How to nicely say "adults only" baby shower

[Louppey]

I'd put "Adults only please, I need some calm before the impending storm!" xx

 

[mspotter]

I'd just say 'adults only please' or 'no children please'

I'm in th UK and no way a shower expert but i always assumed they were adult only anyway?
Xxx

 

[Amygdala]

Honestly, I'd be offended by the line "adults only, please" on an invitation. I'd always ask if my LO is welcome and wouldn't take her to something like a shower anyway unless she was specifically invited. But I'd find it rude for the host to assume that I'd bring her without checking and uninviting her just in case.
Could you maybe speak to the mothers on your guest list in person? Or get your mum to? Just casually saying "I hope you don't mind but I was hoping we could have some mums-only time" will come across a lot less harsh than a line on an invitation.

 

[Cala]

According to etiquette, unless the invitation is addressed to "The Smith Family", then it's implied only the person on the envelope is invited and to a baby shower it would be addressed to "Mrs. Jane Smith".

But for my sisters and sister in law, we put something like "Enjoy an afternoon out and leave the kiddies with a sitter".... no one took offense.

I do like the line above about the calm before the storm - that's pretty funny!

 

[iluvmyfamily]

All my baby showers have been with kids. I didn't mind but everyone is different. It's your day, and you celebrate it the way you want to. I would just put it on the invitation that it's just for adults. Those who wanna come should be understanding about that.

 

[mrs_park]

I personally think it is a little rude to have "adults only" (thats just me though)

Could you possibly word the invitation along the lines of "come and join us for a quiet, relaxing afternoon with the girls..."

 

[wristwatch24]

We decided on "Give yourself a little break; this party is for the grown-ups"

Honestly, to people saying it's rude or offensive, that is your opinion and I respect that, but I think it's rude to bring a child or even ask if you can bring your child when just your name is on the invitation. It puts the host in a position to have to tell you no. If it's openly stated in some way, there is no question about it. I definitely don't think every event is kid-friendly, and to me, showers are included in that. Anytime I've been to a shower with kids (bridal or baby shower), it has been a disaster and the kids made things stressful and completely took away the attention of the person being celebrated. It wouldn't be necessary to add a line in there if people just followed what was written on the invitation and didn't decide to just bring their kids.

 

[Cccbb61013]

A lot of my friends and relatives have husbands that work very demanding jobs and are gone frequently, myself included. I typically HAVE to take my child with my places as do a lot of the women I know. My child is pretty well behaved, although some of these kids are not and I know bratty kids can ruin things, I had an adult only wedding ceremony (kids were welcome at the reception), but when my cousin got married I had to bring my 6 week old baby so I was pretty much a hypocrite which you may find yourself being after you have your baby too. Children are always welcomed at my events tho, especially baby showers since we are in fact welcoming a child. I guess I don't really care about being the center of attention that much that i worry a misbehaving child might steal my thunder. Your oen child will be doing that soon enough! Now that my child is almost 4, I'll make sure other kids are going before I take him because a bored kid is a bad kid. But when he was a baby, he went everywhere with me. Especially bc of hubby's work schedule. If I received an adults only invitation, I likely wouldn't attend. That being said, that's myself in my group of friends. Kids are always there. If you and your friends do it differently then I'm sure they will be thankful for the children exclusion!

 

[Cccbb61013]

And don't mind the typos. Very hard to proof read on my phone!

 

[MrsTurner2012]

We had to do this for our wedding!

We didn't put it on the invites though.

Just told people face to face that no kids were invites apart from our own two.

No one was offended by it. Well of they were they were polite and didn't show it!

 

[wristwatch24]

I would never bring my child to any event to which he/she wasn't explicitly invited. Becoming a parent isn't going to make me all of a sudden think that my child should just be invited to every event. But that's just me.

 

[wristwatch24]

And like I said in my original post, I was simply looking for some fun wording for an invitation, not opinions on how rude some people think it is or how people wouldn't come bc of it. I acknowledged all of that and clearly stated that if people are petty enough to not respect a simple request for adult time then they can simply decline.

 

[Rainstorm]

I would never bring my child to any event to which he/she wasn't explicitly invited. Becoming a parent isn't going to make me all of a sudden think that my child should just be invited to every event. But that's just me.

