Do you respond to children's party invites?

[thaisweetchill]

I've invited both classes in my child's year for his birthday party (48 kids - I know!), invites went out Tuesday and I've had 4 responses (2 declines, 2 coming)

Do you let the parent know if your child can't make it? I personally do but is it just me?

I'm getting worried no one is going to turn up to my son's party!

When is party?

If you handed out invites on Tuesday its likely that people won't have had a chance to work out if they can attend.

We sit down on a Sunday night and go through logistics and invites for the next week, to work out what we can go to and what we can't make work logistically.

I imagine most families are similar

It's in August

I always reply but not often in 4 days! When’s the party?

Invites sometimes take a couple of days to get to the parent (e.g nights mine are in childcare I often don’t check their bags), or are left in DDs tray for a couple of days. Do you have a WhatsApp group for the classes? If you’ve invited everyone, just post the invite on the group. That way you can be certain the invites have made it to the majority of parents and you’ll probably get a flurry on rsvps after posting.

It’s probably too early to say for many people, have you put a deadline for RSPV?

If its in the middle of the school holidays then potentially even more complicated to work out logistics and being on holiday etc

This reminds me I am yet ro reply to an invite my child got on Monday!

Its been four days and there’s 2 months to
go! I really wouldn’t worry yet!

As you’ve invited everyone it’s a bit easier to
chase (in the last week of term). You can ask people at the gate or put it on WhatsApp. We only had 6 friends coming so I couldn’t really ask around for worry that other parents would hear

Of course I respond but I make that 3 days. I don't respond immediately if its more than 3 weeks away

It's way too early, children in the holidays often have a lot of people not turn up due to people being away or out for the day.

I always do but others don’t.

Il always try and let them know asap.

We sent out invites about 3 weeks ago and a couple still haven't replied.

From parties we've had before, some turn up without letting you know and some just don't turn up. I think it's a bit rude.

I would reply within a week or two or I'd give a reason why I couldn't commit just now (not a hedging my bets for a better offer reason, something like it depends if we have family visiting that weekend and they won't be able to confirm yet).

I would always let the host know in a reasonable time frame. It's basic manners.

We do all invites via the WhatsApp group - never hand out any paper. I find it so much easier to respond that way - I can check my calendar on my phone and reply within minutes. Everyone replies to the group and it seems almost all parents are able to reply within a day.

August is a pretty bad time for a party though, sorry (unless you want to keep numbers down). Other mums with August dc have held their parties in early Sep to keep turnout high. My dc has a birthday near a half term, but I always schedule it so it's not on the weekend before or after the holidays.

I had the same thing recently! Invited a few children not the whole class, party in August. Invites went out a couple of weeks ago. Barely anyone replied and I ended up chasing them- maybe a bit soon in retrospect- I think people do reply but quite slowly so give it a bit of time. Xx

2 things:

1. If it’s on August, it’s well ahead and several parents won’t respond yet.
2. A party in August can be tricky. I’d wait until Sept or go early and have a party before school is out next time this comes up

I have an August baby. We found over the years thar parties in August are not well attended as everyone is away. We always do them in July in term time now.

Yikes, it's 2 months away during the summer holidays when you don't even know half of them!

Personally, I wouldn't hold a party in August for school friends as it's literally the only month of the year we don't have to engage with anything school related.

You see I really don't understand the 'I don't know what we're doing yet then' approach because if there's nothing in your calendar now for that date and your kid wants to go to the party then you accept and don't book something else. It sounds more like 'I'm waiting to see if something better comes up and if not I'll take up your offer of a party'.

Yes I do RSVP, try to do it the day I get the invite because otherwise I'll forget. So I check the calendar, if RSVPing yes then I photograph the invite and add it to a calendar booking on my phone.

4 days is still a really short amount of time to be waiting for an rSVP though OP so I'm sure you'll get lots more over the coming days and weeks.

Where are you based @thaisweetchill ? I ask because I’m from UK and I always, always respond whether I’m going or not. However I now live in USA and there it’s the norm to only respond if you are going. I find it strange and infuriating! I’d rather know asap if you’re not coming in case I can invite someone else instead; also just so I know if you’re coming or not!

I usually do, but in cases like this I don't. I've had a few invites over WhatsApp for parties happening in August (and one in Sept!) Its too far away, I won't know if we're free until closer to the time. So I've ignored all of them, and honestly I think the overly early invitations are annoying (it's a kids party not a fucking wedding!)

What date did you put for the rsvps? Ypu should ALWAYS put an rsvp date on there otherwise some parents won't reply - but they will still turn up!

Regardless, I really wouldn't start to worry until end of term, and even then you may well get responses a week before the party.

So bored one night, watching tv, you see a tv advert for a beautiful family holiday, and you think ooo that looks good! Let me just pick up my phone and have a little nosey!!
I know, you're not hopeful, you're just "looking"..... then there it is.... a holiday that looks oh so tempting, click.... oh look, if you book now, you save 20%, there's a pool, kids entertainment, good food, good reviews... omg wow, this might actually be a really good last minute deal, fuck it, book it.... check diary....... oh no, we said yes to Jimmy's birthday for 2 hours on a Saturday afternoon in August, we can't go on this holiday!

I call bollocks on that! You'd book it faster than you could order a "sorry we could attend" card for poor little Jimmy!

Sorry OP, August is a crap month for school birthday parties, it always will be so pick 1 date in July or September and stick with it!

I have a Xmas baby and all his school parties have been in July with the full explanation of Xmas is shit time to have a birthday, that's why we do the half birthday, simple!

48 kids! You’re brave. I always reply and I’ve found most do, although often not until closer to the time.

Immediately because otherwise I’ll forget.

When I do a kids party I always give an rsvp date for 2 weeks before the party and follow up the day before that.

Four responses to a party in August sounds pretty good going to be fair. August feel ages away so I'm not surprised you haven't had more responses.