Entitled mom demands that birthday party host pick up and drop off her child, guilt-trips busy host when she refuses: “I hope there isn’t any social fallout for my daughter”

Author image for Ely Bulnes
Ely Bulnes • Writer and Editor
Mar 21, 2025 9:00 PM EDT

It's pretty difficult to navigate living in North American without a car. Outside of major metropolitan cities like Washington D.C. or San Francisco, the majority of the US's infrastructure is developed with cars in mind. I spent most of my childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood in small cities that were impossible to walk in; there were barely any sidewalks to speak of and most things were miles apart. In the times that I didn't have a car, I got used to carpooling and offering to pay for peoples' gas whenever I scored a lift. 

In our story today, an entitled mom expects busy parents hosting a birthday party to take time out of their day to pick up and drop off her child. Instead of contacting other parents of children who are attending the celebration and asking to carpool with them, she demands impossible favors from the hosts. The worst part is that she doesn't even know them! Scroll down below to get a taste of her full entitlement. 

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  • 01

    I'm hosting a birthday party for my kid and once again a parent has demanded I pick them off and drop them off

    "The only way we can attend is if you drive us to and from the party."
    via slobo

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    As the title says I'm hosting a birthday party and I let my daughter invite some new friends she's made this year. Yesterday I get a text stating "My daughter and I would love to attend and since I don't drive the
    via u/yournewbestestfriend
  • 03
    only way we can attend is if you drive me and my daughter to and from the party. Please let me know because my daughter is very excited to be able to attend!". This is literally the first conversation I had
    via u/yournewbestestfriend
  • 04
    with this woman, I don't know her from a hole in the ground. I told this parent I'd be too busy hosting to drive anyone. She seemed really upset in her reply. We live in a farming town that is spread out over a
    via u/yournewbestestfriend
  • 05
    We live in a farming town that is spread out over a large area. For all I know she could be on the other side of the township and it could take a very long time to drive them. I also have to pick up the cake
    via u/yournewbestestfriend
  • 06
    and snacks day of the event. I also have to set up and decorate the rental hall the day of the party and tear it down. The rental hall is cheap but that means I'm responsible for all the cleaning so that means I'll be there for a long time.
    via u/yournewbestestfriend
  • 07
    This isn't even the first time I've been asked to pickup and drop off another family for a birthday party I was hosting. At least the last time it was a cousin-in-law and not a complete stranger to me.
    via u/yournewbestestfriend

  • Hosting a kid's birthday party might seem pretty easy on paper, but it takes quite a bit of planning. Assuming the host family would have time to pick up and drop off guests is ludicrous.

  • 08
    Cheezburger Image 10483058176
    via kirin_photo

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 09
    I hope there isn't any social fallout for my daughter but I already told my kid to blame me because I don't mind taking the blame.
    via u/yournewbestestfriend
  • 10
    Beth J2018 Honestly this is a new low for entitlement
    via u/BethJ2018
  • 11
    Wishing Dandelions Right?! If you can't get you and your kid to the party, then no, you can't go. Or let's say there is an issue, ask literally anyone other than the person throwing the party....
    via u/WishingDandelions
  • 12
    Southern-Freedom-761 no, because I don't know why the person's first thought was let me ask the person hosting the party, who will probably be busy in the next couple of days leading up to the party, to give me a ride instead of the other people attending like she could carpool with the other guests if she had bothered to ask them
    via u/Southern-Freedom-761
  • 13
    No-Friendship-1498 It also rubs me the wrong way that this person didn't actually ask. In the quote of the text, there is no question posed.
    via u/No-Friendship-1498
  • 14
    Page Fault It's an invitation to attend, not an all expense paid trip.
    via u/PageFault
  • 15
    Riverat627 Or ask OP as the host if she can let her know whose attending so she can ask someone for a ride.
    via u/Riverat627
  • 16
    Professional_Ruin953 I'm inclined to assume this woman doesn't know any of her child's friend's parents, that explains why she was a stranger to OP, and so would likely be a stranger to the other parents. As a host, I would not put other guests/parents of guests in the socially difficult position of having to tell this stranger no.
    via u/Professional_Ruin953
  • 17
    While it would be more appropriate to ask other guests to carpool, it really should be on her own shoulders. If I were another guest I'd be quite put out that a stranger sent me a, likely, similarly demanding message under the guise of it being a directive from the host.
    via u/Professional_Ruin953
  • 18
    SafeWord9999 The only answer 'I'm sorry but I will so busy the day of the party with all the setting up and arrangements, but you do have plenty of time to arrange a lift with one of the other parents. Let me know if you can make it by the RSVP date!'
    via u/SafeWord9999
  • 19
    Cheezburger Image 10483057920
    via Ezrin Nazan

