Nicole Sherwin tells Yahoo Lifestyle that other kids in the class also missed out.

A woman has shared a wild story of her friend’s child being uninvited to a classmate’s birthday party. Credit: TikTok/@nikkaloola

There’s something about kids’ birthday parties that unleashes the worst in parents and gets them raging. Whether it’s excluding little Jimmy, spending too much (or too little) on the bash, providing too much booze for parents (or too little), or even not having a party when everyone else has thrown one, there’s always a problem that divides the crowd.

Although these issues will likely sound familiar to anyone who has ever thrown or attended a child’s birthday celebration, an Aussie mum recently stumbled across a party saga that, even as a seasoned mother of two, she’d never encountered. Sharing the situation on her TikTok, Nicole Sherwin was flooded with messages from people who were just as shocked by it as her.

Calling it the “most savage kids party guest list management,” Nicole explained what happened to her friend’s little boy.

Nicole shared the story of what happened to her friend’s son and asked her followers for advice on the situation. Credit: TikTok/@nikkaloola

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5-year-old boy booted from birthday bash

“Her five-year-old got invited to a birthday party,” she says. “She RSVPs on time to the invite…then she gets this reply: “Thanks for your RSVP. I’m so sorry, but we’ve reached the limit for children attending the party!”

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Understandably her friend was gobsmacked.

“The dad invited the whole class but had booked a play centre that had a certain number they could include,” Nicole tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “Other kids in the class also missed out.”

She adds, “With these places you can always add another one in. Personally, [as a host] you can never get the RSVPs right and I’d be happy to add another one.”

Five year old’s heartbreak over invite mishap

Heartbreakingly, her friend’s little boy had already made a card for the birthday girl and when his mum broke the news that he’d hadn’t made the cut he asked if it was because he’d been naughty.

“I don’t think they understand how excited kids get about a birthday party and knowing that some are going to miss out, why would you set it up to go that way, break their hearts?” Nicole, who is from Melbourne, says. “It’s either a power play by the dad which is sick, because they’re kids or they have no idea.”

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Nicole asked her TikTok followers what her friend should do in this messy situation, with the vast majority being united in their feeling that the move was not cool.

“There are always these wild party stories but usually there are people on both sides of the fence. Not this one. There was not one who understood where they were coming from or why that dad did what he did,” Nicole said.

“If there’s a cap why would you invite more than the cap?” asked one mystified mum.

“Since when is it first in best dressed with RSVPs? This is absurd” said another.

“I invited far too many kids to my 5YO’s party. You know what I did? Hired a bigger venue! There’s no way I’d uninvite anyone,” said a third.

“I am confused, an invitation entitles you to a place at the party hence the INVITATION asking them to come??,” someone else said.

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“As an early childhood educator, I know birthday parties are top tier power level,” another person empathised. “I have no advice but the poor kid must be devastated, I feel so bad for him.”

Suggestions pour in for dealing with birthday party drama

The topic quickly became such a hot button issue that Nicole’s followers were inspired to advise on what the mum’s next move should be, with the ideas ranging from measured to more outlandish.

“Show up anyway,” someone said.

“I’d reply with oh no so sad you can’t afford to accommodate everyone you invited. How embarrassing,” said another.

“Maybe she could offer to pay for her kid? If it’s at a play centre or something just explain ‘… was so excited is there anyway I can pay for him to still attend…'” was another reply.

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Others suggested using it as a teaching moment and then moving on without giving it further air time.

“Just get on with your life. They are 5,” said one.

“Be careful how you handle this in front of your child,” suggested another while plenty of people suggested that the mum should find out which other kids were rejected and organise a big play date for them all.

“She does nothing. Moves on,” one said. “There’s really nothing you can do. Support the child and explain that this isn’t normal and it’s not their fault. Maybe plan a play date with the excluded children and the parents can all laugh together.”

Nicole later shared an update on how the situation had panned out. Credit: TikTok/@nikkaloola

Mum’s revenge on dad after son is ‘uninvited’ from party

Although it’s easy to suggest devious acts of revenge from a distance, Nicole points out that her friend has to deal with this dad potentially for the next six years a school events.

“It’s so awkward. She’s going to give that whole family a wide berth from now on,” she says.

But, with calls for an update, Nicole took to social media a few days later to tell her followers what’s happened since.

