About two years ago when my children were two and four we attended a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese’s. It was for the 2nd or 3rd child of my friend and fellow blogger, Underdaddy. My children were instantly hooked on the pasty, cracker like pizza and loud, mind-numbing games. The immediately demanded to go back over and over.
So, I instantly did what any good parent would do, I lied. I told them that there wasn’t a Chuck E. Cheese in town. I said, “You just don’t remember that we had to drive a long time to get there.” My then four year old looked at me skeptically, but having told her the truth about Santa and the Easter Bunny, she took me at my word.
But, this week, we are invited to another birthday party at this nightmare of a venue, and it is a dear friend, so I really want to be able to take them. This has led to a discussion about the best way to handle this amongst our friends.
Should we?
A. Act surprised that they built a NEW Chuck E. Cheese right here?
B. Pretend we didn’t know that it was here all this time?
C. Come clean?
D. Drive around for a really long time in an elaborate ruse to fool my children into believing it is still really far away?
familydoctormom 
Personally, I wouldn’t say anything. They probably don’t remember how long or short the drive was, or whether you said there wasn’t a Chuck E. Cheese near you. I would just take them, and if one of them says something about the previous visit, I would just say, “Really? I don’t remember that.”
Agreed!