To send my daughter to pre school on her birthday

[Soph88]

My daughter turns 4 on Monday and we are having a birthday party for her on Saturday. It's going to be the whole nine yard....hall, bouncy castle, cake, piñata, music, about 25 kids. After the cost of the party we can't really afford to take her anywhere like the zoo etc on her actual birthday. AIBU to send her to pre school and spend the day recovering? She loves preschool and they are having a tea party and games any way, but I feel like I'm being a horrible parent sending her in on her birthday.

They usually love going in on their birthday at that age, most preschool will make a fuss about it being her birthday & she will get to tell her friends it’s her birthday ( repeatedly!!)

I sent mine in for a half day on her 4th birthday. She loves pre school and wanted to see her friends, but I felt a bit harsh sending her in for a full day (especially as her 2 year old sister does a half day on that particular day so I’d have been picking her up at lunchtime anyway).

My DD has always been in nursery on her birthday. Will be no different now she is in pre school.

Cake also needs to be sent in as well!

Of course! She will probably get the ‘special birthday treatment’ there - sit on the birthday chair, play with the wooden birthday cake etc.

Of course you send her in to pre-school. That is the normal thing to do.

(We also did hall/bouncy castle/face painting etc for her 4th birthday, it was great fun)

Yeah I'd send her.

The party sounds great. Not OTT at all, standard birthday party around here.

Why would you not send her?

I sent mine DC for half day when they cut the cake n then took him out to park or play area or even a movie ... Do something cheaper that you n your kid will enjoy cutting cake at pre school..
But even if it is preschool its fine

Ok, I feel better about sending her. I think I'm feeling guilty because she goes full time and has done since she was 11 months so I feel like she should get to stay home on her birthday forgetting that she actually just gets to play all day with her friends.

I'll ask them to make her a cake (they insist on making the cake for other kids dietary requirements). Pick her up early and take her to the park if the weather is ok.

I wish the party was OTT. We went to one a few months ago where bloody Spider-Man showed up!

She will have a great time - all her preschool pals will be there and the staff will make a fuss of the ‘birthday girl’!

Oh She'll have a ball. She'll be treated like the Birthday princess. It's so adorable the way they tell everyone. "It's their bithday".
You get to my age and you don't want anymore.

Soph, presumably she goes full time because you work, so don't feel guilty!! She'll have a fab time.

OP why do you ask? why shouldn't she go to school on her birthday? What do you think other people do? And a 4 year old birthday on a Saturday with 25 kids and all you've described? Far too much unless you're a Russian oligarch but I hope she enjoys it. I'd have gone with her and 3 friends to the zoo or whatever either after preschool on her birthday or on the Saturday.

And a 4 year old birthday on a Saturday with 25 kids and all you've described? Far too much unless you're a Russian oligarch but I hope she enjoys it

We live in a very normal village with a big mix of people from all different backgrounds. I’d say 70% of DD’s pre school friends have had a hall type party for their 4th birthday... with a bouncy castle, party games, music, face painter etc. DD1 has been to 5 since Christmas!

Party on Saturday sounds lovely. Of course she should go to school on Monday.

I’d probably move the date and give her presents on the Saturday or Sunday. But sending her to preschool is fine.

I assumed other parents took their kids out or something for their birthday if they could obviously not keeping them home from regular school. There is only so many kids because she goes full time so is friends with the other children that go full time and then all the part time kids as well. There are 60+ kids that attend at various times mon-fri! Unlike her mother, she's a bit of a social butterfly.

She specifically ask for a party with a bouncy castle for her birthday and there isn't really any reason why she can't have one.

My children have always gone to nursery or pre school on birthdays and like other posters have loved every minute of the fuss they make of them.
And just to agree.... you party sounds lovely.
Mine is 4 next week and is having a hall party with 30 kids. As far as I’m concerned it’s the norm and we have been to so many over the years with both my children.
Have a brilliant day

I STARTED school on my 5th birthday and I'm still alive! OP, she'll love the fuss; telling everyone it's her birthday and getting some extra fuss and attention. YWBU not to send her, imo... Recover away!

We did the same birthday party for my son’s 4th last year. I’m eghted anyone thinks that I’m oligarch rich - now to pass that on to the bank I’m trying to get a mortgage from...

Anyhoo, I didn’t send my son to nursery on his birthday, but I was on maternity leave anyway, and he wanted to go the Natural History Museum, which is better during term-time weekdays.

I would have sent him to nursery if I was working, they love Birthday Party days, and his friends have all gone in on their birthdays too. The half-day compromise sounds ideal.

Yes, send her!! She will be celebrated all day at school. She might even get to wear a Bday crown or something like that. She will have a special day don't worry :)

It wouldn’t even occur to me to keep children home from preschool / school because it’s their birthday.

Send her. She’ll have a fab time. My dd only got one birthday at preschool and complained about that fact. She wanted more!