What's the etiquette with parties?

[lilima]

From prep DS went to some parties without me. I stayed for pool parties. You really need more than 1 adult for movies in case someone needs to go to toilet etc during movie. I would expect to pay for the movie as you have invited them.

DS had 4 friends to movies for his birthday. DH and I both went and we paid for kids. We also made up food bags instead of purchasing there.

[Doing my best]

I only leave my 6 yr old if it is in an environment not catered for parents (e.g a lot of girls in my area have gone to a princess parlour where they get nails painted and pampering tailored to little girls, and it is a drop and go party, but it is a venue designed for the party, not to have lots of extra people around).

I still stay for at home parties and anywhere the venue is general public accessible. I was fine with parents staying or not staying at DD's party this year.. I even collected some of the girls from school and their parents collected from here, and also asked a Mum to take my DD when she was invited to an after school party on my work day.

I would probably take DS to the same movie and sit away from the party if DD was invited to a party at the movies.. But that is just me.. If I invited children to the movies as a party, I would be paying for the invited children.. If parents were like me and wanted to go, it would be at their expense..