Birthday Party Fiasco

Consider this my public service announcement of the week. A warning of sorts....

My son was invited to a classmate's birthday party this weekend. The location of this party was a new place called Monkey Joe's. We are familiar with the old birthday party stand by - Pump It Up. At Pump It Up, each birthday party gets it's own play area where the kids play together, jump around and have a great time. It's contained so the parents can watch the kids the entire time. After the playing is over they go to a separate room to eat pizza and cake. Everyone is tired and happy. Let's go home.

Monkey Joe's is quite the opposite. The main play area is HUGE. There are a minimum four parties going on at one time. Monkey Joe's is also open to the public at all times. This is the opposite of how Pump It Up operates. In this HUGE play are there a minimum of 100 kids and parents. The staff of the operation seemed half way interested in safety measures.

My child is only five so leaving him at any birthday party without our supervision is somewhat unsettling. It depends on where the party is, how comfortable he is with his surroundings and our relationship with child's parents.

In this case, the minute I stepped into Monkey Joe's I knew I was going to stay. HOWEVER, at least 50% of the children's parents felt the opposite. They left their kids to wander around a play area with 100 strangers. Public restrooms and all. Monkey Joe's does try to incorporate a safety feature with matching parent and child wristbands. But that does not stop anything that could happen anywhere else within the play area.

Perhaps I have seen too many Oprah and Dateline programs. I don't trust anyone. I certainly don't trust the general public who wanders in off of the street.

Monkey Joe's may be a great place to let kids blow off steam on a cold winter day. Just be responsible parents and be sure your kids are safe.