Help! I promised DS a 5th Birthday Party now I'm wringing my hands sobbing What do I do? What?

[BlackEyedDogstar]

Oh dear me, I'm not very good at this. I'm in a good panic now, PLEASE help calm me down.

We moved recently to this area and Ds started Reception in September. Ages ago I said he could have a party for his birthday - Crikes in two weeks!! - thinking we would be all settled and know people and everything. But I just don't. I've been working all Autumn and don't know anybody. Still, I thought, he can invite some people and maybe have 10/12 friends from class and go to the local nice Soft play place or....err something.

What do I do? Do I invite all these strangers? Will they come? Do I get the teacher to invite his chosen few in the bags (I'd invite everyone but don't have the cash for this)??

Or can I abandon this awful idea and take him to the Panto instead? Please can somebody tell me the sensible thing to do?

Does he mention any friends from school? I would probably choose to invite just a couple (maximum 3-4) friends from his class. Check with the teacher if your son can't name anyone. I'd take them to a softplay place and pay for their entrance and for something to eat. I'd take a cake with me and get ds to blow out candles after about an hour of play and then I'd let them play again for a while.

At this age most parents will leave their child for a party so you may need to make sure that you have another adult with you to supervise, two adults should be enough for 4-6 children. Some parent may well stay anyway.

Total cost - entrance to spoftplay for 4=6 children, a cake and cost of food - probably £60 max. Some very small party bags (prob can do for £1 each) might be nice too but not essential.

Ds was 5 in october and he took 2 friends out for dinner to a whacky warehouse type place. Was great as they all played in soft play, ate then took them home. Good time had by all with minimal fuss.

i think Lazycow's advice is good. I Think the only reason people may not come is that the run up to Xmas is often v busy for many folk and two weeks may not be enough notice, ditto booking soft play place

its a chance to get to know people, even if parents just drop and run
i'd keep it simple, soft play sounds cool. get the invites out quick though and try to make contact to make sure pevple are coming.

Could you just ask him who he'd like to invite? I didn't know any of the children or the mothers when my DC had their first party - but it's a good way to get to know them.

Also run up to christmas might be a very popular time. Make it a Saturday morning and many parents would jump at the chance to leave their 5yr old somewhere while they go christmas shopping.

SAsk him who he would like to invite. Give him a number. You don't have to invite everyone. If he can't decide then ask his teacher who he seems to play with most.

Re the panto - does he have one special friend that he might like to take with him perhaps, and maybe go for something to eat afterwards?

thanks for replies...Am in an unbelievable panic...

He has given me 10 names in total. I thought I'd ask all 10 in the hope that a few of them come! I was thinking of doing it after school (his birthday is Tuesday in two and half weeks)
but is Saturday better??

He is a quiet little fellow but has gradually got to know some people and play regularly with one or two.

Saturday only better because it might be easier for parents and you seemed worried that no-one would come. After school is fine too. I don't know what your budget is but some soft play areas will do it all for you. DD had a Brewsters Bear party - I hated it but she didn't and neither did her friends - cost 6 a head for everything.

with dd I asked the teacher for a list of the people in her class and then she picked out a few she knew. She also invited some of her friends from her previous nursery class even though they are in different classes. I kind of knew what some of the mums looked like so I handed the invites directly to them. There were a couple of children who I handed the invites to as I couldnt get hold of their parents. She ended up with about 12 in total (including her 4 cousins) and they went to a soft play - they did parties for about £9 a head and that included a couple of party games, some food and a party bag plus a small gift for dd. We had ours on the Saturday before dd's birthday as it meant it wasnt on a school night.

if you have someone (a couple of teenagers?)to help, maybe invite a few after school back to the house for party games and a buffet tea and cake? Cheaper, more fun, parents collect them at half five kind of thing?