Being Paranoid Or ????

where is the party?

The mother has clearly stated that they really do just want you to drop the kid off and come back at a certain time....so do it.

No, I don't think 2nd grade is too early to leave them alone at a party...i'm NOT a helicopter M., mind you...

GOOD LUCK!!

I think he will be fine but there is no shame in saying no, I'm just not comfortable sending him without a parent.

Once my kids started kindergarten I stopped attending parties with them, unless it was family or close friends.
Birthday parties are supposed to be for kids, not adults, IMO :)
But then again, at the ripe old age of 43 I am old school and do not need background checks and references for every person my kids come into contact with, lol!
p.s. I personally couldn't stand it when parents would hang around MY kids parties, uninvited. Very rude and awkward. I was always prepared to feed and entertain my kids' friends, not their parents!

Drop off and go enjoy your daughter's sport commitment. Enjoy the quiet time with her.

Second grade is old enough to be away from mommy at a short party. The bday kids' M. volunteers in the classroom...ding ding..she gets a point for being involved with her daughters education and has had a background check to do that.

You have a common circle of friends...ding ding...she gets another point for hanging out with a similar momfriend.

Your son is totally fine with being dropped off and is looking forward to some time on his own with friends..ding..ding... another point.

The parents have requested a drop off policy...ding..ding...another point.

I think all the points add up to you relaxing abit and realizing this is a safe situation to cut the apron strings and let your boy have some freedom to show you he will make good choices on his own and that you have taught him well.
Now...that doesn't mean he won't try to get his hands on a second helping of cake but that is probably the worst scenario that will happen.

Good luck and best wishes at your son having a festive and fabulous time at the party...and you will get some one on one time with your daughter.

I would say to do what YOU are comfortable with. I would be comfortable with dropping off a 6 or 7 year old at a party IF I knew the family or IF I knew there would be a M. my child knew fairly well there as well. Now IF it's in a huge open place--like an amusement park or zoo--then no--I would not be comfortable dropping off my child alone at that type of venue...
Have you asked your son if he wants to go and is comfortable with being dropped off?

I had O. M. drop off her 3 year old at my son's nursery school party at a farm! Yikes! THREE years old!

By all means drop him off! My older little boy is in 2nd grade and I dropped him off at several parties last year. I usually make sure that I touch base with one parent who will be there so that my son knows to go see Mrs. Soandso if he needs something and doesn't bother the hostess (if it's a busy party - if it's small, the hostess can handle things), and I make sure that person has my phone number in case something comes up.

Its at their house? If so, I would drop him off. If it were a public place I probably wouldnt, I would need to supervise.
Maybe go in and chit chat for a few so you get a good feel and then shove off.
Just get their phone number and leave yours with them also, just in case.

Let him go.
He's in the second grade.
I'm sure it will be fine.
He's excited to go. Let him,
I'm sure he'll have fun and have manners.
Second grade isn't too young, in my opinion, and I've raised kids and thrown a zillion parties. My kids behaved themselves quite well at parties without my supervision.
It's learning socialization.
The party will only last a couple of hours at the most.
Make sure the parents have your number, just in case, and let your little boy have a great time.

Just my opinion.

It depends. If it's at a public place, I would say no. If it's a pool party, I would say no. Otherwise, I would say okay. But, have a chat with the M. and find out how big the party is going to be, what kind of supervision is going to be available, etc. And, find another parent that IS staying and ask them to keep an eye out for your child too.
We always throw BIG pool parties and I expect that parents WILL stay. But, I'm always surprised at the ones who come and dump their kids off! LOL

I would be fine with this and I think 2nd grade is old enough to go to a birthday party without you (especially since he is also fine/comfortable with it). Talk to the parent prior to the party and just tell her your concerns. Ask her what the plans for the party will be etc. I'm just wondering what you think might happen at a birthday party with his classmates that you would somehow be able to stop if you were there?

I agree with Denise P....if I knew the family well and felt comfortable then yes, at that age I would leave my child there. But not at a public venue where there are just to many kids to keep your eye on. Even if I trusted the parent, at a large open public venue, like a very large park, a zoo etc, of course your primary priority is your own kids so you may not be able to see if a kid got lost or hurt etc. But at their house, with a family I knew and trusted, you betcha. Of course, it doesnt really matter what any of us say, it's up to you momma and what you feel comfortable doing with your own lil guy.

