Birthday Party Etiquette

Okay...now that I have survived yet another party, my question is this: When is it acceptable for a party to be a drop-off event and when is it mandatory for parents to stay the entire time? Sure, when you get an invitation to a party for a one year old, two or three year old, there's no doubt in your mind that you're going to stick around for the festivities. But at what point do you cross over the threshold and get to leave your kids at a party while you slip out to pick up a pair of shoes at Loehmann's or whip through the aisles at Stop & Shop or, dare say it...go home to relax and maybe even read?

I have dropped my daughter off at a few parties lately, but yesterday, at her ice skating party, I realized there are certain situations where parents should maybe stick around the entire time...and this one was it. So what do you think? Should parents be required to stay at a party that has a danger factor or should they take a chance and slip out for a few rounds of gold or a piping hot latte? Sound off and let us know what you think...

Are Your Kids Addicted to Webkinz?

Is it just me or have your kids gone over the deep end with the newest craze to hit the playground...Webkinz!!! I thought they were harmless enough, those furry creatures that you pick up in your local toy store. When we tried to get them the first time, they were totally sold out - I couldn't understand why, but I figured they'd eventually show up and we'd eventually buy them. And so, when we stopped by the store a week later, they were there, and we adopted four Webkinz (two for my daughter, two for my son) - my friend incidentally has 22, so four is pretty conservative if you think I'm being a bit overindulgent with my kids...but I digress.

We then had to fill out the adoption papers for the animals on the Webkinz website and then the kids started playing. And playing. And emailing their Webkinz friends. And playing games against their new friends. And decorating their Webkinz rooms, and earning Kidzcash and then, after my son spent all his cash on a TV, trampoline and toilet and wanted to buy a tub for his Webkinz cat, he ran out of cash. And he lost his mind.

He cried and cried and cried. And even as we tried to win more kidzcash for that damn tub, we'd have to play an entire year before he can afford it. I told him to try the Webkinz employment office but he didn't raise too much capital there either.

So now, we've got a room full of stuff, but every time he logs on all he wants is that damn tub. If anyone is reading this post and has a kid who owns a webkinz and wants to send my kid a tub as a gift (you know what I'm talking about), please reply and I'll send you back some online flowers.