Feel like I'm being selfish about kids at Bridal Shower

A bridal shower is even less of a place for children than a wedding is. Typically (it seems) that these either take place at a hall or a not so very kid friendly home (it just seems to work out that way)...thos poor boys are going to be bored to death while a bunch of women make dresses out of toilet paper and watch you open gifts.

I would try and find a sitter for the kids from out of town (do you or FH have a more local younger cousin that could be willing to watch them? Maybe take them to a movie during the shower? And then I would tell the others that the home isn't really a kid friendly place and that it may be better if they found someone to watch their children (for the locals)

I love kids, and we'll have plenty in attendance at our wedding, but I feel the shower is more for the adult guests. The kids aren't going to be entertained by the shower at all, and it's going to be extremely noticeable if the house is small and not kid friendly. I agree with Maltese about seeing if a responsible younger cousin would keep an eye on the kiddos. If not, maybe see if FH is willing to help you out and take the kids out of the house with some help.

Don't tell your stepsister she can't bring her kids. That'd be kinda rude.

I say, find one random bedroom in the house and bring in some video games and a screen. The boys will be entertained for hours with video games.

I agree it's a bit rude.. but I also feel it's rude to just decide you are going to bring your kids for the fact that other kids will be there. My mom has a very small room where she thinks all of the kids are going to fit but that's not going to happen... I just know it's now going to be chaos.

Maybe they can put all the kids in one of the bedrooms with toys, activities and tv? I know that is what my family does when there is an adult oriented event, but some kids are brought anyways.

While I was the one saying how much I don't like kids in yesterday's thread, I have to say that my family actually almost always brings kids to our bridal showers, but they only bring girls. My three aunts always host all of the bridal showers in our family and my older married cousins bring their daughters with them. All of them have always been well-behaved though. I've only ever seen one boy at one of our bridal showers, and it was the infant son of a bridesmaid of my last cousin to get married, and obviously she had told the bridesmaid it was fine to bring him.

Could you get them a babysitter?

Maybe have the kids all stay at your step sister's house with the sitter?

I'm not sure of anyone who could babysit, my mom wants to pay one of the girls to watch the younger 4 boys but who knows... sigh... which normally I am all for having kids at family functions I just didn't expect so many to be at the bridal shower. The older girls don't bother me as much... it's more the boys that are wild and not the most well behaved kids.

I like JaKlyn's idea of asking FH to watch them...does he really need/want to be there just open the gifts? I'm sure he would rather play around with 4 rowdy boys than spend the day with a bunch of cackling women! Is this something you can bring up to him? Maybe see if he can take the kids to Chuck E Cheese for a couple hours?

I have 2 boys and would leave them at home for a shower (and wedding too lol). Yes they are well behaved at 4 and 9, but a shower is not the place for them to be. They'll be bored even with video games etc because most have 2 players and kids don't always share well

My FH will be at work... it's not a co-ed shower so he didn't take any time off work for it. Otherwise it would have been a perfect idea.

I just say because at every bridal shower I have attended, the Groom shows up right around at the gift opening time.

Do you/FH have any brothers, BILs, step brothers, male cousins of a fairly responsible age that would be able to occupy these kiddos for a couple hours?

@ Maltese I got the idea because my FH and his BM are awesome and have already offered to take kids 2-10 to a place called defy gravity for any showers that we have. It's essentially a giant indoor bounce house and play ground for kids. Plus it gives FH a foolproof excuse not to come to the shower, which his mom thinks he should attend.

Yeah I do have my nephew... hmm thanks for the advice now to go back to the drawing board to see who I can get to watch them

My MOH specifically stated no kids on the invites- the shower is at a bar

This is YOUR wedding. Remember that. You are not obligated to please. A child ban was the first thing put into place during wedding planning. As soon as I found out my mother-in-law was involved in the wedding shower planning (she has recently backed out... don't ask). Either way, my mom was in charge of the invites so I had her write at the bottom of the ones going out to people with children "No Children Please". Kids get in the way. Yes, they are blessings. Yes, they are gifts from God. But do they belong at a wedding where the adults are socializing? Do they belong at venues that are not accomodating? Are the bride/groom responsible for entertaining them? The answer to all three questions is no. No regrets. This is all about you and your fiance and what YOU TWO want.

Thanks... I tried to convince my mom to tell everyone no but it ended up being a arguing match and I don't want to stress her out over it... I just wish I would have known sooner but like I said I just found out last night so it's just all kind of a shock to me... Now since it's so soon if I say no kids it makes me look like a horrible person. Ugh :-( And I think what's bothering me even more is my youngest nephew is 2 years old... so unlike the other boys he HAS to have supervision at all times...

No. This is appalling. For one thing, there will be adult topics and gifts that should NOT be in the presence of children. I'm not kidding, I'd tell them to find a sitter because children are not welcome at the shower. The wedding is one thing, but a shower is absolutely no place for a child. I'm sure other guests have had to make accomodations. It doesn't make you a horrible person to put your foot down. I would tell your mom and your guests no children- period.

Only if it's on the tit.

Remember, "if it's on the tit, it's legit."

@sunshine I just LOL'd. Hard.