Parunts sued over son's birthday party no-show :wtf

Well f*ck me...

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A five-year-old boy has been billed for failing to attend a friend's birthday party - resulting in legal action.

Alex Nash, from Cornwall, was invited to the party just before Christmas.

An invoice for £15.95 was sent by his schoolfriend's mother Julie Lawrence, who said Alex's non-attendance left her out of pocket and his parents had her details to tell her he was not going.

Alex's father Derek said he had been told he would be taken to the small claims court for refusing to pay.

Alex's parents, from Torpoint, had accepted an invitation to the party at a dry ski slope in Plymouth, Devon, just before Christmas.

However, they realised their son was double-booked and due to spend time with his grandparents, which he did.

His parents said they had no contact information for Ms Lawrence at that time.

They found the invoice in a brown envelope in his schoolbag last week.

The invoice lists a "Party No Show" fee
Mr Nash said: "It was a proper invoice with full official details and even her bank details on it.

"I can understand that she's upset about losing money. The money isn't the issue, it's the way she went about trying to get the money from me.

"She didn't treat me like a human being, she treated me like a child and that I should do what she says."

In a short statement, Ms Lawrence said: "All details were on the party invite. They had every detail needed to contact me."

Mr Nash said he had been told he was being taken to the small claims court because he was refusing to pay.

Just when you think they can't get any more entitled... I guess Bratleigh was so angry about losing out on one extra birthday present that he or she was more than happy to deliver the note to little Alex at school. That's one entitled sociopath in the making right there- what will happen when the sprog turns 17 and doesn't get that car they wanted? I hope the parents one day get sued by their own offspring, that would be poetic justice.

Oh, FFS :goggle It is a common assumption that when an event is organized you will likely have to eat some of the expense because of those kind of people. It is the worst kind of rudeness for some to RSVP then change their mind without notifying the hostess, but the consequences have always been that you strike the offensive guest from any further invitations, not charge them.

Lord, I hope the party organizer loses their claim if they take it to court. Let's not go setting a precedent, it will become an established practice for baby showers, weddings ....

Yes, no-shows are annoying and can be expensive, but taking someone to the Small Claims Court and getting the invoice delivered by their sprog in school rather than dealing with it sensibly like adults? What sort of an example are they setting to the Birthday Sprog here?

As with any social situation there is a set of unwritten rules- don't be a no-show without giving notice, don't bring uninvited guests, do bring a bottle or another gift for the host etc- but likewise there is another set of unwritten rules for dealing with those who break the rules- don't invite them again, don't accept their invites etc. Unless these parunts made their guests sign a legally-binding contract they won't have a leg to stand on and they probably know this, they just want to intimidate the parunts and massively shit them up. They'd have been better off learning some basic manners and trying to get on with people- then they'd probably have gotten back their £15.95 along with a bottle of wine and a card to say sorry.

This is so pathetic. Seriously pathetic. Just when you think that people can sink no further, they set new records. I literally can't even. :smn

I DOUBT the invitee and/or his parents had no way of informing the hosts that he couldn't make it (it says details were on the invite...and the kyd could have told the birthday brat if they're schoolmates)...but DAMN. These are exactly the type of petty breeders who have too much time on their hands and make everything concerning their crotchfruit a huge fucking deal because their entire identity is centered around having shat out a kyd or five. :headbrick

What's next, $100 invoices delivered to people who decline baybee shower invites?

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Mr Nash’s partner has been in contact with the mum via Facebook hoping to resolve the situation.

Yes because FB is the best way to resolve an issue...

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rudeawakening


What's next, $100 invoices delivered to people who decline baybee shower invites?

I have personally witnessed people being browbeaten into attending "shower" functions in the workplace. Whether or not they wanted to go was immaterial, but the message was quite clear: They were expected to attend this event, they were going to attend this event, and they were required to contribute $xx.xx to subsidize this event.

While it technically wasn't an invoice, it had all of the same attributes.

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StudioFiftyFour

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rudeawakening


What's next, $100 invoices delivered to people who decline baybee shower invites?

I have personally witnessed people being browbeaten into attending "shower" functions in the workplace. Whether or not they wanted to go was immaterial, but the message was quite clear: They were expected to attend this event, they were going to attend this event, and they were required to contribute $xx.xx to subsidize this event.

