Party invites

[hello1233]

NC for this as I know people on here.

I've sent out invites to my DSs bday party. He will be 7. Not one reply from any of them. Sent them out 3 days ago in book bags at school.

I'm worried that nobody will turn up and he'll be heartbroken. I wish I'd never organised the party in the first place.

I don't know any of their mums to just walk up and ask them. And that might be weird anyway? I always respond to invites in my DCs bags whether we can make it or not. AIBU to have expected people to reply? I don't know what to do. Can't take him to his party where none of his friends turn up

I usually replied to full class party invites a week-10 days before the party. I wouldn't know before then if we had other plans.

If it was a best friend he really wanted to go to or a smaller day out type thing Id reply early as we would make an effort/adjust plans to go.

Expecting replies 4 weeks in advance is really early and putting in a "please rsvp before x if attending so numbers can be confirmed with venue" always helps, but x should only be 1 week before. Which I know it's scary as you don't know if anyone will turn up until the week before but in the grand scheme of things another full class party in the middle of the day is something people and dc to if they don't have anything better to do that weekend.

It's fine to RSVP straight away to an invitation if you're able to, but it's probably also not the norm to do that, for reasons outlined by others.

Most invitations will have a date to RSVP by, if as in your case, you need to confirm numbers.

Don't panic yet - the RSVPs will trickle in.

another full class party in the middle of the day is something people and dc to if they don't have anything better to do that weekend.

To be fair, it wouldn't even occur to me to differentiate RSVPing/attendance based on 'full class' or 'smaller day out'.

I think many will have mentally thought 'deal with this after half term'.

Plus if you have to give numbers to a venue you do need to give an RSVP date.

I'd recommend sending out reminders after half term with an RSVP date on.

I'd say the lack of response is due to the long lead time. None my kids ever gave or received an invitation more than 9 days in advance. I tended to send them in on the Friday for the Sunday of the following week and I was known as the really organised one😁. Lots of invites would be sent in on the Tuesday or Wednesday for the following Saturday or Sunday, so 3-6 days in advance.

People are likely to forget about the party if they respond 4 weeks in advance or they won't be sure whether they can make it or not. The massive lead time seems to be a mn thing but really, I think a week to 10 days is plenty, unless you really want specific kids there and then you'd check their availability earlier.

I posted earlier to say I'd had hardly any replies to our invites for this weekend.

Lots of replies came in this evening; the last day before half term and everyone is emptying bags and finding invitations!

If you break up if Friday then maybe you'll get some then?