Difficult party invitation

[Trifle]

Ds1 has been invited to a girls 5th party that he doesnt particularly care for nor does he play with. I'm surprised he got the invitation to be honest and feel he may only have got it as I know his mum and happened to be chatting to her the day before about childrens parties. Ds and this girl used to go to nursery together and are now at the same school but in different classes so dont meet that often or play together (so ds says). Ds has his birthday a month later and I had no intention of inviting this girl or any girl for that matter as he wants boys only and something more of a sporty/footie nature. If he went to this girls party then I would feel obliged to invite her and a few other girls to keep her company. Should I decline and pretend we have a previous engagement and hope she doesnt feel put out when a recriprocal invite is not forthcoming?

yes

just decline - you dont have to give a reason. Or just let him go if he wants to. IME children quite often invite class/year en masse

yes I would have a prior engagement esp if you don't want to feel guity about having a boys only do and he doesn't play with her.

I agree, but decline quickly so they can invite someone in his place if they want to

Decline!

I don't get this party thing - people i know just blanket invite the whole class (we are talking nursery still here) regardless of whether the children are friends or not.

Some of my friends are inviting all 20 kids from nursery and so are not inviting my ds, and a couple of others, who are not from nursery but who their kids have known since birth from NCT and play with every week, because of numbers! Bloody ludicrous!