If you have an August born child

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

When do you celebrate their birthday?
So a long way off but my husband and I were looking at prices for a soft play party/ hall party for our daughters 5th birthday. Her birthday is in early august- given that this is her first birthday in school she’s never had a class party before and neither have we had “holiday season” to contend with. My feeling is we throw her party the last weekend before school breaks up -2.5wks before her birthday. My husband thinks this is ridiculous, that you celebrate close to the date, doesn’t matter who can’t come and that otherwise we would need two celebrations (one on her actual birthday). I get his point but surely so many people will be away- I don’t want to fork out for a class party and have less than half attend. Who’s right? Any advice from parents of summer babies, what have you done?

Not read all pps but my daughter's birthday is mid August and I think you are right. Last year due to covid uncertainty we left it and then tried organising it in the summer holidays and not one friend could make it. We ended up celebrating it in September which felt wrong and also meant it sort of hung over us, like we owed her a party!

I see your husband's point but we barely ever have parties on kids actual birthdays especially if it falls on a weekday. We just celebrate as a family on the day itself.

We had ours in September. We had to be very explicit on the invites. 'Little Johnny turned FIVE in August. Help him celebrate!

Good point @northernsoullover, DD actually received 2 birthday cards with the wrong age on when we did hers in September because we forgot to explain!!

My son is a mid August birthday and we do the party before school breaks up. He's in a mixed class so if we did it in September the children would be different. On his actual birthday we have a tea party with just us and grandparents.

There's another child in his year with an August birthday. They celebrated on the day when the kids were in reception. It was very poorly attended compared to other school parties (I think a lot of people forgot) and since then they go for after school/end of term somewhere too. We had a joint party with them one year as the dates were all filling up. I think you're right to do it in the school term.

The nearest weekend to their birthday in August. If friends could come then so be it. Don't like it too early at end of term because everyone busy and September too late.

If you want a big class party where most kids can come, go for either the end of term or the start of the new one (whichever is closest to the birthday).

And do something special as a family on her actual birthday.

You are right. DD1's birthday is the last week of August and she has her party just before school breaks up for the summer in July.
We then have a family tea party/day out now she's older when it's her actual birthday.

I have 2 late july birthdays and 2 august birthdays for my dc. We’ve always done parties as close to their birthday as possible and never had problems with people attending. There may be the odd invited dc who couldn’t come but the majority always turned up.