When it comes to putting together a guest list, tensions can start to run high.

If you invite one person, it can seem like you have to invite another – especially in groups that usually all hang out together.

Which is why the couple in this story invited a family to their party that they don’t even like.

And now the reality is hitting them: they’re going to have to hang out with the couple and worse, their horrible kids.

Read on to find out how they considered rectifying the situation.

AITA if I politely uninvite a couple’s badly behaved kids from our party?

My husband and I are hosting his birthday party this Saturday.

We have no kids, just three large, energetic huskies.

We invited a couple with three young kids (a four-year-old, a two-year-old, and a newborn, plus one on the way), but now we’re regretting it.

Read on to find out why they regret the invite.

They’re not the best friends: they’re very needy, always asking for help (rides, gas money, childcare) but rarely reciprocating.

The mom even complained at an event that “no one helps her,” despite several of us constantly doing so.

However, the real issue is that their kids are wild.

They don’t discipline them, and last time they were at our house, it was chaos.

They were dumping water bowls, breaking things, and running everywhere.

Since it was their first visit, we let it slide, but we can’t handle that again.

My husband now wishes we hadn’t invited them, and I agree.

Uh-oh. And this whole situation just kept getting more complicated.

The problem is, this isn’t a strict “no kids” party.

Other friends are bringing their well-behaved kids, which we don’t mind.

We just don’t want this couple’s kids there.

My husband has even gone so far as telling me he’s not that keen on them coming at all, since they don’t really put effort into the friendship.

The husband, in particular, has distanced himself from the guys in our friend group, despite their efforts to support him.

How do I tell them we’d love for them to come, but only if they get childcare?

I was thinking of framing it as a chance for a “kid-free break” and apologizing for the late notice.

AITA?

If the kids are that badly behaved, and the parents aren’t particularly good friends either, it would have been easy to not invite them in the first place.

If, however, the invite was out of politeness since all the other friends were invited, it is going to be a difficult one to back out of now.

Let’s see what Reddit had to say about this.

This person suggested that, unfortunately, the mistake was inviting them in the first place.

While some commenters suggested alternatives to avoid hurt feelings.

However, one Redditor thought that a more honest conversation was in order.

If it’s not possible to find a childcare solution, the couple need to make a choice: keep the friendship and just make peace with the couple’s kids for one day, or tell the truth and risk their relationship with the couple.

Regardless, it’s a good lesson for the future: really, truly consider who to invite before it’s too late.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check out what happened when a family gave their in-laws a free place to stay in exchange for babysitting, but things changed when they don’t hold up their end of the bargain.