“She decided she was not going to write back to the parent. It would be too awkward, she still has to see him around school,” she says in the clip. “She’s still got some revenge, though, don’t worry.”

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Describing her friend as “sneaky petty” she explained how she’s managed to sign the dad up to a bunch of mailing lists so he gets a load of spam emails.

“Love that for him,” came the replies.

“This is the best,” wrote another.

“Sign up to for the dad to receive free period product samples,” added someone else.

It just shows, nothing fires a parent up as much as a birthday party drama!

Want the latest lifestyle and entertainment news? Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Fans of Justin and Hailey Bieber have shared their worries after some thought the couple had taken their bickering public, followed by a concerning post by the singer.

After the revelation that Justin had previously told his wife she’d never grace the cover of Vogue, the couple have raised more eyebrows when Justin published a Father’s Day post to his Instagram.

In a since-deleted comment, Hailey appeared to be taking her revenge for a previous comment her husband had made on Mother’s Day.

In May, Bieber posted a seemingly unkind comment about Mother’s Day, which some saw as a swipe against his wife, who would be celebrating her first year as a mum to their son Jack Blues.

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“Love u moms but mothers day sucks a**,” the Canadian singer wrote at the time in an Instagram note, a feature only visible to mutual followers.

As Justin marked Father’s Day, celebrated on June 16, with a black-and-white selfie and the caption “I’m a dad that’s not to be f**ked with,” it was Hailey’s comment that attracted their followers’ attention.

Fans are speculating about Justin and Hailey’s marriage (Raymond Hall/GC Images)

In what seems to be a jab at his Mother’s Day quip, Hailey wrote: “Father’s Day sucks a**'”.

The Rhodes entrepreneur’s comment is no longer visible but fans have been monitoring the pair’s social media activity since their latest tit-for-tat, with some worried that Justin’s latest post could have a deeper meaning.

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Following his multiple Father’s Day posts, Justin has shared some screen grabs of an argument with an unnamed friend.

In his texts, the ‘Baby’ singer insists he would ‘never suppress [his] emotions for someone’ and that if the other person didn’t like ‘his anger’, they didn’t like him.

“My anger is a response to pain I have been thru,” Justin continued.

“Asking a traumatized person not to be traumatized is simply mean.”

Justin Bieber’s since-deleted caption about Hailey’s Vogue cover has sparked fans’ concerns there may be trouble in paradise. (XNY/Star Max/GC Images)

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When the other person pointed out they weren’t used to ‘someone lashing out’ the singer called time on the friendship.

“I will never accept a man calling my anger lashing out,” he wrote. “This friendship is officially over.”

While the comments don’t directly refer to his relationship with his wife and son, a subsequent admission he has ‘anger issues’ in yet another Instagram post has sparked speculation of marital woes for the couple.

“I automatically thought this was Hailey lmaooo,” one person commented on the text exchange.

“His wife somewhere reading these comments and feeling validated,” was another comment.

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Bieber leaked his own texts (Instagram/@justinbieber)

They appear to be directed at a male friend (Instagram/@justinbieber)

“If this is how he talks to friends…poor Hailey :(” another concerned commented noted.

Some people offered advice to the singer, with many recommending therapy and some pointing out Bieber’s post ‘isn’t the flex [he thinks] it is’.

“I don’t know why this is even being put in public,” another person wrote.

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In a message to congratulate Hailey on being on the cover of Vogue in May, Justin revealed he had previously told his wife in spite during an argument that she’d never be on the cover of the fashion magazine.

Bieber’s statement in full (Instagram/@justinbieber)

“Yo, this reminds me when Hailey and I got into a huge fight. I told Hails that she would never be on the cover of Vogue,” he wrote in the since-deleted caption.

“Yikes, I know, so mean. For some reason, because I felt so disrespected, I thought I gotta get even.

“I think as we mature, we realise that we’re not helping anything by getting even.

“We’re honestly just prolonging what we really want, which is intimacy and connection.”

The comment was later deleted and replaced by a string of emojis, but the comments from women writing ‘May this love never find me’ are still visible.

Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith had one of the all-time biggest rereleases in history in 2025, as it returned to theaters for its 20th anniversary. At the same time, Lucasfilm celebrated Matthew Stover’s novelization of the film by announcing a deluxe edition reissue coming in October. While each of the prequel films has its own book adaptation, Revenge of the Sith’s is the first to get a significant rerelease, and it’s one of the few pre-Disney Star Wars novels that Lucasfilm has reissued. And that might be because Stover’s take on Revenge of the Sith is the best novelization Star Wars has fielded so far.

A core issue with the Star Wars prequel trilogy is that the characters’ motivations are often obscured by unexplained world-building or erratic choices. But Stover’s adaptation offers deeper insights on Anakin Skywalker’s transition to the dark side, addressing the ambiguities of George Lucas’ script. Unlike most novelizations, Stover’s Revenge of the Sith enriches and enhances the original material with thoughtful characterization, interesting perspectives, and astute descriptions of Lucas’ galaxy far, far away.

Anakin’s abrupt turn to the dark side in Revenge of the Sith is still jarring today. While Hayden Christensen’s performance drew criticism, his acting cannot be blamed for the speediness of Anakin’s fall from grace. It requires depths of emotion that are hard to discern in the movie due to its storytelling hiccups. But the novelization offers more insight into the Force, its users, and the political makeup of the galaxy. And Stover’s interior monologues for Anakin fill in some gaps as well, making his willingness to embrace the dark side far more plausible.

Photo: Merrick Morton/Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation/Everett Collection

Stover describes the fear within Anakin as “a dragon,” which the character feels could be contained if he becomes powerful enough to defeat his enemies. It’s easier to sympathize with him within this context: After being raised as a slave on Tatooine, Anakin has hesitations about blindly accepting the orders of the Jedi Council, the members of which he must refer to as his “masters.”

Guilt over his inability to save his mother, Shmi Skywalker, drives Anakin to search for solutions that the Jedi Council isn’t willing to provide. His Jedi master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, feels the weight of that same burden. While Qui-Gon Jinn is only briefly mentioned in the theatrical cut of Revenge of the Sith, Stover’s novelization shows that Obi-Wan has been haunted by the death of his former master, who he felt would have been a better instructor for Anakin. Obi-Wan believes he could have helped Qui-Gon defeat Darth Maul in their first encounter on Tatooine during the events of The Phantom Menace. If Darth Maul hadn’t subsequently killed Qui-Gon on Naboo, Obi-Wan feels, Anakin might not have felt such a need for a new mentor, and might not have been open to Chancellor Palpatine’s offers.

Obi-Wan’s compassion for Anakin is exemplified by his insistence that they are “brothers” as of Revenge of the Sith, since he no longer feels that he has anything to teach his apprentice. While the film depicts Obi-Wan as a dutiful follower of the Jedi Council’s orders, Stover suggests that he privately disagrees with its treatment of his apprentice. In addition, Obi-Wan openly objects to having Anakin spy on Palpatine, feeling that it will only breed more distrust. This explains why Obi-Wan is selected to hunt down General Grievous on Utapau; Palpatine removes Obi-Wan from Coruscant to create the perfect opportunity to spring his trap.

Image: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation/Everett Collection

In the film, Grievous is introduced abruptly, but Stover digs into why Palpatine is so keen to have a cybernetic warlord as the commander of the Separatists’ droid army. Count Dooku, he feels, is too clever to be left alive — Dooku had assumed he would be part of the scheme to take over the Republic. Stover notes the privileges Dooku has earned from his wealth, and how he views people as “things,” not individuals. While Grievous and Dooku don’t interact in the film, Dooku’s assessment is that the droid general is a “revolting creature” that could never possess the true power of the dark arts.

Stover even gives more context for Dooku’s look of surprise when Palpatine orders Anakin to execute him. The book describes how he was under the impression that the plan was to kill Obi-Wan, then reveal the truth about Palpatine’s plans to Anakin. Dooku, Palpatine, and Anakin would then conclude the war, and serve as the ringleaders of a new galactic order. Dooku’s last moments are more graphic in the book: After Anakin slices off his hands one at a time, Dooku begs for his life before being decapitated.

While Grievous is a pawn who serves as an excuse for Palpatine to continue the war after Dooku’s death, Stover gives the droid more personality than the movie does. In addition to killing several Neimoidians who were present above Grevious’ ship Invisible Hand, Grievous shows trepidation upon encountering Obi-Wan and Anakin, as he recognizes that they are more accomplished than the other Jedi he’s faced. The book also expands on Grievous’ training under Dooku. While his lack of Force sensitivity makes it impossible for him to ever be considered a true apprentice, Grievous relishes any opportunity to kill Jedi, believing that his cybernetic enhancements and lack of Jedi compassion make him superior to them.

