Unruly Kids

kshemingway

Delete

kitsunegari89

Um I love kids, but if you're truly worried they will literally knock over the cake and they are normally badly-behaved in public, I'd consider not inviting them and not making any excuses as to why because it's your prerogative. You don't HAVE to invite kids. Usually I would say to invite kids, but my experience is with well-behaved kids that are excited to attend a wedding, not hellions. If you MUST invite them, see if you can't set up a movie for them to watch in a soundproof, padded room away from the rest of your guests.

lc07

Can you provide some sort of entertainment for the children? Photobooths are popular and kids love them. Maybe bubbles or coloring books? I think kids tend to get unruly when they are bored.

monkeysip

Hmmm... not sure exactly what you can do now that they're already coming. I feel like that there's nothing you could say to her that would really have an effect. Maybe have an area for kids, with games, coloring books, etc.? Maybe that would distract them enough? It's probably too late for this, but I know that some people even have a separate kid's room with a hired babysitter. Otherwise, just make sure the cake is high up and secured well to the table

monkeysip

Why the DD?

lc07

@Kshemingway, why the DD?

HisGirlFriday13

Why did no one quote OP?!

monkeysip

Lol she deleted like 5 minutes after she posted!

lc07

@HisGirlFriday13 it was so tame! It was not anything I would ever think would be deleted.

Basically, OP has three nephews who are invited to the wedding who are unruly. OP loves the kids but the mom is a single parent and has seemingly given up on disciplining the children. OP is concerned they will wreak havoc on the wedding reception like knocking the cake over. What should she do?

rajahmd

Quote people, quote.

HisGirlFriday13

It's always the ones you don't think of deleting who delete...

lc07

Lesson learned. I'm not usually one of the first posters. I will quote in the future for sure. OP, seriously, what's up? We were being helpful.

Amyzen83

Ugh! I missed another possible good one

kmmssg

OP - wish I had seen your post.  I know beautifully behaved children and I know demon spawn whose parents are useless at discipline.  Since I didn't see your post I will shoot from the hip here.

Can you talk to your sister about this?

Can you enlist your parents to talk to her?  Is there any chance of having someone there who can keep an eye on them?  I would hate to ask that of my family, but I also would help keep an eye on a demon child if it were necessary.

The first time my sister married  her ex-husband (you read that right) he had a daughter who swam in demon waters.  She kept sticking her fingers in the cake and we knew it was a matter of time for it to hit the floor if she wasn't watched.  Fortunately it was a cake and punch kind of reception and we didn't have to guard the cake for too long.

Is this a problem the rest of your family recognizes?  Sometimes you need to sit these parents down and do an intervention.  I realize that is easier said than done, but ignoring the problem only contributes to the problem.

I ended a friendship over some demon children.  I was years long friends with 3 couples.  The 3 guys in those couples and I served in the military together.  Karma bit the one who could be a chauvinist pig (only to yank my chain) and he had 4 daughters.  They.were.awful.

The other 2 couples' children were very dear to me and I didn't want to stop inviting them to things at my home because of those 4 girls so I took matters into my own hands. I quit inviting their kids but not the others.  Piss them off?  Oh that would be an understatement.  Have others followed suit since I  broke the ice?  Yes, they have.  The behavior of those girls has had poor consequences for their parents but they brought that on themselves.

I hope something in here will be helpful for you.

 

climbingsingle

Boo!

Cookie Pusher

Came for the DD, leaving some puppies...

pinkshorts27

Cookie Pusher said:

Came for the DD, leaving some puppies...

Cute, who doesn't love puppies?

kitsunegari89

Wha?? why'd she delete? It was a hella tame post.

happywiggle

Aw man, no QFP?

GIF off anyone?

short+sassy

When I was planning my wedding, one of my coworkers confessed that when he was 6 years old, he DID knock a big ole' many-tiered wedding cake over. He was running around like a hellion and thought it would be fun to dart in and out under the cart holding the cake (it was in the hallway being pushed out at the time)...and accidentally bumped the table hard enough that it toppled the cake over. Ironically, his family weren't even guests at the wedding, they were just at the same hotel.

kitsunegari89

short+sassy said:

When I was planning my wedding, one of my coworkers confessed that when he was 6 years old, he DID knock a big ole' many-tiered wedding cake over. He was running around like a hellion and thought it would be fun to dart in and out under the cart holding the cake (it was in the hallway being pushed out at the time)...and accidentally bumped the table hard enough that it toppled the cake over. Ironically, his family weren't even guests at the wedding, they were just at the same hotel.

That's so messed up. I crashed a wedding when I was 6, but I only ate finger sandwiches from the buffet table and took one of those mini bubble things and some Jordan almonds and left. My mom always dressed me really nice, and there were other kids there (which was why I wandered in) so nobody noticed. Staying in hotels is the best when you're a kid.

kholle131

I don't know if this is proper etiquette or not but I stated on my invitations that children are welcome but if anyone would like to invite a caregiver for their child (without coming right out and saying it but implying that they could take them from the reception early if need be) then to add their caregiver's menu choice on the RSVP. This could increase my head count some but I doubt many will take me up on it.