unsupervised birthday party !

[TNT]

My oldest son who is 7 and a half has just returned from a laser quest birthday party and I am fuming. My OH took him and we decided beforehand that he would stay and keep an eye on him as he is quite sensitive and laserquest is quite dark and scary. Well all the other parents dropped off and left, the birthday boys mum decided she wasnt going in as she had hurt her foot and so put a 10 year old in charge, telling him that he had to look out for the group of ten, 7 and 8 year olds. My OH volunteered to go in as he was not happy with the situation at all and then spent an hour dealing with hurt, scared and upset children, what a nightmare.(my son actually enjoyed it and was not hurt but a bit frightened to start with)
I dread to think what would have happened to my son had his dad not been there to supervise them properly, I thought twice about OH staying as I didnt want to seem overprotective but I am so glad he did. The mum actually told him afterwards she couldnt have done it without him and gave him a party bag

[shortstuff]

I dont think I would be happy either. What are the venue rules? Surely that doesnt follow them?

[TNT]

To be honest I dont know the venue rules. My OH stepped in but I guess the girl that was on the desk would have had to supervise them, doing up their vests, leading them in and out when they got upset, she was the one cooking pizzas for the party food though so I wonder if they just assume that adults go in with them. It does say on the party info I got after that 2 adults go in free with a party package.
I am just really cross that my child may have been unsupervised in a place like that, i cant beleive that the other parents just dropped and went without checking or that the woman that organised it could be so unorganised!

[Koala]

My kids have been to lazer zone (not sure if its the same though) parties and there are 'marshalls' that go in with them as part of the package, adult supervision is not a necessity.

Some times we have to just suck it up and be grateful that all ends that ends well. you are understandably upset and I may well be the same in your shoes but from experience it may be better to just let it go, your son may not thank you if you 'make a fuss'. From attending so many birthday parties I have seen lots of parents 'drop an RUN!' they can't get away fast enough and have always been the one hanging around 'just in case' pretending that by the time I get home it will be time to come back and the truth is I just don't trust the party parents. Not the same standards if you know what I mean!

Take a deep breath, shake your head and carry on.

[TNT]

There were no marshalls in there with the kids, just my OH! I feel much calmer now but am really glad that we are those kind of parents that hang around, just in case as in this case it was totally justified! dont get me wrong he does go to parties on his own, but only when I approve of their parents
I really wanted to make a fuss about it but OH convinced me not to and I realise now that it would cause more problems than it is worth.

[JCrakers]

Ahh...glad your feeling a little better. both my kids have been to a laser party and my DH was straight in there...lol He couldn't wait to get in.

I have been to a lot of parties where parents just drop and go, I've done it myself too. I would have assumed that there was an adult or two supervising that worked there. It is poor and I wonder if they were short staffed that day as when my two kids went there was a man helping them get sorted out and watching the group.

[kellyskidz!]

Glad you're feeling better. My sister works at a centre where they hold lazer parties and always says they're a disaster! It's too dark and the age limit is too young. Parents don't know what to do, go in or stay out and its obviously hectic with hyper kids and parents tend to just usher them in.
I'd have been annoyed too, but I would have been typically British and silently seethed lol, ranted to my oh then smiled politely at said child's mum
Hope your son had fun in spite of the lack of supervision though!x