<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"  When I invited a friend to a cocktail party I was throwing, she made a fuss and said she wouldn&amp;#039;t come without her children. Although I really didn&amp;#039;t want them there, I caved. How can I prevent this from happening in the future? In the case of this specific friend, tell her before your next adults-only gathering that you enjoy her kids but hope she can hire a sitter. If she declines, so be it. Indeed, it&amp;#039;s generally better to let all guests know your preference from the start. A written invitation makes it clear who&amp;#039;s being asked, but if you&amp;#039;re inviting people verbally, you&amp;#039;ll have to mention that it&amp;#039;s an adults-only evening. And don&amp;#039;t be too hard on yourself. It&amp;#039;s perfectly okay to throw kid-free parties. Still worrying about your friend&amp;#039;s feelings? Perhaps you can arrange a get-together with her -- and her children. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/parenting/q-and-a/a20901/cocktail-party-kids-oct01/?src=shelter_footer>