Yesterday was my sweet niece Sarah’s fourth birthday. It’s hard to believe that she’s already four years old because it seems like just a few days ago that I was sitting with my sister while she was in labor as she went on and on about how easy it was to give birth to a human being. I didn’t mention the fact that it wasn’t that easy for me because I had some crackpot of a labor nurse who kept telling me I wasn’t in labor until she realized I was ten centimeters dilated.
Yes, yes I am. That’s what all the screaming has been about. I wasn’t faking.
In reality, I’m sure I did remind my sister of my experience because I am just that petty and slightly bitter about the whole thing. Even so, I am thrilled for her that her particular birth experience was basically watching “Dancing with the Stars”, getting an epidural, and having a baby. We should all be so fortunate.
Sarah’s birthday party was at Chuck E. Cheese, largely because that rat is the reason she is potty-trained. It’s all about hitting them where they live and she was willing to do anything, even something as horrible as going to the bathroom on the actual toilet, to earn a trip to Chuck E. Cheese.
Caroline was so excited about a trip to Chuck E. Cheese because it’s generally a place I avoid like the plague that can be found on every single game located therein. In fact, she asked me why Sarah always gets to go to Chuck E. Cheese and she doesn’t. I didn’t know how to explain to her that her mama generally tries to avoid all kid-themed restaurants due to all the children that eat there and the tendency of the staff to dress up as animals, so I just told her she gets to have fun doing things Sarah doesn’t get to do, like killing betta fish with a diet of pet Sea Monkeys.
As soon as we made it into the restaurant, Caroline grabbed her cup of tokens and was off in the pursuit of big, germy fun. She fed tokens into one machine after another in the quest for tickets. Her eyes began to glaze over as she discovered the high of winning a long strand of tickets and I made a note to myself to keep her away from Vegas. Thanks to her great-grandfather, she has a bit of gambler in her gene pool and apparently it’s lurking just under the surface.
After a while it was time to eat pizza and participate in all the birthday festivities. The birthday girl got a little overwhelmed by all the hoopla, but I couldn’t blame her. If a big rat in a half t-shirt with no pants walked out of a back room to sing me happy birthday, I’d be freaked out too because it would be like my 21st birthday party all over again.
Once all the kids had gotten their second wind thanks to some pepperoni pizza and pink Barbie cake, they hit the floor again to use the rest of their tokens. I followed Caroline around like a video game waitress, holding her cup of tokens and storing her increasingly large stack of tickets in my pockets.
I wasn’t sad when I realized she was down to her last two tokens. I warned her that all the big fun was about to end and she would once again be just a normal kid whose mama doesn’t take her to Chuck E. Cheese on a regular basis. We took her pile of tickets to the ticket-eating machine, which is much more efficient than the days of my childhood where you’d just pile all your tickets up on a counter while some surly teenager begrudgingly counted them.
Her grand total of 181 tickets printed out on the receipt. We went up to the counter and I showed her what she could get with her winnings. And thus ensued the most arduous deliberation process I have ever witnessed. Seriously, the jurors in the O.J. trial came up with a verdict faster than it took her to decide between a fake bug and a piece of Laffy Taffy.
Just about the time my head was about to explode, she decided on a fake plastic ring, a bracelet, and a clip for her hair because everyone knows there are no finer accessories to be found than those at the Chuck E. Cheese prize counter.
The best part is it only cost about $10.00 in tokens to win prizes valued at thirty-five cents.
I think I smell a rat.
In a half t-shirt.
But, seriously, it was a great party and Caroline told me on the way home it was the BEST PLACE EVER.
Happy Birthday, Sarah! We love you and your fondness for Chuck E. Cheese.
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I never used to get why people avoidedplaces like that until I suffered my first family round of the vomiting virus. Now I get it. Here’s hoping y’all are safe…
At least most everything in there, save the rat, is a hard surface so that might limit the length of time that the germs can actually survive. I remember going there when I was young and working my ass off to get just a few tickets worth nothing. Apparently Caroline isn’t old enough to get it – God bless her.
I’m glad I’m not the only momma who doesn’t take her kiddos to those places. I can’t handle it, I just can’t handle it…
My kids begged to go there…and then were scared to death when the music started! We wolfed down our pizza and left…and I’ve never been back. It is kind of creepy, if you ask me! But no one did….