Some women just assume that their kids are welcome everywhere. I have a friend who recently separated and she's alone with two little kids. Sometimes she brings the kids over because she really has no other way around it, but that doesn't make everyone feel that they are all entitled to bring their kids as well. Anyways I think your choice was accurate.

 

[babydevil1989]

i think it would depend on what time of day the shower was as to whether i would think my childwas invited (if not specifically stated) if it was daytime id think they were if it was evening time i would think it was just me iygwim? x

 

[Moomette]

And like I said in my original post, I was simply looking for some fun wording for an invitation, not opinions on how rude some people think it is or how people wouldn't come bc of it. I acknowledged all of that and clearly stated that if people are petty enough to not respect a simple request for adult time then they can simply decline.

Firstly I don't think that it's rude to not invite kids to a baby shower and everybody can do what they want. I don't however agree with calling people petty for declining an adults only invite as you may not always be able to leave your kids with your OH/a sitter for things, and I personally could never leave my (breastfed) DD for more than 2-3 hours max when she was younger (and I don't mean just the first few months, but more like two years) and even then it depended on timings as she needed me for her naps, bed time, etc. So all I'd like to say really, and I hope it doesn't offend you or anyone else, is to not assume your friends are being petty/difficult if they can't come as sometimes it's just not that simple.

 

[mrs_park]

And like I said in my original post, I was simply looking for some fun wording for an invitation, not opinions on how rude some people think it is or how people wouldn't come bc of it. I acknowledged all of that and clearly stated that if people are petty enough to not respect a simple request for adult time then they can simply decline.

I only think the wording can come across rude at times, not the fact your asking for adults only. I think the way you worded it is perfect. Gets your point across in a non offensive way

If I have a shower (haven't decided yet) we will be going out for high tea and there will be no children at that!! But the wording will be polite and respectful like yours as opposed to 'adults only please' which comes across a little abrupt to me.

Enjoy your shower xx

 

[wristwatch24]

And like I said in my original post, I was simply looking for some fun wording for an invitation, not opinions on how rude some people think it is or how people wouldn't come bc of it. I acknowledged all of that and clearly stated that if people are petty enough to not respect a simple request for adult time then they can simply decline.

Firstly I don't think that it's rude to not invite kids to a baby shower and everybody can do what they want. I don't however agree with calling people petty for declining an adults only invite as you may not always be able to leave your kids with your OH/a sitter for things, and I personally could never leave my (breastfed) DD for more than 2-3 hours max when she was younger (and I don't mean just the first few months, but more like two years) and even then it depended on timings as she needed me for her naps, bed time, etc. So all I'd like to say really, and I hope it doesn't offend you or anyone else, is to not assume your friends are being petty/difficult if they can't come as sometimes it's just not that simple.

I just meant it would be petty for people to not come solely because they are mad that it says "adults only." Obviously if there is a legitimate reason that's different, but if they are just not coming on the principle that they think their kid should be invited then it is most definitely petty.

 

[wristwatch24]

And like I said in my original post, I was simply looking for some fun wording for an invitation, not opinions on how rude some people think it is or how people wouldn't come bc of it. I acknowledged all of that and clearly stated that if people are petty enough to not respect a simple request for adult time then they can simply decline.

I only think the wording can come across rude at times, not the fact your asking for adults only. I think the way you worded it is perfect. Gets your point across in a non offensive way

If I have a shower (haven't decided yet) we will be going out for high tea and there will be no children at that!! But the wording will be polite and respectful like yours as opposed to 'adults only please' which comes across a little abrupt to me.

Enjoy your shower xx

Just read your last post again, and I totally misinterpreted! Sorry about that.

 

[mhk425]

Just be aware that people may bring their kids despite the fact that the invitation specifies not to. My wedding invitations specifically said "adult only," and what do you know? A couple of people brought their babies. Now, they were totally fine and it really didn't bother me, but giving you the forewarning that it could happen!

 

[laila 44]

I think if people bring their kids anyway when it says no kids on the invite then that's just wrong. As long as its worded nicely then I don't think there's an issue. I believe there's a time and place for children and a shower isn't one of them. I wouldn't bring my dd unless She was much older, but that's just me.