just happens to say "Hey, my birthday's tomorrow if you want to stop by and hang out." Well we're not going to go all out for a last minute "passing-by" invitation with no prior planning. It might not even be a party at all.

This boy's parents (or maybe just his mom) invited every last kid in his class to a birthday party and backed out on all these kids at the very last minute (some of them might not have even been able to be reached to know it was cancelled in time) and not only that but she lied to all of us about it. His mother specifically told me that she had to cancel the party for a family emergency. That makes me think someone very close is dead or hanging to life on a thread because it would have to be something pretty major to take away my child's birthday like that without a plan for rescheduling or anything. That left me feeling sorry for the little guy. My heart was telling me that maybe I should bring him cupcakes too or something.

Meanwhile he's had a party and already got a motorized jeep that probably cost twice as much as the party would have (and that at 8 years old he's going to be too big for in a few months, they're made for ages 3-7 and he is not small).

I am furious! Thoroughly furious! Not at the child of course, I feel bad for him. This will come back to haunt him, no doubt. I'm ticked that I was lied to more than anything. If his mom would have called and said "I just can't afford the party, I didn't realize it would cost so much and I don't have that kind of money." or whatever, anything, but... UGH!

Is this some new way to scam more gifts for your child? Pretend you're going to throw a huge fun party that your kid goes bonkers for days in excitement over only to call at the last minute with an emergency to cancel. All the presents will still be delivered, because who wants to be the person who wasn't going to bring a gift? And it's not the poor kid's fault there was an emergency, he already lost his party, surely he still deserves his gifts.

I don't know what I would have done differently had I known upfront that that the party was cancelled because his mom rather dish out the money on a power jeep to small for him than to pay for the party she's already invited at least 20 kids to. I mean she didn't even invite them over for a party or anything. She could have changed the venue to her home, my daughter would have still been happy to go to the party and watch him open the gifts she got him.

RUDE, rude, rude, rude, rude!

Shame on her!