To exclude DS3 from the parties?

[AnneWentworth]

Ds1 (8) and DS2 (6) are having birthday parties this weekend, both have asked that DS3 (3almost) goes to GPs and I feel bad for him.

He is hard work and despite our best efforts does interfere with them an awful lot. I am doing both parties at home by myself and DS1 is having a quite grown up party with a small group of friends that I can see it would be difficult to have DS3 at - and he wouldn't be able to take part.

DS2 though us having the standard pass the parcel affair and he would enjoy it and it feels sad to exclude him from this one. It would be tricky though as I would be doing the games and have to keep an eye etc if he wanders off.

Part if me feels like they often give in to DS3 so if they want it to be just their friends then that is ok but I also think he would love being involved.

YANBU - my dd(7) loves her little sister (3) but doesn't want her at her party next month. Dd2 is demanding and loves dd1's friends so much she is totally in their faces. I think it's only fair dd1 gets to be the centre of attention with her friends at her own birthday. Dd2 will go to soft play hell with DH so everyone is happy (apart from DH).

Obviously families do things differently. I have 5 children and siblings have always been included in each others parties, either in house or going out ones. When one of my sons was 8 I do remember him asking me to make sure his 2 yr old sister 'has knickers on'!
One of my friends children is having a party tomorrow and can't take as many friends as she would like because she has to have a space for her brother. I just assumed that was the norm, families include family members.