Image: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation/Everett Collection

Grievous, like the entire Clone War, is a diversion that Palpatine uses to distract the Jedi. While the tactical advantage of the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk is not explicitly stated in the novel, Stover indicates that Kashyyyk was invaded to draw Yoda away from Coruscant, depriving Anakin of another mentor. Mace Windu, despite his long tenure as Yoda’s second-in-command, does not truly understand how the dark side tempts Anakin or the fact that Anakin needs protection and counsel. Mace still believes in the prophecy of the “Chosen One,” and thinks Anakin is incorruptible. And he feels that assigning Anakin to spy on Palpatine would sabotage the positive bond they’ve formed.

The story Palpatine tells Anakin about the “tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise” — which has become an internet meme in recent years — is far less ambiguous in Stover’s depiction. Palpatine reveals that Plagueis was his master who he killed in his sleep. His ruthlessness is of little concern to Anakin, as the Chancellor tempts him with the possibility of owning everything from a new speeder to the entire star system of Corellia. Palpatine may see this as an opportunity to test Anakin’s greed, but Anakin’s thoughts are actually centered on providing a safe haven for Padme, who Anakin knows is pregnant.

Stover’s description of lightsaber combat removes much of the silliness that shows up in the theatrical version of the story. He adds insight on the seven forms of combat taught within the Jedi Order, including Vaapad, the style Mace Windu has perfected. Mace’s attempt to arrest Palpatine is less abrupt in the book: It takes Palpatine more than a few seconds to dismantle and dismember the other Jedi Masters who accost him. Although he decapitates Saesee Tiin and catches Agen Kolar off guard, Palpatine does not execute Kit Fisto until moments before Anakin arrives.

Image: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation/Everett Collection

Mace’s downfall is a strategic failure, as Stover suggests that Palpatine feigns weakness to frame himself as the victim; it’s only in Mace’s last moments that he recognizes that Anakin’s desire to protect Padme will supersede everything else. And while Palpatine is blasted with Force lightning, his ghastly appearance is intended not as the outcome of that fight, but as a reveal of his true form. He remarks to Anakin that he will “miss the face of Palpatine, but the face of Sidious will serve.”

There’s little dramatic tension within either of the lightsaber duels at the end of Revenge of the Sith, as viewers who have seen the original trilogy know that all four combatants will survive. Nonetheless, Stover shows that Obi-Wan and Yoda are both faced with ultimatums. Yoda realizes he must go into hiding, as he no longer has the insight to lead the Jedi Order because he failed to prevent the collapse of the Republic. At the same time, Obi-Wan wrestles with the responsibility of having to kill Anakin.

Prior to the duel, Yoda rejects Obi-Wan’s speculation about why Anakin joined the dark side with the remark “why matters not; there is no why,” an homage to his famous “do or do not” line from The Empire Strikes Back. Nonetheless, Obi-Wan prolongs the duel with Anakin by consistently attempting to disarm him; the drawn-out battle ensues because he is not willing to kill his “brother.”

Image: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation/Everett Collection

One of Revenge of the Sith’s biggest question marks is Obi-Wan’s willingness to let Anakin burn alive in molten lava, an unusually cruel fate for someone he claimed to love. Although Stover mentions that Obi-Wan feels that killing Anakin will “burn his heart to ash,” he also admits that it “would be a mercy to kill him,” but that “he was not feeling merciful.” Nonetheless, Obi-Wan’s reasons for departing Mustafar so quickly are ultimately practical, not philosophical. Making the extra effort to kill Anakin would cost Obi-Wan time, and he intends to flee the planet before Palpatine arrives. While his departure from the duel may still feel abrupt, Obi-Wan is under the impression that Padme can still be saved.

Stover shows that Anakin’s transition into Darth Vader is less seamless than the film implies. While on the operating table being fitted with artificial limbs, Vader is tormented by the knowledge that he killed Padme. Instead of the cringe-inducing cry of “no!” that appears in the movie, Vader spends time adjusting to his lack of autonomy, with Stover likening him to “a painter gone blind.”