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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To cancel our DS's birthday party?

111 replies

chatenoire · 15/10/2023 07:08

Our boy will turn 4 in a week. I have the invitations to nursery for them to hand out and I think people haven't checked their kids' bags. My husband thinks they're just waiting to know about their plans.

Out of 8 invitations only 2 have confirmed and 2 have said they can't make it. My husband is of the idea that we should cancel if we don't get to 3. I tend to agree as I think otherwise it would make things awkward.

We're not the best at social situations and we know our son doesn't really play/have friends so we know he won't know any difference. I feel bad he won't have a party, but my husband doesn't see the big deal as he never had one.

The plan was to just have them children at home and have a few activities for them to do. That worked last year!

OP posts:
chatenoire · 15/10/2023 07:15

35and3 · 15/10/2023 07:10

I'd message them and say "hopefully you can come next week at name's party, it would be lovely to see you"

The problem is that I know the children, nor their mothers, otherwise I would have just texted them a Canva invite

OP posts:
PandoraBox2 · 15/10/2023 07:14

Can you not invite family too? In that case there will be more people. Please don’t cancel as it’s not nice for your little one.

hope he has an amazing party!

RedRobin100 · 15/10/2023 07:14

Two kids will be fine. Relax your expectations of a “party” and call it a birthday play date? That would take the pressure off and still let your son have company for a couple hours.
you could even move it to like a soft play or something (and I don’t mean booking out a party room) so it feels like more of an event than just being in the house?

nutbrownhare15 · 15/10/2023 07:14

Your plans with 2 kids is fine (3 with your son) and you might get more. I don't think you should cancel.

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 15/10/2023 07:14

Don’t punish those who’ve been considerate to respond and are making the effort to come. How disrespectful to them to tell them they’re not good enough so you’re canceling .

JustMarriedBecca · 15/10/2023 07:14

It's half term next week. People will have plans if they have older kids i'd have thought.
It's rude not to confirm either way.

Butterflyworms · 15/10/2023 07:13

I'd only cancel it if I was going to loose a deposit. What have you got to loose since it's at home? Since you're not very sociable it will be even better that it will just be a few of you. Easier to chat to people. Go ahead with it, it will be fun.

UndercoverCop · 15/10/2023 07:12

What was the plan? Will the activity not work with just the two friends?
TBH we are getting invitations nearly every weekend (reception all class parties wait until next year!) , we started off saying yes but I can't give half of my weekend time off to sit at another soft play, it's no reflection on the child. DSs is coming up in a couple of months, we will invite the class of 30 but expect 10/12. Do you have any friends with children of family children to add numbers?

Letsgotitans · 15/10/2023 07:11

I don't see why having 2 children over would be awkward when 3 wouldn't? I'd just have the two children over, have a nice time and use it as an opportunity to work on building some friendships.

35and3 · 15/10/2023 07:10

I'd message them and say "hopefully you can come next week at name's party, it would be lovely to see you"

Totaly · 15/10/2023 07:10

It doesn’t matter if it’s two kids or 10 kids. You child will have someone to play with for a couple of hours. We’ve done similar for ours. I know it feels like a slap in the face for you, but he’ll have a nice time and it’s something to get excited about. Let him have his tea party.

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