The thread started on "An Invitation to a Wedding" with all its talk on manners got me thinking.....
Is there any other childless person out there that is tired of being invited to the birthday parties of friend's children? I am childless by choice. I have a large family with many kids, visiting me, making a huge mess of my house, bugging me for money to go to the store, waiting for me to drop off their gifts every year, playing pranks on me (I'll get those little suckers back), walking around with my shoes on, peeing in my bed, etc. I love the kids in my family and have always attended their functions/parties. So, my life is full of kids and all that comes with them. For the kids I know and love, I will always attend their parties and pretend that there is no other place I'd rather be, for their sake. I have no problem compromising my lifestyle in exchange for a good relationship with the kids in my family. They are great....although they are a pain in the butt. So, I am not anti-kid, by any means.
Now, my problem: I have a friend that has three kids. She has invited me to each of their birthday parties since they turned 1 yr. Her kids are now 8, 10, 16 yrs old. Once every few months I am expected to show up at a B-day, bearing gifts. I usually give the kids money. I am so sick of being invited to friend's children's birthday parties. I don't have kids !!! I don't like playing "pin the tail on the donkey". Geesh. I was just invited to her 16 yr olds B-day party last month. What do you buy for a 16 yr old? Why is a 16 yr old still getting such child-like parties where the mother pressures her adult friends to attend? The 8 yr olds B-day is coming up in two weeks and I have already been told that the "invitation is in the mail" and to "make it to the party". These parties are NOT fun parties to me. Singing "Happy Birthday" three times a year to kids I BARELY know is NOT my idea of a good time. It is getting to the point where my friend calls me and I cringe thinking that another party is being planned. If I tell my friend that I can't go to the party, she lays a HUGE GUILT TRIP on me that is unbelievable. I will then hear, "Well, I am not inviting my family because we aren't talking, so I am only inviting people that I think care about me." Or, "I really need you to come to this party because I didn't invite too many people". Or, "So-and-so didn't come to the last party....so that told me who my real friends are. Oh, umm, I'm sorry...did you say that you couldn't come to the next party?" Yes, this girl is unbelievable !! So, I usually go to the stupid parties out of PITY. BTW, this friend is just a "phone-friend", so I really haven't gotten to know her kids over the years. I only see her and them at these boring parties. Should I just ask her to stop inviting me? I am tired of making excuses not to go, or showing up to drop off a gift and leaving after a few mintues. She lives out of town and it is a long drive to get to her house. Thanks.