Ahhhhhhhhhh “Chuck E Sneeze” parties!
good times. good times.
I wasn’t sure what was the smartest decision of the CEC corporate rats…..taking out those ball pits that were basically a screaming petri dish…..or adding beer to the menu.
Oh, I never was a fan of that rodent in the half shirt either…..(but never even noticed he had no pants! eek!)
I am with you Mel! I feel EXACTLY the same way about that place and never take my kids either. Daddy on the other hand is a hero because he takes them AND is great with video games so wins plenty.
Chuck e cheese is why they invented germ x. and the pizza is awful and costs as much as a steak dinner. and the pitiful prizes. and kids LOVE it.
They are recession proof! ha!
Oh my goodness, I thought someone got a stomach virus. Glad no one is sick! Side note- I wrote a post partially dedicated to you and my other ‘favorites’ Just thought you might want to know. I’m not about to tell Ree….too much of a mystery.
All my pictures from childhood birthday parties at Chuck E. Cheese have my brother and I screaming with tears streaming down our cheeks.
We have similar photos from anywhere Disney-related, too.
Chuck E. was a great date night for us when we were younger and poor. Back in the day they had coupons for a large pizza, pitcher of soft drink and 35-50 tokens PLUS they gave tokens for good report cards. That was a real treat for our four kids every 6-weeks. After pizza, we would write their initials on the 4 corners of a napkin and divide the tokens into even stacks. They could only take 3 tokens at a time, so they had a blast and had to check back in with us regularly as their dad and I had time to visit and catch up on the week in the dull roar of screaming kids and video games – plus any extra tokens that could not be divided evenly went to mom to feed my pinball addiction. Where else can you get dinner and a show (that I didn’t cook and without paying a sitter) for under $20? Fond memories;-)
I don’t think I was ever more excited than when my boys outgrew the Rat. I did a little internal dance. And one more thing that creeps my kids out…the Easter bunny. Makes me laugh so hard when we all start talking about.
Y’all have a great day!
That was so cute!!!
We drive by the local Chuck E. Cheese every so often and my 3 year old will say “I want to go in ‘DERE!” I have to come up with excuse, and I’m not sure how much longer I can hold out. 
Funny post!!!
I’m so glad to find someone else who feels the same way I do about that place. Ugh. Funny thing is, my oldest daughter had a birthday party there–her 6th, I think. That was the last time I ever set foot in a Chuck E Cheese. My youngest swears she’s been gyped in life because she’s never been there, but I pull out the pictures of her sister’s birthday to prove that she HAS been there–she was two months old and sitting in a car seat.
So, there, I’m not as bad a mom as she thinks.
I just laughed so hard at your post! Thank you!
We have a baby boy due in 2 weeks and I have already sworn that he will have no knowledge of CEC until some brat in first grade tells him about it. And then I’ll have to come up with some great excuse! (Ha. In reality that’s about the time I’ll give in…)
Germaphobe mom here! I wasn’t one, but then K- was born right in the throes of RSV season, we go to church, people kept grabbing her baby handies, one thing led to another and we have a Purell addiction at our home.
Really, we need to go into rehab.
Nonetheless, Chuck E Cheese would make me twitch. However, it is the place where Hubs took me for our engagement dinner. “Honey, will you marry me?” (Carried me through the snow– yes carried– to a romantic spot just lightly lit and by the light of flashlight and on a bridge over the river, he asked. Then, he took me for great fun– really lots of fun– to Chuck E Cheese!) Oh, we Whacked A Mole right along with the rest of them!
I wonder, do they wipe that stuff down at all?
Oh honey, I totally understand how you feel. Chuck E. Cheese freaks me out – it was much better when it was Showbiz Pizza and there was a large bear named Billy Bob and a female duck that sang Dire Straits songs. Why yes, I was a child in the ’80’s. Fond memories, but going these days? Not on your life.
Maybe I shouldn’t have read this today. We’re about to load up and head to the Chuck E. Cheese in Nashville with the children from our church. Hand sanitizer, check.
I’m with you. I wrote a similar post. It was my 4 y.o.’s first time and he was in love with the place. Luckily he hasn’t asked to come back yet but when he does, CEC might have to be broken.
