The parents who wrote this hilarious birthday party invitation deserve a gold medal

Mom shares birthday party invitation
@not.just.nat/TikTok

If you’ve ever planned a children’s birthday party, then you already know how it all goes down: A theme is picked, discarded, re-picked, discarded, and then picked again; the decorations cost an arm and a leg; the invite list gets bigger by the day; and before you know it everything has gotten completely out of hand altogether.

That’s why this birthday party invitation is going viral on TikTok—it’s hilarious, relatable, and true to what the birthday kid wants while keeping parents happy. Basically, it’s perfect. And required minimal effort to execute. By the end of the video, you’ll want to award the parents who wrote it a gold medal for getting it so, SO right.

“My son has come home with the most hilarious birthday invitation I have ever seen and I need to share it,” she said. “It reads as follows: Evan, you are invited to [Insert Child’s Name Here] fifth birthday party. This event is brought to you by Pinterest Fails and the Dollar Store, so please set your expectations appropriately.”

The best part is when all of the party “themes” are listed. As a mom planning a fourth birthday party this summer for my youngest, I can only nod and laugh along (she’s torn between unicorns, Bluey, Mickey Mouse, and mermaids, btw).

“As requested, the theme will be unicorns but with rainbows and maybe bats, but there should be princesses and also Minnie and we need dancing lights so dress accordingly. Please pack a bathing suit, sunscreen, puddle jumpers, etc. in case your sweet baby angels decide our original plan sucks and the pool would be a better time,” the mom reads.

The invitation also clarifies that it’s a drop-off party and a “parents can stay” party. Because you really never know! Sometimes you’re standing around awkwardly at some rando bowling alley wondering if you should go sit at the smoky bar and leave your kid alone, and sometimes you drop your kid off and head to Target for some alone time. This invite makes it clear: either scenario is FINE.

“If you would like to drop off and run, we support that entirely. If you would like to stay, we will provide adult juice and deny any offers to help, to be polite, but deep down, want to support you. You do you.”

As much as we can all appreciate the Pinterest-inspired birthday parties that provide an idyllic, photo-perfect atmosphere—and we do—the reality is that most of us are too tired and too busy (and too broke, let’s be real) to execute a shindig that looks like David Tutera designed it. Also? Kids don’t care what the heck their party looks like. They care about running around and being hyper with their friends, eating cake, and opening presents. The decorations could be one sad balloon and half a banner, and it wouldn’t matter to them one bit.

“Needless to say, we will absolutely be attending because these are my people. This is the kind of mom I can be friends with,” the mom who shared the video says.

She also says she’ll be posting a follow-up video after the party, as many inquiring minds want to know what it’ll be like and live vicariously through her.

But seriously, who and where are these parents? Because they absolutely deserve a medal (and a cocktail) for this delightful execution of their child’s birthday party invitation.