A five-year old boy has been billed for a no show at a friend’s birthday party resulting in threats of legal action.

It’s tough being a kid these days.

Back in our day the biggest scandal surrounding a birthday party was when only six girls were invited to Annabel Bett’s 7th’s “P” party. It was heartbreaking knowing all the gang were dressed as Punky Brewster while I sat at home rearranging my swap cards.

Alex and his dad

These days a birthday party fiasco makes headlines right around the world even before the parents involved manage to brief their lawyers.

Overnight the story of a five-year old boy who was invoiced for not showing up at a “friend’s” party ( lets’ face it there is no way these  mums are getting together for a playdate and mini muffins any time in the near future) has made every major news organisation and lit up social media.

The boy, a five-year old cutie from Cornwall in the UK came home last week from school with a an invoice in his school bag for ditching another child’s party.

His Dad, Derek Nash told the BBC that Alex had been invited to a friend’s party at a snow centre.

Alex’s Mum Tanya had accepted the invite and Alex had told his mate he was keen to go.

The snow centre

Happy days.

The festivities included a snow-tube ride and a hot birthday meal with ice cream or jelly.

(Whatever happened to pin-the-tail on the donkey and fairy bread?)

But instead of joining his friends Alex decided to go off piste with his grandparents that day.

Dad, Derek said that by the time they had decided to skip the party they didn’t have a contact number or email to let the boy’s mother know.

Several days later Alex’s Mum and Dad were shocked at what they found at the bottom of his school bag. Instead of a mouldy banana and broken pieces of lego there was an invoice from the mum of the birthday boy.

What ever happened to pin-the-tail on the donkey?

Alex’s Mum, Tanya Walsh told The Plymouth Herald she was stunned at the bill for £15.95. ( A$30)

Derek and Tanya said that in the days after the party they looked for the party boy’s mum at the school (deliciously named, Trooping Nursery and Infant School) but couldn’t find her.

It was a week later when the menacing brown envelope arrived.

“I thought it was a joke to begin with. I am lost for words.” said Derek Nash

The families finally faced off about the matter with Derek going to Julie Lawrence’s home. He told the BBC that when he confronted the host’s mother,  she threatened to take the case to a small claims court.

Alex and the boy now no longer play together.

“Because I was so angry I said she wasn’t going to get a penny out of me’.

A Facebook chain of messages between the two Mums has since been leaked to the media gaining more attention than Kim Kardashian’s Paper cover, with the party boy’s Mum, Julie Lawrence at one stage saying she hoped that the family of Alex had their “lesson learned.”

Reaction of social media has been swift with many divided over who is in the right and many thinking that the whole lot of them are in the wrong.

“These parents deserve each other. One for being rude or disorganised enough to accept and then to just not turn up. The other for being arrogant enough to think a children’s party is a big deal. “

“Don’t think the mom will have to worry about any kids going to their party next year or any other year after that either. That woman needs to get a grip!”

“Skiing? Whatever happened to jelly and ice cream? Their son was double-booked? At age five? 

So happy with my life choices right now…”

While the parent’s bicker and fight and provide detailed interviews to the media the saddest statement really about the whole matter has to be this, from The Plymouth Herald.

“Five-year-old Alex has told his parents that his classmate will no longer play with him after he didn’t show up to the party.”

Alex we feel for you. Having you and your mate’s oldies fighting it out in the international media has got to be tough when all you want to do is play superheroes and tip.