Thank God, I’m beginning to look normal here. I have always said CEC is a virus waiting to happen. My husband thinks it was nursing school that turned me into a germophobe, but if you’ve ever seen a kid poop on one of those rides….lets just say that it took me longer to get my purell out than it did for the staff to “clean up” the mess. Gross. Avoid it at all costs.
I have to echo everyone else’s thoughts. Thank you for making me feel normal today. I am glad that I am not the only one who has a giant aversion to the House of Mouse–gone wrong! My kids didn’t step foot in there until the first bday invitation rolled in. Man, I was ticked! My thoughts were along the lines of, “What stupid parent. . . .” I took hand wipes and was crabby all day.
You’ve pulled me out of two years of lurkdom with this post.
I have been a longtime Chuck e Cheese avoider. I have always felt like it was paying big money to acquire two days worth of stomach virus.
Several years ago a brand new CEC was opened in Fort Worth Texas and my mom’s group convinced me we needed to take all our preschoolers there while it was relatively germ free.
It was against my better judgement, but we went.
Within thirty minutes we were settled at tables while I our children ran around the play area when I looked over at a little girl (who was not a part of our group) standing next to mine. She looked a little green.
She was only able to say, “Mom, I think I’m gonna….” before she began hurling in a projectile manner.
It took me about two and a half seconds to gather my kiddos and head out the door. And I haven’t been back since.
All this to say, I understand you Big, I understand.
Oh, I know the feeling. My grandson had his birthday party there in Feb. And my granddaughter wanted hers (this past Sunday) there too. We opted for a trampoline and kiddie swimming pool.
This is amazing. Here I sit with my camera full of Chuck E. Cheese photos, getting ready to do a post. Yesterday was Cameron’s 4th birthday. And I spent three hours at Chuck E. Cheese last night, at his birthday party, which you just described down to the last detail. Seriously, I just have to change “Caroline” to “Cameron” in this post and you’ve done all the work for me.
Until last night, I hadn’t been to Chuck E. Cheese for about 25 years. Hard to believe the pizza hasn’t changed one iota. It’s still unbelievably horrible, but my word, the kids love that place. It’s like a preschooler Las Vegas. A couple of the kids were so star struck when Chuck showed up last night, they couldn’t talk.
We don’t have Chuck E Cheese here in Ireland – must have been run out of town along with those pesky snakes by St Patrick!
Somehow I think my life may just be complete without it
I think bamboo under the fingernails is preferable to the whole ticket/prize selection process.
My husband enjoys taking the kids to CEC because he loves to play the games as well. Usually, he & our oldest disappear into the labyrinth that is the CEC games and I just follow the younger one around making sure he does not disappear. Good times.
Oh my, got to love the rip off that Chuckee Cheese is! I went to drop my 4 year old son off there with his cousins and of course had my new baby of 2 months with me. I carefully had her completely covered with canopies and blankets and a look that said “Don’t touch my baby!” and you know at the front desk where they stamp your hand to match your kids because it’s just the best security system for drunkin parents (because you can drink there) can pick up the right kid in their drunken stoooper and then drive said kid home. (Okay enough of that) Anyway, to dumb teenage kid started to remove my carefully placed barrier for my sleeping 2 month old. I said “No, you will not stamp her hand.” He said “we are supposed to stamp all hands”. “Don’t you dare think about it, she’s mine, your going to have to trust me. Then he gave me a second look when I went to leave, I dare him to challenge the bond of breastfeeding if he so choose to make a fuss of me leaving with my unstamped daughter! Gotta love Chuckee Cheese, “where a kid can be a kid” and “a parent can be a drunk”
Oh boy do I remember the good ole’chuckie cheese days!!
They actually sent me a coupon on Mother’s day this year. I thought that had to be the worst marketing ploy ever. What Mom in her right mind would want to spend her day trying to pry out all the tokens their kid dropped from underneath the skee ball machine?
I am so fortunate, my kids are freaked out by the robotic band on stage, so we haven’t been in years. Now, we do love the beach, and always go to an arcade and earn out tickets. Usually we get a tatoo with our tickets. Something classy like a huge skull or butterfly!
