Boy sent bill for not attending birthday party

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A five-year-old boy who missed a friend's birthday party has been invoiced £15.95 - by the host's mother.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2916379/Five-year-old-misses-friend-s-birthday-bash-INVOICED-15-95.html

[Major Nikon]

1. First world problems

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2. For some reason I can't get the page to load.

I hope he didn't pay the bill. Unless there is something more to the story, like a commitment from the boy's parents or something malicious that I can't imagine.

[Liberal_in_LA]

8. said they would attend then didnt. host had booked activities that cost per person

[Denzil_DC]

12. ... and hadn't informed the invited child's parents of any costs involved. n/t

[Sheldon Cooper]

16. Unless the invited child and his parents live under a rock,

they knew there was a cost involved in the outing. There is ALWAYS a cost involved in this sort of thing. I've raised kids, and this is not a newsflash for anyone who has ever done so.

Stories are a bit conflicting, but my understanding is that the kid RSVP'd and then the family changed their mind at the last minute and didn't show up or even call.

For the host parents to bill the no-show parents is just plain ridiculous, let me be clear about that. But really, it was very rude to blow off the party if you'd already said you would come.

[treestar]

14. There's certainly no legal ground on which to pay it

It's likely for show. People take that risk when they spend money like that.

[sharp_stick]

3. I have to say I've been tempted

You send out invites and get 16 "yes we're coming" so you buy the package for 15 - 20 from the bounce place, bowling alley, skating rink etc and then two of the little buggers don't show up. The place isn't going to refund you back to the 10 - 14 kids.

I've never actually gone through with it but I joked around with a few of the other dads at my daughters party about doing it.

[TexasProgresive]

4. From the link-

Alex Nash missed ski slope party and went to see grandparents instead
Weeks later his shocked father Derek found 'no show fee' in school bag
It had been put there after being handed to a teacher by the boy's mother
Mr Nash, 45, from Torpoint, Cornwall, said: 'I thought it was a joke'
He refused to pay - and 'has been threatened with small claims court'
Plymouth Ski Slope and Snowboard Centre: We didn't write the invoice
Manager said boy's mother could have had credit on the bar instead
But unrepentant mother said: 'All details were on the party invite'

[brer cat]

5. I can't imagine sending a bill for a party no-show

unless the parents were told in advance that they would have to pay. Whatever the feelings about it, I wouldn't allow a five-y-o child to be photographed for publication or involved in a dispute like this. This is an adult problem, not the child's.

[LiberalElite]

6. I read the facebook exchange

the mother who sent the bill tells the other mother to consider it a "lesson learnt". I think if there's any lesson to be "learnt" it's to not have a big expensive extravaganza for a birthday party and keep it a low-key home affair. That way if someone doesn't show up there's just more cake for everyone else.

[Art_from_Ark]

9. Definitely keep it a low-key affair, especially for 5-year-olds

The only birthday party I ever had, when I turned 7, was held on the rock patio in our back yard, with 4 friends in attendance. The most memorable present I got was a Batman cape, which I wore on Halloween that year

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15. The mother who sent the bill comes across as a ...

Well for the sake of good taste, I'll just leave the rest blank. Not someone I would ever want to cross paths with, I'll just say that much.

[avebury]

7. If the mother of the MIA kid had RSVP's that the

kid would attend and then took the kid to Grandma's I can see why the Birthday Mom would be pissed. It is rude to say the least. But rather then get into a public pissing contest it is just easier to put that family on a Do Not Invite a Second Time List.

Too many families pay way to much money for Birthday Parties in this day in age. It seems like they have evolved into who can outdo everyone else parties.

[Coventina]

10. It is very rude to no-show after an RSVP in that situation.

However, the bill is just upping the rudeness.

I'd just make it a point to never invite them again.

[Denzil_DC]

11. Maybe it's just me,

but ...

(a) This whole thing, along with parading the kid who didn't attend in front of the cameras, is beyond stupid, including the fact it's apparently now an international news story, and the fact I'm commenting on it.

(b) I thought it not unrevealing that this is the house of the mother who wants to sue for £15.95:



and this is the house of the family she wants to sue:

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13. I noticed that too.

And yet she's billing her for $20 or so...

[snooper2]

17. this is HUGH! right wing dailycrap must be having a slow news day LOL

[magical thyme]

18. one rude turn deserves another?

The host should have dropped it. I'm sure her child enjoyed the b-day party as much missing 1 friend as if that friend had made it. Plus the ski slope biz says they are very flexible about such situations, and had they known, they would have offered additional toboggan rides, etc.

The negligent parents made an honest mistake and say they didn't have the host's phone # or email. The father admits confirming the invitation, but forgot another family commitment on same day. The host says she included her phone # on the invite, but it's entirely possible they misplaced the invite.

Bottom line is, yes the negligant parents effed up, but the graceful thing to do is let it slide. If you can afford a couple hundred bucks for a freakin' b-day party, you can afford the "loss."

But hey, whatever. People today are insufferable and totally unforgiving of honest mistakes.