He is old enough. It is probably only for a couple of hours, not all day. I would have no problem with that!

I think it is perfectly ok if you know the family, M. is a volunteer, and it is not all day long.

Personally, I am a substitute teacher, regularly in a specific grade within our most local elementary school and today as a sub I was just floored because there was a M. who could not stand the fact that there was a sub there. I was a "sub" which was obviously not ok with her.

Mind you.... there were kids from 2nd and 3rd grade coming down to the 1st grade hall to say "good morning" to their 1st grade teachers and this M. witnessned them coming me ME, hugging ME and calling ME by name and excitedly telling ME about their new teachers, etc.

Even after that, the M. was still so freaking worried about her 1st grader. What gives? Some parents are just paranoid no matter what.

It depends. There are plenty of moms who would stay with their child at that age, and plenty who might drop off as well. A lot more probably depends upon the specifics of each individual student. There are families that we were close enough and knew well enough that I would have left my child at their party earlier than 7. There are some that I didn't feel comfortable enough (either in knowing the families or the venue it was held at) to leave even at 8 or 9 yrs.

Where is the party, at their house? How well will it be supervised? What activities will be going on, swimming? If swimming, then no way would I leave my kid. If they are playing outside, that would be different. Will the friend that you both know be in attendance? Could you stay for a short while and see if things meet your comfort level enough to leave? I've done that too: Tell host and child (yours) that you may only be able to stay for a short part of the party... you've got some other things going on and may have to leave after just a short stay. When you get there, hang out for a bit and see how it feels to you. If you think it would be ok, then you can speak to your child and the host and let them know that you need to _______(run drop your daughter off at X event) and then you will be back, if that is ok with them. Leave your cell number in writing.
OR, if you get there and decide it isn't being supervised to your liking or see something that makes you wary, then stay for a short bit and then take hostess aside and let her know that you are sorry but can't stay any longer--you have to _______ (sister has to be somewhere for X sports).

Any chance their dad can take one or the other so that your son doesn't have to miss out? These kinds of parties (especially early in the school year and at this age) are excellent opportunities to meet other parents and get to know them. Often the parents hang out in their own little groups and chat at the party, while staying out of the way and keeping an extra eye out on the kids.

Thats a tough one, because if my son was invited to a party I would want to stay with him. Granted he is in Kindergarten. But if we were having a party I wouldnt mind if they were dropped off. I guess if you talk to the parents and get a feel for what will be happening at the party and how many kids, how many parents will be there and go with your gut feeling!

I think it's too young. My son didn't attend any parties alone at that age... if people want to call me paranoid, I could care less.. my first concern is my child's....... plus, most other parents I know stayed with their child as well...

I don't consider myself paranoid, just very cautious. (Sounds better! lol)
If I don't know the family personally, then I wouldn't feel comfortable. If there's a pool or if it is at a large venue, no way!!

I will probably only get more "cautious" as they get older. Oh, how I dread having teenagers!! :)

If it is at their home I would be more comfortable than a public venue. With parents that I didn't know, I would tell them "I know this sounds paranoid, but do you have guns in your home? My son is fascinated with them (not really true) and it make me nervous."
I would never have left my son at a pool party at that age. Our neighbors had ten people standing around their pool and let a 6-year-old boy drown.

It goes either way. Honestly when you said she volunteers in the class and is friends with someone you know, i' am tempted to say ok she sounds nice. But you never know.

Its up there for me with wanting to quiz people about if htey have handguns and how they are stored. I should but its ackward so i just pray mykid isn't a statistic.

Until I started dating (at 16, mind you) I don't think my M. EVER dropped me off at someone's house where she hadn't actually MET the parents. Once I was sixteen, I would drive, so it wasn't so much of an issue that she could totally control anymore.

Just a little paranoid, maybe. The M. volunteers in the classroom AND is a friend of a friend. AND it's a birthday party. Not too much bad can go on there.

Sounds safe to me.

p.s. I guess the only thing that might give me pause is if they have a swimming pool. If so, I would want reassurance of lots of supervision.

When we did my son's 2nd grade party last year 1/2 the kids were dropped off and the other 1/2 the parents stayed. It didn't matter to us which they did. Enough parents stayed that all kids were well supervised.

Drop him pff!!!!!!