s/o Sticking around at Pump it Up/Chuck E. Cheese/etc. parties

[ProtoLawyer]

This is totally a fluff poll...but I have to ask.

If your kids get invited to a party at a public party-oriented place--think Pump it Up, Chuck E. Cheese, arcade, McDonalds--how do you feel about it?

[mama_mojo]

I decline the invite, as the ninth circle of hell does not quite cover how toxic these places are not just for me but my kids.

[savannah smiles]

I voted "neutral." I can't stand the loudness and overall stimulation of those types of places but, at least with my older dd, she's old enough that I can just bring a book and mentally check out.

[Black Orchid]

I send DH. Kids love it and he doesn't mind it and I get a few hours off! Everyone wins!

[Sasharna]

I like Chuck E. Cheese as much as DS does. It's being around the mommy cliques that feels like ninth circle of hell for me. I would still stay though, unless my child were quite old... around 10 or so. Hopefully I could bring DP along to keep me company so I don't have to chat about handbags.

[limabean]

Somewhere between neutral (which is what I voted for) and 9th circle of hell. I would rather be somewhere else, but I'm not angry or anything about having to be there -- it's just part of being a parent, so I do it without begrudging anyone.

[NamastePlatypus]

I have turned all of them down. Before e was dx'ed I got the heebies from them. Ever see the CSI in Vegas about the 'chuckie cheese' kind of place? That alone turned me off and then the yuck factor.... not to mention all the types of food and toys that they have.... add a dash of e's SPD and you have hell!

[ChetMC]

Not Sure

I'm not sure what we'd do in this case. I can't imagine that we would stay if our kids were 10 or 11, but they're 3.5 and almost 5. It might depend on how far the Chuck E Cheese was, how many kids were at the party, how well we knew the parents, how busy the Chuck E Cheese was, but I expect that we'd stay. The truth is, DH likes Chuck E Cheese. It would not bother him to stay and play ski ball, ride in the flight simulator while 9 year old boys admired his skill, and make the circuit trying to figure out which games have the best return on tickets for tokens.

[anj7]

I'm neutral. If the kids have fun, then we'll go to the party. But the last time we went to a party, both my daughters were asking to leave. DD1 got an invite a week later to the same CEC and she declined (much to DH's relief, he despises the place). DD2 is scared of costumes and when CEC came out, she freaked. DH grabbed her up and took her outside and they played out there. What I did not like about that episode was that she was stamped to be with me. DH was able to walk out with her and no one stopped him. Needless to say, I will never feel comfortable with leaving my children in such a chaotic place.

[LittleBlessings]

I am neutral. Childerns parties dont bother me as long as it is not hours long

[nextcommercial]

Now that my child is grown, just the thought of it is the ninth cirlcle of hell.

But, when she was little, I loved it! I loved all those obnoxious loud places. I thrived on it.

I'd rather stand naked in a shopping mall now though.

[RufusBeans]

If I know the other parents (ie chat fest) it's fun, otherwise I am neutral

[marybethorama]

I take the kids to those type of places all the time. We love them.

As for parties, I'm just as likely to drop off now that the kids are older. I will stay if I know the parents though.

[Ceili]

I voted other. We go to CEC fairly frequently, about once a month, but we go very early in the morning on days when school is still in session. It's quiet and we have the place to ourselves. A few of my ds's close friends have had CEC parties, but again these have been at 10 am on a Wednesday. DS has attended one party on a Saturday around noon and it was awful in there. On weekdays I can usually sit and talk to my friends and keep track of where the kids are all at the same time, but that day I felt like I had to be on top ds the whole time. Ninth circle of hell for sure.

[columbusmomma]

I voted love it. While I don't love those places per se, I do love socializing! And I do love watching my kids and the others having fun! I personally won't be having a party at one of those places though!

[Alyantavid]

I hate it. But I do take my kids because they have a blast. We recently went to my nephew's party at Hop2It and it was hell. There were entirely too many kids there of a wide range of ages and few of them knew each other. I'm glad I stayed for that one because my son was struggling to deal with some not so nice boys. But we worked through it and he had a great time.

Chuck E Cheese, we just avoid altogether.

[One_Girl]

I do it for dd. Some of the parties are nice but there are also times when I do count down the seconds until we leave. I keep my happy face on for my dd though because she has a lot of fun at all of the places.

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

For parties at that type of place I generally am perfectly happy to drop off, unless there are moms there that I want to talk to. For day-to-day "I want to go play at CEC" sorts of deals I kiss the feet of our nanny and make sure she has enough spending money to keep them amused for the couple of hours after school.

[Viola]

I'm somewhere between 9th circle of hell and neutral. I do it as a parent, but I don't want to do it all that frequently.

[SAHDS]

Depends.

: Chuck E. Cheese - "Get me the HELL out of here."

Odyssey 1 - "Meh, the kids are having fun."

Pump-It-Up - "Move outta my way kid, I'm going in the bouncy house!!!"