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I have a party coming up and some of the ladies mentioned to me that they don't like to have children at clubs, or stamping get togethers. That is their time away from their kids to stamp and have fun, and they don't want to have to listen to crying children.
So how do you ask someone not to bring their children without offending them?
Please keep in mind that a workshop is a time for you and your friends to get together and try something fun and creative. These workshops are not appropriate venues for children. If you are interested in holding a “Stamp Camp�? for parents and kids, let me know and I can arrange one with you.
If you are inviting someone-you can even add a casual-I kow it will be a great night for everyone to realx and not have to worry about the kids for a while-it is always nice to take a break from being a Mommy and spend some grown-up time!
Does that help?
__________________ I want people to be afraid of how much they love me-M. Scott
I agree with camsmom.....on all my email correspondece and newsletters I simply state at the bottom....."Mom's night out, no kids please". I think everyone enjoys their free day/evening out.
I leave it up to the hostess. After all, it's her house and her hubby may be on standby to watch whatever children come. And people can be weird about their children and people/strangers telling them what they can and can't do with them. If the hostess is inviting people she knows have children, it's up to her to set the guidelines.
Someone in our group told a story at one of our meetings of a party she did at a woman's house. The woman invited a friend who had a newborn. The woman with the newborn sat off to the side and didn't participate in the make and take, but listened and looked through the catalog. At the end of the evening the woman ordered over $500 worth of merchandise. The demo would have lost a huge sale if she has said "no children!" and I always remember that story when the subject of children come up.
That is a good point there......I have had guests who ask if their nursing babies can attend or maybe a guest can't come unless she brings a child because they don't have a sitter, etc. In those events, I certainly don't refuse anyone. But in general, my regular customers know that my events are mostly "kid free" and they really enjoy it.
The last stamp club (a CTMH) I went too, one of the members brought her child. The chlid cried the entire time, the mom never stopped stamping she just passed the child around. Some of the ladies were getting angry that she brought her child (she actually brought 2, her 3rd was at home with dad). The ladies hurried up and finished their projects and left. I'm not sure if more ladies were upset that the child was crying or that the mom didn't do anything about it (except kept stamping)!
Since this month I'm hostess (for a SU club), I didn't want the same thing to happen when I invited her.
I think it depends - if it a stamping night out - i.e. get together bring your stuff and lets stamp you could just put it in such a way for a "Girls Night out - a chance to get away from your hubbie and kids and have good time with Adult friendship and conversation" - hopefully that would get the message accross.
If someone asks about bringing their children you can just reply "I am sorry i don't have any babysitting available at this Stamping Night Out - if you would like to take a look at the latest cataloge i would be happy to loan you one for a few days"
I know my demo this summer had a stamp camp during the day for those that SAH and she had childcare available for those who brought thier kids but her evening stamps were adult only....
__________________ Jenni -Happy SU Demo - MY GALLERY & MY CHAOTIC LIFE One kid makes you a Parent - Two makes you a Referee
(she actually brought 2, her 3rd was at home with dad).
Since this month I'm hostess (for a SU club), I didn't want the same thing to happen when I invited her.
Thanks again for all your help
Jovi, I know you aren't talking about me (3 kids!) because I wasn't at your CTMH party, and if Dad was home, I would have left them ALL there with him!!!! I promise I WON'T bring my kids! Who in their right mind would do that???????? I'm just going to tell my husband that I have a really important study group to attend. It's for Art class; we're being graded on it!!! :lol:
(she actually brought 2, her 3rd was at home with dad).
Since this month I'm hostess (for a SU club), I didn't want the same thing to happen when I invited her.
Thanks again for all your help
Jovi, I know you aren't talking about me (3 kids!) because I wasn't at your CTMH party, and if Dad was home, I would have left them ALL there with him!!!! I promise I WON'T bring my kids! Who in their right mind would do that???????? I'm just going to tell my husband that I have a really important study group to attend. It's for Art class; we're being graded on it!!! :lol:
Sonya
Sonya your tooo funny, nooooo I wasn't talking about you! Even if you did bring your chid you tooo sweet of a person to pass her around to everyone if she was crying! The study group is a great excuse, art... hmmm... thats a good one!
I do the same thing. In my last invite for my open house I said
Girls Night Out
No husbands and no children (unless they're really cute little babies)
just us women stamping, noshing and having real conversations
Everyone who commented liked the way I put it so no one's feelings were hurt. I was concerned about one woman who didn't come that I *know* buys a lot for her daughter, who's 9, but the daughter had cheerleading practice anyway and they never miss it. . . but all my clients were happy. And DH will never, ever babysit so that's not an option ;)
The last stamp club (a CTMH) I went too, one of the members brought her child. The chlid cried the entire time, the mom never stopped stamping she just passed the child around. Some of the ladies were getting angry that she brought her child (she actually brought 2, her 3rd was at home with dad). The ladies hurried up and finished their projects and left. I'm not sure if more ladies were upset that the child was crying or that the mom didn't do anything about it (except kept stamping)!
That'a another story. I would be a whole lot of not happy with that situation. It's one thing for a mother to be responsible if she brings her child, it's another to let them cry and expect others to take care of them. My daughter comes with me and I pay for her as she is old enough to stamp and sometimes out does the other ladies, so that's different. When my niece came she wanted to stamp and never cried once. We gave her a cheap pad and WalMart stamps, she never knew the difference, but she was quiet and good the whole time. If she had cried, she would have been immediately removed.
I would have to ask, is it honestly worth it to even invite her? I know that sounds bad, but past behavior dictates she isn't a good guest. I would definitely take that into consideration.
What is a nice way to say....