I use to love Chuck E. Cheese when I was a kid. It was a special thing to go there, I guess my mom avoided dressed-up rats too hehe
Now I’ve got to go read your post about great-grandfather because you’ve hooked me already 
I was thinking you were going to say this story ended with a stomach virus, so I was happy to see that it didn’t!
I have a treasure box in my classroom so I have to sit through extremely long deliberation processes every time a child goes to pick out a toy. I feel your pain!
You have a sister? How fun!
If it makes you feel any better, my daughter is about to turn 6 and has never been to Chuck E Cheese. We did do a birthday party at Bullwinkle’s (which is essentially the same germ ridden thing), but I too like to avoid those places at all cost. There is not enough hand sanitizer in the world to make me feel good about going there.
Thus the reason we call it the Rat Palace at our house. The germs and especially the pain of prize selection… Blech!
BTW – I love reading your blog. It brings much laughter to me each and every weekday morning!
I can’t imagine how many germs are in that place, kudos for trying to steer clear!
I remember when technology got fancy enough to have a scale that would weigh your tickets. I thought life wouldn’t get better. But a ticket counting machine?! We are thisclose to flying cars!!
I loathe Chucky Cheese. I used to be a nanny, and the girls I minded were obsessed. Anytime there was anything to celebrate we headed to Chucky Cheese.
I fear for the day my very own daughter will beg us to take her there.
The title of your post alarmed me, I’m glad noone actually got sick. Again, thanks for the laugh..
Oh…Chuck E. Cheese…so not for the faint of heart! So glad you made it through that experience in tact!!!!
Glad I’m not the only one that doesn’t take the kids to Chuck E. Cheese! I hate when the commercial comes on and I hear a chorus of “Can we go?” “I want to go there!”
I always reply maybe next week…seems to be working so far.
My mom was told she wasn’t in labor when she was about to give birth to me. They tried to send her home, but when she couldn’t make it down the hallway, the nurse “humored” her by checking her, then screamed out, “SHE’S CROWNING!”
I don’t know if my mom would want me to share that here, but I hope it brings you comfort.
Oh my gosh you nailed it right on the head!!! I loathe CEC. The only part I would add to my journey would be the gallons of hand sanitizer I expend. I am tempted to take clorox wipes, but I am tempered by what others might think…
Oh my…We were just at Chuck E.Cheese last night for the second time this month.We were there a couple weeks ago for my daughters birthday.Yeah,I didn’t feel like I had a choice because EVERY time someone asked her how old she was she would say “I’m three and when I turn four on June the 8th,we are going to Chuck E. Cheese for my party”.She did this for an entire year.We were going to go when she turned three,but I had just given birth to her sister two weeks before that and there was no way I was subjecting my newborn to that.They seriously should have hand sanitizer stations all around that place.And their pizza leaves a lot to be desired.Here’s hoping our kids don’t get sick in the next couple of days!
I am another one of those Mamas who avoid Chuck E. Cheese. In addition to the germs, I can’t stand all the noise. It drives me crazy.
Now that my son is eight, he seems to have lost interest and no longer thinks I’m the meanest Mom in the world.
We also only go to Chuck E. Cheese for birthday parties because I am a germaphobe and avoid places like that. And I swear everytime we go my daughter ends up sick, no matter how much hand sanitizer I apply through out the day. I keep thinking I should ban the place all together but I don’t want to be the party pooper Mom that keeps her kids from birthday parties.
And on a side note, I think we must have had the same labor and delivery nurse. I also had one that insisted I wasn’t in labor when I was really dilated to a 10.
I think every Mom in America has a bad Chuck E. Cheese story. My daughter’s involved the gorilla in the band. Thankfully at 24 therapy has wiped out most of the ill effects.
Great post: thanks!
He he he…I remeber those days well, and the dreaded decisions at the prize counter. That, to me, was the worst part of the whole deal. Just when you are excited about going home, you are stuck for another hour while they try to make a decision about which crap they want, then trying to get the attention of the prize-master so he/she can hand over all the junk. Only to have it break in the car on the way home or the next day.
Then again…you could be like me with a new 16 year old driver on the road…maybe Chuckie Cheese is not sounding so bad!! he he he.
