Do you limit how many parties your kids go to?

[IndigoBlue]

Hi, just wondering if anyone else feels overwhelmed with children's party invites?

This weekend for example we had 3 children's parties to go to / drop off plus an adult party we had to turn down. I've been given another 2 invites today for parties and we have one next weekend.

I have 4 children including a young baby and it's busy enough I feel like we don't get to spend much family time together at the moment. Is there an easy way to decline invites without feeling bad as I see the mums a lot at in the playground etc! Also how to not upset your children when you tell them they can't go....what do other people do?!

[Tsotofamily]

I have 3 dc and I try not to turn down parties for them unless I'm working and there is no one else that can take them.
We've had 3 parties in a weekend plus the normal football training and horse riding lesson.
Weekends in general are busy specially at the moment my son has football tournaments as well which seem to last all day but we enjoying going along and watching/supporting him as a family
sometimes it's overwhelming but I survive lol

[Suzietwo]

Absolutely! They're limited at around 1 per child per month. It's about more ad hoc than that. They don't seem to mind yet as still young and we always explain it to them.

[IndigoBlue]

Thanks, part of the problem is I'm really tired from lack of sleep at the moment and feel like I can't keep on top of everything

I don't think a lot of people realise that their invite may be the 4th I've been given that week, mine haven't even started with doing sport or anything on the weekends yet either!

[majormoo]

Well it is more the endless football that drives me mad-Saturday and Sunday. Saturdays have been drowned in kids activities for years.
We try to let them to go to parties as often as possible. Not sure how old yours are but now my Dd is at secondary it has got easier as she gets herself to drama classes and often to parties (though the new 9pm pick up time from the odd birthday is leaking into my Saturday night wine time) Also my elder two get less invites now than the younger two , as they have more 'set' friends as it were rather than random invites that go to a whole class.
I frequently share lifts with people or sometimes ask for help getting kids to and from places, so there is less taxi-ing

[answersonapostcardplease]

No but after reception that hasn't been that many. Dd3 has one today and one next werkend.

[afreshstartplease]

I try not to as I know how disappointing it can be for the party child and their parents

[lexyloub]

I'd probably balance it on how close they are to whoever party it is, if it's someone they play with all the time then I'd take them but if for example the whole class is invited and they don't really play together I'd give it a miss

[YeOldeTrout]

er no, never had this problem, not even with 4 DC at once.