Leaving child at a party - what age?

[Amity]

Most parents at our school left their kids from Grade One, (not prep), unless they knew the family personally.

[Astrid]

At 5, I would only feel comfortable if I knew the parents. With DD1's 5yo party most parents stayed, the one I do remember dropping off was dropping off twins who were the oldest amongst the group.

I know that it is quite different amongst other parents. I have heard parents complain about dropping off at a 5yo birthday, yet I went to a 4yo birthday (so many kids were only 3) that all parents but myself just dropped off (it was very awkward as I just did not know it was a drop off party)

[~me~]

From grade 1 if they or I were comfortable.

On saying this, if it's later in the year, I have asked a parent who DS2 (prep) was comfortable with to take him to a party if I couldn't get him to the party myself.

DS1 has really only just been comfortable with me leaving him at parties, he has just turned 9.

[Gigi]

apart from asking for the mobile number, i would also spell it out "is there anything your child is allergic to, has your child got any medical conditions i need to be aware of?" - for the parents you don't know, but who choose to drop their child off with you. Safety first yada yada.

there are 31 kids in my child's prep class, so although i know some of the parents (on a basis level), there are many i've never spoken with.

Like AstroLady's example, bilby gets scared at things that some other kids her age, don't get scared about, so i would prefer to stay. Kids getting their face painted like Spiderman, or skulls etc, freaks her out.

[~Kim~]

DD1 had a party today. She is 6.5 but prefers me to stay. Not usually a prob as I'm friends with most of the mums and we use kids parties as a catch up for ourselves. However today the hostess was concerned that most mums had dropped and run and she hadn't even had time to get the contact details of the mums before they disappeared. This was at a club too, so not at home.

Guess it depends on the kids and the parent set.

[feeb]

DS1 is going to a party in a few weeks at a lego centre and it is a drop off and leave for 1 hr party as they are only allowed to have 3 adults stay so off course birthday boys parents and 1 other. I am only ok with this as it is a mother group friend so will know 90 % of the children and off course know birthday boys mum very well.

If it was a party at home or somewhere not enclosed like lego land I would not be comfortable.

[Phteven]

I tried to stay at the last party because I like the Mum but DS hustled me out the door after about 5 minutes lol. I'm not allowed to stay.