I swear that you must be my missing twin. I’m reading your CEC story and I almost fell on the floor. I have yet to step foot in one b/c I told my daughter that they didn’t have Chuck E Cheese’s in north Houston (which held true until late 07) and that they only had them in Duncanville- which is where my BFF introduced her to the RAT. She did it on purpose b/c she thought that my daughter was being deprived of a childhood ritual. Whatever… I don’t think she’ll need counseling in her 20s b/c I failed to go to that germ infested rat hole.
And- my Murphy’s Law pregnancy and birthing is the sole reason I have an only child. Every one told me that I would forget about it and have another. Not so- I wrote it ALL DOWN so that I would never have to overly embellish those stories. Keeping it real, sista.
I have to go against the grain here. I love Chuck E. Cheese!
1. If you sign up for their club, you get emails with great coupons. You can get pizza, drinks, and tokens for $20-$30. Cheaper than dinner at Applebee’s and there’s entertainment, too. Plus, I think they’ve really improved their pizza in the last year or so.
2. The coupons that come in the Sunday paper include one for the apple cinnamon dessert pizza for $1.99. I would eat one of those for dinner if it wasn’t such a bad example for my kids.
3. Our Chuck E. Cheese has a toddler area with play equipment/slide (doesn’t require tickets), a few of the car rides, and a couple toddler friendly games. The kids (twin 2 year olds) hang out in there with one parent while the other plays usually.
4. Deal or No Deal, ski ball, and Haunted Mansion make me happy.
Big Mama, I had tears streaming from my face after the comment about your 21st bday. Seriously, you are SO hilarious. I absolutely love your blog!
Wow, I just love how you write! Definitely made me smile today, and not regret the fact that I have never been to Chuck E. Cheese (although I do have vague recollections of ShowBiz Pizza during my childhood…)
Glad no one got sick!
Two trips to CEC for my five year old = two episodes of croup. So, the four year old has never been. And, every once in awhile one of them will make a comment about how awful their life is because they never get to go to the place where “a kid can be a kid.” You know where else a kid can be a kid? The pediatrician’s office with whatever germs they catch!! Yuck! I’m with you Big Mama!
Ahhhh! Chuck E. Cheese. I have fond memories of going there most times my brother and I stayed with my grandparents. My mom hated the place, but grandma had no issues whatsoever. Of course, she also took us to Toys R Us everytime she babysat (lived only 20 min. away, so we were there at least once every 3 months)! The memories….
Of course, now I have no desire to EVER set foot in a germspot like that again (or any of my future children). Or those inflatable places..I’ve attended waaaay too many parties at those inflatable places.
My daughter’s been twice and my son’s NEVER been (much to his chagrin), and my husband stated the other day that he “might get them past the age of caring without ever having to go into Chuck E. Cheese!” Lucky man…
Note to self … do not eat cherries while reading Big Mama’s blog – you might choke on a pit while laughing hysterically.
I know my kids are grown now = we went when you still had the tokens hand counted and there was no beer.
Our worst memory was a party for our three year old son when we had whining kids who were starving and we kept asking about their pizza. Finally, they told us the pizza somehow became stuck in their oven and burned to a crisp. They did give us all of our money back and we went down the road to a Pizza Hut, because, you know, they are so much classier!
But, my very favorite part was the description of your sister’s labor compared to your labor! I now realize why you may not be eager to go through that again. The way you described your sister’s experience was way too funny!
In high school my boyfriend worked there for a short amount of time. Sometimes I would pick him up from work and he smelled like Chucky Cheese. I can’t even explain it… sweaty kids, pizza, grease, urine, sweaty animal costumes… please tell me Chucky Cheese isn’t a requirement of parenthood.
I just finished a blog post on how that ridiculous cheesy mouse is the prize destination for two girlies who do what they’re supposed to by the end of their swim lessons tomorrow! That dumb mouse is my ace in the hole! But I’m totally with you on the place…I would rather just have the stomach virus than go thru the experience of contracting it from a Ms. PacMan joystick in the C.E.C. arcade that hasn’t been clean since the plastic was pulled off of it in 1982! We’ll be there tomorrow night celebrating the fact that our kids stand half a chance of not drowning. I think I got taken…
Boy there’s a strong smell of germaphobic paranoia in here. Lighten up ladies and let your kids have some fun. Chuck e cheese is no dirty’er than anywhere else you go. Ever wonder why your hands feel so gummy after handling a shopping cart! keep the bacterial whips handy and let them be kids, and avoid scaring them for life because of your phobias! and yes, I’ve raised 2 of my own, so this isn’t just some dribble coming from a childless crazy cat lady. I’ve clean up my share of vomit and whiped thousands of runny noses, and my kids had a lot of fun growing up, and are practically free of hang ups caused by my paranoias and fears.
