To refuse invite?

[Rainbowark]

My 7 year old son changed schools this year and settling in is really up and down. A kid from his old school has invited him to his birthday party in 2 weeks.

Personally I do not love the large majority of mothers of the old school. It was private, very wealthy families who despite their own kids behaviour issues, seemed to use my son as a scapegoat for anything that ever went wrong! And 9.99 time out of 10 the other kids stories were fictitious and proved to be so by the teacher.....(minor rant!)

But I digress!! He liked this kid and his mum is lovely and had a playdate over the summer - truth is despite my relief at him leaving he misses the school and his old classmates even though I wouldn't say he was close to any of them. Do you think it would be good for his current emotions about missing his old school to take him or do you think it would disrupt getting him settled into his new school?

(and for myself, I can make my husband take him so I don't have to see the mothers!)

What kind of party is it? Big church hall with entire class? Or fun activity with just a few of them? Are you still living in the same area (so might maintain friendship with the nice mum?) I'd probably just let him go if he wants to. He'll soon make friends in his new class anyway.

Thanks :) Its the entire class at a restaurant I think. Not the same immediate area but we will still cross some of them at out of school activities and restaurants etc I guess. Maybe Im overthinking it and should just let him go!

If he is friends with the child whose party it is thdn I think he should go. No reason why you can't keep in contact and meet up with them again going forward. It's nice for children to have other friends outside of school.

I think if he’d like to go, then he should. And, think of it like this - he’s not at the school any more, the friend didn’t need to include him, but obviously likes your son enough to want to keep in contact.

I was in a similar situation with my 7yr old ds earlier this year and we did go along. Worst decision ever. My ds was obviously really uncomfortable the whole time even tho he had really wanted to go. We should've just made a clean break. We don't see any of his old 'friends' now.