Do kids continue to get invited to so many parties

[Cookiecrumble888]

My little girl started school in September and she is off to her 4th birthday party since November. This one is 6 until 8 at a soft play centre inside a pub. I think it's a little bit late but she wanted to go so I've stayed at home with the toddler and Her dad's taking her. it is a good thing for them to be invited and get to experience all these little parties but it's just a bit of a pain in the bum isn't it. the one she's going to in two weeks is in a village and I don't drive so again my partner is going to have to take us. we will have to have a toddler with those who isn't invited so we'll have to keep out the way and I presume take him outside and stuff.i only mean it in a half-hearted way when I say I just don't want to go to these parties and sit for 2-hours in a loud hot sweaty soft play area. also I'm a bit of a germaphobe and every time she's gone to one of these places I hope that she hasn't come home with norovirus. I'm only half serious like I say but does anyone else just think I can't be bothered. not mentioned trying to think of a token little gift to give to a child you don't know and I haven't got a clue what they like. hope this isn't the case every year because it's racking up buying all these little presents as well.

I think it's because I just find it tricky having like I say the younger one with me who's not invited.

I forget older are you actually allowed to leave or do you have to stay?

[BackforGood]

the one she's going to in two weeks is in a village and I don't drive so again my partner is going to have to take us. we will have to have a toddler with those who isn't invited

Or, your partner could take your dd and you stay at home with the little one.

I forget older are you actually allowed to leave or do you have to stay?
When my dc were that age, parties started when dc started school, and you dropped them off, left a contact number, and picked them up at the end.
YOu would have to check individually with the hosts, as - from reading MN, that doesn't seem to happen so much in Reception anymore.

[HoHoHolly]

You can always decline some invitations.

It does drop away after YR or Y1, and by the end of YR most people were dropping off. For a while I'd leave them at an at-home party or secure, self-contained village hall, but not at soft play or a sports centre.

[user1471449295]

Yes invites drop off.

[Cookiecrumble888]

Yeah we did turn down one because we had other plans that weekend. I guess as they get older they invite close friends more. I will see what my partner wants to do on the village one. I sort of feel she needs to go this year to many so she gets to connect with her friends out of school w little. Thanks for the replies. I don't remember my mum staying with me at them but they were often at friends homes back then.

[minipie]

DD is in y2 and there are still lots of parties as most people are still inviting the whole class BUT people have clubbed together to share parties (up to 4 kids per party) so there aren’t quite so many as before.

Also it’s been drop and run since about mid way through reception. It’s nice to stay and chat for the first few as that’s how you get to know other parents especially if you or they work in the week so don’t do school run. Appreciate it’s tricky with a toddler so suggest you take turns staying home with the toddler.

[happycamper11]

Thankfully they do decline in numbers through the years. With DD1 we'd sometimes have 3 per weekend now maybe 3 per 6 months. I did used to stay at more with DD1 too but dd2 has been dropped off unless stated otherwise ever since starting school (she was nearly a year older at this stage though)

[KindKylie]

I've got 2 in ks2 and it's dropped off massively. Now it's much more a treat with 3 or 4 friends than a whole class party. I used to say yes to all invites a so thought it was important for them to make friends and feel part of things but I realised that they often weren't that fussed and it often dictated our weekend plans so I became a lot more choosy in the end.