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 20
    Honestly the audacity! And the added guilt trip that she's already told her kid about it
    via u/SafeWord9999
  • 21
    trig72 Perfect wording. SHE can arrange her own ride without bothering you about it. Not your responsibility!
    via u/trig72
  • 22
    lolthrowawat1234 Let me guess. If they want to leave early they also expect you to just leave your own kids party early to drop them off too. SMH
    via u/lolthrowawat1234

  • There are lots of parents that think that birthday parties are just free group babysitting. 

  • 23
    yournewbestestfriend OP I joked that if I agreed to drive her the next thing she'd ask is if I could pick out, buy and wrap their gift for my kid too. I also didn't want to drive them because I'd have to get them early in the day and if they didn't cooperate I could end up being late to setting up and tearing down.
    via u/yournewbestestfriend
  • 24
    Normally I like to help people but I've been taken advantage of one too many times by people that don't drive. Once I'd agree to driving them one it became the expectation that I chaffer them to everything.
    via u/yournewbestestfriend
  • 25
    Spalding Penrodthe3rd That lady is insane. You are hosting the party it's not up to you to get her ride. This is a red flag to steer clear of that lady and her daughter. You don't know her and she already has this level of entitlement. Who knows what she'll be asking you to do if you become "friends".
    via u/SpaldingPenrodthe3rd
  • 26
    yournewbestestfriend OP Yeah that's what I figured. Her language made me think she's the type of person that uses people as soon as she find out someone is willing to help.
    via u/yournewbestestfriend
  • 27
    My parents are very generous people and I gave seen them get used by entitled people so many times. I can quickly figure out if someone is a user and I've become good at deflecting it. Some people will use their kids as part of the guilt trip.
    via u/yournewbestestfriend
  • 28
    Like mentioning how excited the daughter was felt like a manipulation tactic. Like why tell your daughter she can go to the party without having transportation arranged? It was to pin the disappointment and blame on me for refusing.
    via u/yournewbestestfriend
  • 29
    factsnack Sorry but this is totally unreasonable. The answer to her text should be "that's a shame, would have loved to have had her there!" End trans.
    via u/factsnack
  • 30
    Sewing-Mama Crazy! We hosted an outdoor party last week. I had NO extra room in the car after packing all the food, cupcakes, cooler of drinks, party supplies, and a wagon to carry everything all to/from the
    via u/Sewing-Mama
  • 31
    playground. There's absolutely no way we'd have room for two more, much less the time when it's hectic enough getting ready. Also, your car will likely be full of presents on the way home, so even if you had room in your car on the way to the party, you might not on the way home.
    via u/Sewing-Mama
  • 32
    Ratchet_gurl24 Your response should be 'I understand if you're unable to attend due to transportation issues. Thank you for letting me know you're not coming' If they truly want to attend, they'll have to find other options that do not include you playing uber.
    via u/Ratchet_gurl24

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marriage entitled parents birthday mother childhood adulting relationships parenting Party love entitled red flag daughter Reddit raising kids entitled people
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