(Hi! This is my first comment on your blog, but I’ve really been enjoying my daily read of it for a while.)
This post kind of makes me glad that my last memory of it is still glazed over with rosy childhood nostalgia. In my mind, I still seem to remember Oscar-like trophies glittering behind that prize counter…
I think we will be avoiding that place as long as we can. there are much better options for birthday parties…there has just gotta be.
Personally I liked it better when it was billy bob the big round brown bear and it was showbiz pizza. there was no need to bring a big rat into the picture…i am just saying…
i laughed alot…thanks for sharing.
You described to a tee every trip we’ve ever made to C.E.Cheese. Thank heavens others feel the same way I do about germs at Chuckie’s! We try to be the first one’s there and I follow the grandkids around with hand wipes. Yes I look like a fool but then concsole myself remembering Kelly, of Regis and Kelly, pointing out the likelihood of your child getting pink eye from the ballpit and figure I’ll laugh last at ER on a Sunday morning. And they can protest all they want, but the hamster crawl tunnel attached to the ceiling is off limits. Uck uck and more ucky smeary germs.
I had my fourth birthday at Chuck E. Cheese and I have pictures of that creepy rat with his hands on my shoulders and I’m crying. Can’t a girl play games and eat pizza without the attention of a half-dressed rodent? I am TOTALLY with you.
Once again, we are true sisters in spirit. I also recently decided that Harrahs or some other casino bigwigs really secretly own CEC, and it’s just a way to get small children addicted to the lights and sounds of casinos … not to mention the fabulous prizes! Ditto also on the germ-factor & the freakish rat. Sadly, there’s a CEC in the same strip mall as our grocery store, about .8 miles from our house … so now I’m forced to come up with excuses about why we “never ever get to go there” about 20billion times a week!
I HATE Chuck E. Cheese.. It is so icky. And this post literally made me laugh out loud at the vision of the rat in half t-shirt with no pants…how does anyone NOT find that creepy??
oh, and have you ever written a birth story post? because I would LOVE to read it! I was also told by labor and delivery nurses that I couldn’t start pushing like I claimed I needed to, until I was 10 centimeters. They stuck me in a waiting room for an hour because they were in the middle of a “shift change”. When that smarmy nurse finally bothered to check me, I was 10 centimeters and the baby’s head was crowning. No time for a Tylenol, let alone an epidural. I’m still bitter about the whole thing!
All I’ll say is, thank goodness you kept her out of the ball pit.
I just knew Caroline was sick b/c we had the stomach virus 4 years ago that I still blame on that rat! I loathe CE Cheese but my kids adore it. Glad she is well!
I’ve been there. I loved winning tickets too, until I realized the prizes were nothing to write home about.
I got some hair clips too, but they didn’t hold my thick hair. Bummer.
The prizes at Discovery Zone are better. The kid at the counter realized how hard my brother and I worked for those tickets, and we each got a lunch box.
You know, you’re right, I haven’t thought about it much because, well, I just try not to spend a lot of mental entergy on Chuck E. Cheese unless a birthday party or something forces me to, but a restaurant whose gimmick is a dressed up rat is quite suspect isn’t it? Hilarious post.
you are seriously the funniest person ever. And I love that you just left us wondering about your 21st birthday party
I’m sorry, Melanie, I have to speak up again in defense of Chuck E.
My kids love the rat. They chase him around the place. I know that costumed characters do scare some kids, though.
I’m wondering if all these moms who are afraid of the germs also keep their kids away from church and school and other places where germy children can be found. I think some people need to be a little more honest, and say that they just can’t stand the place without using germs as an excuse. Like Melinda, I’m glad that my kids get to experience all kinds of things, including CEC.
In addition, I’ve never seen a drunk person at CEC, and I don’t think the management would tolerate it. The hand stamps are to keep other adults from walking out the door with your kids.
8 YEARS ago we went to a party there, and both daughters got extremely sick and 1 ended up in the hospital. We have never been back…. But I’m sure you guys are just fine.
