Anyone NOT do children's parties?

[VoluptuaGoodshag]

I'm dreading the onslaught of continual soft play areas every weekend. I don't mind DD going to one if we are doing nothing else but I refuse to go to every single one. I am also hoping not to ever do one for DD. She'll be 4 on her next birthday and I'm planning on just a few kids round at the house. When she is older I'm hoping she'll be happy with alternatives along the lines of 'pick 3 pals and we'll go somewhere really exciting' like a funfair or safari park or something. Same for DS when he's older

So is there anyone else who doesn't have parties for the multitude? Does it mean that eventually your kid doesn't get invited to others? Does anyone notice/care? Do you offer alternatives when they are older?

[zubb]

Ds1 had his first party when he was 5 - I said that there would be no parties till they were at school. He had 6 friends round for food and games and loved it. For his 6th birthday it will be a similar thing, and then hopefully from 7 it will be the 2 friends for somewhere exciting route. Not redcued the invites that he gets though, although in his class smaller parties are the usual route.

I actually enjoyed doing the party but that may have been because of the novelty of it! The only problem is that ds2 wants a party for his 4th birthday having seen ds1 have one, but that will just involve inviting my niece to join us!

[harleyd]

i dont do parties. they get taken to a place of their choice to eat and then to the cinema or bowling or something. they do get invited to kids parties but they generally only go to the ones they play with all the time.

[flamingtoaster]

My two only went to parties of good friends - we had a couple of birthday parties at home for them (which were wonderful - we limited the number to 10), but most birthdays were of the "take several friends to do something you really want to do" variety. They still got invited to other parties - many parents invite the whole class as a matter of course (brave parents!).

When they were older we offered them a choice between a party or an equivalent amount of money to be spent on an activity or something else of their choosing.

[VoluptuaGoodshag]

Bump for late afternoon crowd

[HedTwigg]

hah .. good luck with that

[ColdPenguin]

Bah humbubg!

I love organising children's parties and I would ceratinly never dream of not taking my daughter to somebody else's party unless I had a very good reason.

I agree that any effort in party organising is going to be lost on small babies, but from age 3 and up..... the world's your oyster.

I always invite the whole class and always pick a theme which I then stick to rigidly right down to the tiniest detail.

[UnquietDad]

I can't stand them and attempt to get out of them at every opportunity. Especially the identikit, soulless "play area" ones.

[rosealbie]

Agree with ColdPenguin, I love organising parties as well. My ds loves them too and although this year (he will be 6) we suggested a smaller day out with a few friends he was not really interested. We are sharing the party with another child in his class as birthday is on the same day.

[rosealbie]

Just to add, we usually hire a village hall and do something themed rather than soft play area although this would be easier I guess.

[slinkyjo]

i hate kids parties and i dont hang around to many kids do my head in, i enjoy organising them and doing the food though

[meandmyflyingmachine]

I'm not keen on them myself. But then I am 36.

Ds loves them.

Fortunately, now he is 6, I just have to take him and drop him off. And do one once a year. It's not a big ask IMO.

[lou33]

i dont have parties mainly because i cant afford them

i take them out for a family meal or a trip to teh cinema instead

[ColdPenguin]

Have to agree that I am not that keen on the soft play things where everything is done for you. Usually souless and naff but the kids usually love it so I would never stop mine going, and they are absolute minimum hassle I suppose.

Personally I could never deal with handing over control of my kids parties to a soft play centre. I prefer to hire a hall where I have a totally blank canvas to decorate in the theme of our choice and always organise activities, party bags, etc... all in the theme!

Mad maybe, but I love it!

[VoluptuaGoodshag]

If you enjoy organising parties then great but don't shoot me down just because I don't. I hate it. I hate organising parties. I hate large crowds of people. I will not succumb to the 'norm' if that's what it is. Nor will I have my whole life dictated around going to similar parties with the same kids every other weekend.

For their own birthdays I am offering alternatives, it's not like they are going without completely. And similarly I'm sure my DD would rather forgoe two hours of running around with the same kids she sees every day to going away for a whole weekend on a camping trip to the seaside with her special pal.

If we had nothing else on then yes she can go to such parties but to go to one every second weekend is ridiculous.