To never have "whole class" birthday parties for DC?

[DogCalledRudis]

We only invite dc's friends and relatives. I want them to have a good time, and don't want to cater for children who are not exactly friendly, just happen to go to the same class. But since "whole class" parties are so popular, i wonder if my DC would lose out...

Nope, my DS is allowed to invite 10 friends. It's never caused a problem for us. He also accepts that he won't always be invited to others' parties.

We're not keen on doing this either, and it shouldn't cause any issues as DS's birthday is close to the end of the summer holidays (actually, getting anyone to come might be the problem ).

We're going to try to do family + a few friends birthday parties while he's little. He hasn't mentioned that his parties are a bit different to other people's yet.

We did well tried to do the whole class thing but only one person from DD's class turned up. We had a hall/bouncy castle thing. Luckily relatives and outside-school friends were there too so she had a fab time anyway. Its was just a shame noone bothered.

We are doing a day trip and a family gathering this year, and probably every year until she has some special friends we can invite to a smaller event, cinema etc.

Where is this pressure to invite the whole class coming from anyway?! I really don't want to end up doing it for DS when he starts primary. It just sounds like an absolute pain in the arse!

YANBU

Just don't invite 28 out of 30 or something because that's mean.

No YANBU...I've only ever had 2 or 3 to play or go to the cinema and then have tea. And its never stopped them being invited to other's parties.

Really don't see the point of inviting the whole class,much better fun to have favourite friends .

I don't like them. Too big, too much money and FAR TOO MANY presents for the birthday child. 6,8 or 10 kids is plenty.

Of course you don't have to invite the whole class. Invite who you want and people can do whole class ones too if they want.

I think so long as you don't invite 2/3rds of the boys or all but so-and-so you are fine. My younger son was once one of three boys in the class that were not invited to a big deal birthday party that all of the ten year olds talked about for a long time. That was a bit rough. He knows he isn't going to be invited to most of the parties that aren't whole class and where the birthday person isn't his friend but to just exclude a few isn't very nice.

We did it for DD in Reception Class because her birthday is in October and so friendships were still forming and it helped open her and our social circles. We didn't for DS as his birthday is in June and so we knew who his friends were by then.

Myself i only had 2-3 friends only. But my DS gets invited to whole class parties on regular basis. Also, its awkward when X invites him, should he invite X, when they're not actually too fond of each other?

We've done it a couple of times because: a) small class of 20 b) type of party ie laser quest/big fun etc and c) I couldn't bear to leave anyone out. Of course, that was only all good because everyone (so far) gets on.
DD is 10 so those kind of parties are now virtually over for her......until a disco perhaps?

YANBU. DS has not had one and will not have one. Fortunately none of his classmates have them either, they are not A Thing at his school, no one has enough money.

DD went to a whole class party last week. I mention this because I think it's the first one she's ever been to and she is in Year 3!! So they are obviously hardly common (round here at least).

My DC have been to schools where teaching tends to have been largely across the year group so they have had as many (or more) friends not in their class as in their class! And a whole year group party is not something I want to get into!!

I think people are mad to have them! There is no need to do it just because others do. I restricted it to 10 guests at the most.

YANBU. Dd is allowed to invite 12 children including family friends. I simply cannot afford to invite the whole class. We are inviting all the girls though, friends or not.

Never had one for dc1. He has never wanted one, he is happy with 8/10 people.

Dc2, on the other hand, wanted the hall, the disco, the whole class thing. And every kid in his class had the big party, must have gone to at least 15 parties this year, so we have done the same. Costs a bloody fortune. Only got another year or two though, so why not, if you can afford it.

Yanbu to opt out of it. Should be a choice, not a obligation.

YANBU. We never had more than 12 children at our DDs parties and that often but not always included their cousins. I just couldn't cope with huge parties.

YANBU. We never had more than 12 children at our DDs parties and that often but not always included their cousins. I just couldn't cope with huge parties.

People who choose to have whole class parties are not mad, any more than people who choose to restrict them to ten at the most. It's a matter of personal choice surely?

Mad was the wrong word- some people like it. However just do it if you really like it- not to get invitations back because a good half will have small parties or no parties. I hate it and luckily when mine were young no one did it.