Inconsiderate Parents

[TheHuckster]

Went to a birthday party for our friends' 2 year old (we have a 20 month old ourselves). Later on, we each got pink eye. I wasn't going to confront anyone about it, seeing that we did other things over the weekend that might have given us it... but someone else who was a little more mouthy asked on the Facebook event page if anyone else got it. Some others who went said that they, too, got pink eye this past weekend.

Then, the culprit came out and admitted they had gone to urgent care that morning to get treated for it, and in spite of doctor's orders of staying at home and avoiding contact with others, they went to the party anyway because "we couldn't deprive our precious 2 year old of fun and cake!"

Needless to say, people were pissed. Pink eye isn't especially debilitating, but it does excuse people from work (lost wages), costs money to go to urgent care and get antibiotics (we have a crap policy that's $600/mo. for a $12,000 deductible. I won't go into a rant about how fucked up that is, but whatever), and can be bad for people with health problems who might get complications from it.

I mean, seriously, a birthday party is not a once-in-a-lifetime thing. You aren't going to ruin your kid's life if they don't go to one, but you are going to inconvenience a dozen people and cost them money out of their pocket if you do go. I just can't stand that mentality.

[s_stabeler]

for that matter, a 2 year old is still young enough that it's debatable if said kid even cares much.

[Tanasi]

These parties aren't for the kids but the parents and mostly the Moms, I've seen it from the front lines with my own kids and wife. When a party went sideways my wife was more likely to melt down than the kid. I tried not to make a big deal about birthdays and reign in the wife as there's no sense in raising expectations to be so high when only disappointment is the likely result. If our kids were sick we certainly did let the out of the house or if the friend was also sick, it's just plain common sense.
When I was a kid I didn't understand at the time but my Mom purposely kept birthdays low key. Just because it was your BD you didn't get out of regular duties. What we got was a cake that everyone liked with a few candles, a birthday song, a small present and a few favorite foods. No parties, no friends, just immediate family. For a lot of years I didn't understand why we/I didn't get the same as my friends/cousins until one day I was able to see all the associated BS. My youngest sister still holds a grudge about this toward our mom. Was my Mom right, now I think so and I know she was doing what she thought was best for all of us.