Childrens birthday party who did you invite?

[pinky938482]

It's DD 5th birthday soon it's the first time we will be doing a party for her with children from school. The venue allows parties up to 16 people so I just thought to not leave anyone out I would invite all the girls from her class.

She was at a party last week with a similar number but it seemed to be a mix. Apparently there had been abit of upset between parents as some children hadn't been invited due to numbers. Also apparently there has been some girls birthday parties that my DD hadn't been invited to. To me I'm not bothered as my DD never mentions them girls so if they were limited on numbers obviously she wouldn't get picked.

It's just made me think should I be inviting children DD hardly speaks to. At the same I don't want anyone to feel their child is left out. One child apparently hasn't been invited to a single party. Just inviting all girls seems the simple solution. I have asked DD who she wants there and she just lists her 3 main friends (it's a minimum of 10).

Dd had her 6th birthday in December. It was the first time she'd had a party.
I invited all the class (22) I wouldn't have left anyone out unfortunately they all accepted 😂😂😂
It will be her only party next year she can take one friend to McDonald's.
It was in a hall and my family helped out.
Personally, I would take her and the 3 friends out.
Parties are a bloody Nighmare 🙈

At that age there are three options:

1. full class party
2. all girls or all boys
3. small group of 5-10, then a at-home party normally

DD is a July baby and we often did what others did prior and in Reception and Y1 this was either a full class party or all girls. It got less and less the older they got.

In your case I would do all girls if the number doesn't exceed 16.

I’d suggest a full class party to avoid upset but that does come with its costs unfortunately.

I keep telling myself I’ll stop with the parties but I end up giving in!

I'd invite who your dc wants, avoiding situations where a minority of dc are excluded (so I would do all the girls except a couple or anything similar). All of one gender is OK. A mix of both genders is OK as long as there's a reasonable percentage not invited.

Get your dc to practice saying, "I would have liked to invite everyone but my mum said I could only have 16" as it stops it being so hurtful.

Just invite the 3 friends and be done!

In Reception, I’d choose a venue that could take the whole class.

I did whole pre school plud family kids. 39 total.
But as to whether I do whole class in the future depends on the cost.

Im sorry i may be old school but when i was a kid i had 10 friends allowed. My ds had parties every year. Sometimes 3 or 4 to bowling. Sometimes whole class in a hall.
Not every kid can be expected to be invited and parents need to teach their kids that sometimes there's disappointments in life.
My dd didn't get invited to one 3 weeks ago. Majority of the pre school did. The child who's party it was plays with dd often and out of school but doesnt mean she has to invite her. Yes dd was upset but she soon got over it.

And around here venues to hold 30 kids are around £150 hire, plus food, entertainment if wanted. Party bags etc bringing total to well over 350.

Soft play hire £240 plus £3 a person food. So again over £300 not forgetting cake to cater for that many, party bags, etc. It all adds up

It should be down to what parents can afford plus what the birthday child wants.

Dds party was £200 hire inc activities £3 per head food x 39 = 117
Party sweet cones £1 each £39
Cake £80 to feed that many and siblings, okay so that could maybe have got cheaper.
Napkins, balloons, candles, banners £12

Car parking £5 per car for me and dh.
Drinks for me ans dh at venue. Kids were in hire price.

So yes whole class ones are much more expensive. So do what's right

I've always asked my dc who they wanted to come. It is supposed to be their treat, after all.

If you have a dc (like you do OP) who only wishes to invite 3 friends, then do something appropriate to that size group.
It seems back to front to me to choose a venue for a min of 10 people, if the person whose birthday it is only wants a smaller do with her particular friends.

@Kite22

I've always asked my dc who they wanted to come. It is supposed to be their treat, after all.

If you have a dc (like you do OP) who only wishes to invite 3 friends, then do something appropriate to that size group.
It seems back to front to me to choose a venue for a min of 10 people, if the person whose birthday it is only wants a smaller do with her particular friends.

This.

I had the child with SEN who was invited to nothing. It's utterly dreadful.

For DS’a 5 party we did full class invites and friends outside of school plus siblings. We ended up with about 60 kids but I called in a lot of favours and managed to pull it off for about £250. Class parties seemed to be a thing in foundation and I was lucky I could get a lot of stuff for free.