I have never been to CEC, but I do have vauge memories of my own 3 year old birthday party at Jungle Jims (Jungle Gyms? Jungle Jyms? Place that no longer exists in San Antonio?) and have taken many a child to Gatti Land. It really helps if you just block out all the germy thoughts! And wash your hands. A lot. : )
Be thankful you only had to survive Chuck E Cheese. I just watched my oldest daughter back out of the driveway to drive herself to youth at church for the first time EVER about 45 min. ago and my stomach doesn’t feel so good for which I don’t think there is a cure!
I had two parties there–my 3rd and 4th–when I little and always dreamed and schemed about going back. My parents played it off as “only a place for birthday parties” and since we didn’t live within a thirty minute drive from house of the mouse, it was solved. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized I’d been duped. And it wasn’t until I took my own children that I realized just exactly why.
What a great description of the painfully slow process of “spending” tokens. On our summer vacation in Florida last year, my son won 12,000 tokens at an arcade. I’m not kidding. 12,000! It took him almost an HOUR to pick out 42 different kinds of junk! It was like trying to spend 27 million dollars at a convenience store. Good times!!
Oh, my word. Hilarious. Love the ‘half t-shirt’ comment.
And, yeah, the ticket-counter machines are MUCH nicer. 
Your title was perfect. Two years ago we attended a party at Chuck E. Cheese and the take home prize was the flu for most of our kindergartners. Misery. As we were playing games and touching all those germ infested machines, I had to wonder what was really on there and could “they” really keep the machines clean. Uh, no.
A rat in a half t-shirt!?! HA!!!
im one of the odd moms out here. we dont live remotely near one, but there is one by Nana’s and baby grandma’s house and i leave babe with one of them and take the boys during the afternoon….i use the token coupons either printed off the puter or from the paper to get like twice as many tokens for the $$ and let them play to their hearts content. i also make sure to do the drawing booth with each boy every trip. they both think its awesome and have even taken their Nana a couple of times…very good experiences for us.
if a virus is gonna find its way to my house it will usually be thru me and not the kids anyway they never catch anything
steff
Chuck E. Cheese is something only a child can appreciate but know that in time, they will get to a point where they won’t be caught dead in a Chuck E. Cheese.
So enjoy the moments. Even if they include a mostly naked rat.
BTW, Chuck E. Cheese for grown ups is called Vegas.
I try to repress all my memories of Chuck E.Cheese. I so hope my kids have outgrown that place. The teenagers are so done but not sure about the 10 yr old.
Best CEC post EVER.
I think you need a post dedicated to your 21st birthday party… What was that about?
I too am not a fan of Chuck E. Cheese. My kids have been three times and I promptly dipped them in a vat of hand sanitizer when we were done.
Sad part is. I told them to save up their tickets for something big—-like I’m ever taking them there again!
So three years later I have tickets for about 350 points…if Caroline needs another Laffy Taffy, let me know.
“like a preschooler Las Vegas”
Someone owes me a keyboard! Hahahaha
Thankfully, our closest CEC is 45 minutes away…but thanks to commercials, they know it exists. We have been once and the deliberations at the chep plastic toy counter almost sent me over the edge!!!
HA HA HA !!!
I’m totally laughing out loud at your “rat in a half t-shirt and no pants” paragraph.
Completely agree with you on the virus thing . . . in fact, my husband and I lovingly refer to McD’s Playlands as “Germlands.”
I just have to say that this is hilarious, and I’ve loved reading through these comments.
I work at Chuck E. Cheese, and sometimes I just want to go home.
Mind you, not all kids are brats, sometimes I get the awesome grandmas and grandkids who love me, and sometimes the kids just hang all over me (usually when I’m Chuck E.).
My solution? A boiling, half-hour shower when I get home. Heehee.
I love chuckie! You may think different though, because i am only ten
maddie is that u from katie’s birthday? its me angelina! i love chuckie 2!
Yep, its me angelina! lol! chuckie rocks! the only thing i don’t like is those people making fun of him. i mean, we are children! please!
I know! its not like we are twenty or something, im nine and you’re ten.
Bye Angelina! im going there today
Lucky! Bye maddie!
C U in July!
oh yeah my party! Bye!
Bye!
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