DS's party invites, No replies

[tomomum]

DS aged 8, gave out home birthday party invites to 10 of his school friends, on the Friday a week before they broke for Easter. So far only one mum confirmed, 3 said they've already had plans, and no one else..

Party is this coming Friday, 4days to go..

I don't have the other mums' numbers, would it be Unreasonable to ask the mums in the playground if their DC would be coming? Just wondering if it's the done thing, / what is the done thing, don't want to seem pushy and confrontational.. what do you do to get confirmations?

I’ve never done a party so I don’t know the etiquette (first one coming up soon!) but I’d be inclined to just ask, that way you know.

Ask the other parents. Not replying is rude but if people are away over Easter an invite on the last day is easily missed/forgotten

I hate chasing invites, I have asked a few of the parents if they got my child's invitation and a few said oh sorry I totally forgot but yes so and so is coming.

So I would just ask.

I would, might have slipped their minds / invite is still at the bottom of their child's school-bag

How rude of them. Yes I would ask them in the playground, you can ask in a chatty, non-confrontational way. I used to hate this when DS had parties. Now thankfully I have all his friends’ mums’ numbers so it’s easier.

I see on MN these threads can go either way, sometimes people will say these families may be too busy over Easter hols to reply, they might not know plans yet blah blah. I still call it rude though - only takes a few minutes to reply.

DS gave out his invites the same day as you for his party this Sunday. It had an RSVP date on of the 13th. I'd heard back from one person by the 12th so I messaged everyone (luckily I had their numbers) and everyone has accepted. I think it being Easter messed up a lot of people's organisation! If I didn't have their numbers I would absolutely have asked them in the playground.

I would have a "quick double check you are coming?"

I’ve had to ask, people are apologetic and genuinely forget when the invites go out near a school holiday. They’ll understand that you need to know for food and party bags!

Definitely ask. People forget even if it is rude to do so. It will be more fun for your ds the more people come.

Absolutely ask. Maybe start by asking if they got the invitation. Either way ask to swap numbers there and then so you can forward details by text.

Definitely fine to ask. I always preface it with a 'sorry to be chasing up, but the venue really needs to know numbers'. Quite often they won't have seen the invite or will have been busy over the holidays.

We've recently held a party and I had someone RSVP less than an hour before it began. People are just rude.

I'd ask them and say you need to know so you can cater for the right number.

Definitely ask. At age 8, I'd expect DS to be hassling his friends to get his parents to reply as well!

Yes ask how else will you know?

In future, hand out invitations at least a week before schools break up. It’s so easy to forget over the holidays to reply/often parents won’t even realise the invitation is there.

But yes, chasing the parents up is absolutely fine.

If he gave them out then I expect some may still be in the bottom of school bags.

Please ask we have missed 2 party invites in the last 12 months (ds is 7) because ds throws them into the bottom of his bag. I am sure he sounds ungrateful but he loves parties and is really excited but then goes to afterschool club or after school activities and forgets. I then find them 2 weeks later as I rarely empty his bag

I had an rsvp at 4.15 pm for a 4.30 start party, me and ds were in the car on the way. The dad claimed he’d only just seen the invite but I’d already asked mum, who said she didn’t speak English, the week before! And they didn’t even bring my ds a card. Turned up 30 mins late to the venue (laser quest) watched me pay his son in at £12 and left. Cheeky and rude. Should’ve grown some balls and told him no but it wasn’t ds or his ds’ fault - they were 6.
Anyway op what I’m saying is people are rude and ignorant - ask away, or bloody cancel it and take your ds and the one who did bother to reply out for a whole day amazing adventure for the same money.