While it technically wasn't an invoice, it had all of the same attributes.

Oh, I had to deal with that kind of crap at my last workplace. I worked off-shift, so when the summons came to attend an event - always during normal working hours - I clocked in.

You want me to attend, you are paying me freaking OT. It was never disputed, either.

Wise move, Dorisan. They want you to show up at work during your off-hours...they can damn well pay you.

As for the parents in the article...I'm not sure there are words for them.

No-shows are a pain in the ass, but I take their absence as a sample of their communication skills, and move on. I don't invite them to things that are more than casual attendance, and never to anything where we have to count heads and invest in costly food.

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Dorisan

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StudioFiftyFour

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rudeawakening


What's next, $100 invoices delivered to people who decline baybee shower invites?

I have personally witnessed people being browbeaten into attending "shower" functions in the workplace. Whether or not they wanted to go was immaterial, but the message was quite clear: They were expected to attend this event, they were going to attend this event, and they were required to contribute $xx.xx to subsidize this event.

While it technically wasn't an invoice, it had all of the same attributes.

Oh, I had to deal with that kind of crap at my last workplace. I worked off-shift, so when the summons came to attend an event - always during normal working hours - I clocked in.

You want me to attend, you are paying me freaking OT. It was never disputed, either.

This is the downside of at-will employment; I'm sure if I refused to attend a baby shower at a company where TPTB decided that my presence was mandatory even though they really can't mandate such a thing, I'd find myself being criticized and written up for things that were never an issue for anybody prior and then fired. All because I didn't want to come in during my time off from work, when I would either be relaxing or getting things I need to get done, to be forced to acknowledge and validate the result of somebody fucking without birth control.

Good that you clocked in and that nobody disputed it. If you *have* to be there, then the company pays you. If the company doesn't want to pay you for being there, then your presence is completely voluntary.

On-topic, this is ridiculous. First of all, it's not like the kid fucked off the party for another friend's last-minute invitation somewhere; his parents realized that he was actually supposed to go to his grandparents that day. The child had a prior engagement (1) with family (2) members that, depending on age and health, may not be around for years longer (3). This is one of those times where you just say to the child's parents, "I would have appreciated some notice that X would no longer be attending so I could plan accordingly, but I understand the situation. We lose track of our scheduling sometimes and family does trump a birthday party." That's it, situation over, and if the offending party has some grace, they'd offer an apology and maybe a token of apology. Give them one more chance to prove themselves worthy of further invitations and any repeat infarctions means that you scratch them off the invite list.

Once you have a kid, you're going to have to swallow money here and there. If they can afford to take somebody to small-claims court, they can swallow £16.

------------------------------------------------------------
"Why children take so long to grow? They eat and drink like pig and give nothing back. Must find way to accelerate process..."
- Dr. Yi Suchong, Bioshock

"Society does not need more children; but it does need more loved children. Quite literally, we cannot afford unloved children - but we pay heavily for them every day. There should not be the slightest communal concern when a woman elects to destroy the life of her thousandth-of-an-ounce embryo. But all society should rise up in alarm when it hears that a baby that is not wanted is about to be born."
- Garrett Hardin

"I feel like there's a message involved here somehow, but then I couldn't stop laughing at all the plotholes, like the part when North Korea has food."
- Youtube commentor referring to a North Korean cartoon.

"Reality is a bitch when it slowly crawls out of your vagina and shits in your lap."
- Reddit comment

"Bitch wants a baby, so we're gonna fuck now. #bareback"
- Cambion

Oh whatever. Abortion doctors are crimestoppers."
- Miss Hannigan

It is like people are getting creative in their insanity. I think that kid will lose friends as people will think that letting their kids over at their place will lead to a surprise lawsuit or a bill over some minor expected kid thing

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cfdavep
It is like people are getting creative in their insanity. I think that kid will lose friends as people will think that letting their kids over at their place will lead to a surprise lawsuit or a bill over some minor expected kid thing

Excellent point.

Basically, if this "friendship" is found to cause anything but completely amicable results, they'll pursue litigation.

Hypothetically, my kid would be on an absolute no-communication basis with that young man.

Wow, that's just spectacular. Because ONE kid didn't attend this brat's party, the parents are suing for what I think amounts to around thirty US dollars? Petty much? Look, if you throw a party, you gotta assume there might be a no-show or two. Shit happens - more pressing matters come up sometimes, people forget. And it's not like this was a life-changing event. This wasn't a fucking gala where the company's success depended on whether or not you show up to suck some rich geezer's ass in order to wring an eight-figure donation out of him. It's a kindergartener's birthday party.

Are these breeders that bitter over their dumpling missing out on one present and being out a few bucks? The fact that this Alex kid would choose Grandma and Grandpa over cake and ice cream tells me one of two things: he's a sensible kid that understands he made a promise to his grandparents first, OR the birthday kid is an insufferable brat that wasn't worth being around. What kind of penny-pinching cheapskates keep track of party expenses down to the cent? Must be they were intending to charge all the no-shows and calculated how much each parent "owed" them should their kid not attend. I assume the value of the presents was meant to cover the cost of the party. So, if someone gave a gift that was worth less than £15.95, would the parents send an invoice for the remaining amount "owed" to them?

Fuck, what's next? Sending someone a funeral invoice for not showing up or not sending flowers? No one is required to attend any social function, and this sets a bad precedent where people can bill you as they please if you dare not show up. If the parents discussed this shit like adults, I'm sure they could have worked something out. I get being upset over a no-show, but to bill them and have your kid deliver the bill to the other kid is just ridiculous, and then to SUE when the parents don't pony up is beyond the pale. Guess the brat's handlers don't know how to be ashamed of themselves. I assume these kids aren't friends anymore, so will Birthday Brat's Moo send the kid a bill next year for failing to attend too?

A small aside: When I graduated high school, my family decided to throw me a huge party, rent out a hall and have food catered (all against my wishes, but I digress). I was told I could invite a few friends, but to make sure these friends were 100 percent sure they would show up so Aunt Jane could let the caterers know how much food to make. I invited five people and four didn't show up. It sucked, but I would have been mortified if my relatives sent those friends invoices to cover the cost of the extra food. Not showing after they said they would was an ass thing to do, but like I said, shit happens.

A thought just occurred to me: These are the same kind of asswipes that would bring their child(ren) to a wedding or a similar event where it was explicitly said no children or they RSVPed 2 and decided it would be no BFD to +1 or more. How would they take an invoice of charges of the consumption of their uninvited guests and being sued in small claims court because the party planner/person paying for the party ended up having to pay more than originally intended and/or for damages because of Petty Moo bringing extra people without consent?

I'd imagine Petty Moo wouldn't take it too well when it would be far more justified.

------------------------------------------------------------
"Why children take so long to grow? They eat and drink like pig and give nothing back. Must find way to accelerate process..."
- Dr. Yi Suchong, Bioshock

"Society does not need more children; but it does need more loved children. Quite literally, we cannot afford unloved children - but we pay heavily for them every day. There should not be the slightest communal concern when a woman elects to destroy the life of her thousandth-of-an-ounce embryo. But all society should rise up in alarm when it hears that a baby that is not wanted is about to be born."
- Garrett Hardin

"I feel like there's a message involved here somehow, but then I couldn't stop laughing at all the plotholes, like the part when North Korea has food."
- Youtube commentor referring to a North Korean cartoon.

"Reality is a bitch when it slowly crawls out of your vagina and shits in your lap."
- Reddit comment

"Bitch wants a baby, so we're gonna fuck now. #bareback"
- Cambion

Oh whatever. Abortion doctors are crimestoppers."
- Miss Hannigan

Here's an idea.

How about having the birthday party at the guest of honor's house? These fucking breeders shell out big bucks for Snotford's 5th birthday at some fucking fancy place WTF is wrong with these people???

Assholes.

I'd love to hear Miss Manners's take on this.

Anyhoodle, an invitation is not a summons, so I don't think the pahrunts have a leg to stand on.

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JoJo
I'd love to hear Miss Manners's take on this.

Anyhoodle, an invitation is not a summons, so I don't think the pahrunts have a leg to stand on.

I wonder if there is a version of Judge Judy over there. I'd love to see someone like her deal with this case