Birthday party etiquette in primary school?!

[doingitalllagain]

Planning my sons 4th birthday and he's told me who he wants invited but it doesn't include some people that have previously invited him to their parties? I've tried mentioning that he went to these kids parties but he's adamant he doesn't want them 😂 what's the etiquette here? I can't invite the whole class as it's around 30 of them and it's £10 a head.

I think you have to invite people that invited your kid to theirs?!

No invite who he wants - friendships are very fickle at this age .

Just invites the people he has asked for and double check he isn’t missing out someone who he regularly plays with.

I think the transactional element of kids parties is entertainment in exchange for a gift, and there the obligation ends. For a small party kids should get to choose who they want.

Invite who he wants; you don’t have to invite people just because they invited your son.
@SortOfLikeAnOctopusOnlyMoreBlocky is right about the transactional element is within the gift in my opinion. I’ve not experienced anyone caring either to be honest especially as I’m reception there’s so many parties sometimes it’s a relief not to have another one to attend

4th birthday, in primary school??

The gift is the return.
Less than half the boys/girls/class, or all the boys/girls/class
Invite the names he mentions most often.
Consider adding in a child who always seems on the 'outside' if DC is amenable. Kids with SEN often get left out (and not because they are violent/mean, just because they find it harder to have close friends for various reasons)

Invite who he wants. But please don't have him (or you) give out the invitations in class or at school.
I think issues arise when out of a class of 30 you invite 28. But if he's inviting his ten closest mates then no issue.

Erm, he’s four and you’re a grown up! You decide who comes!

It depends what proportion of the class you are inviting. If less than a third just invite child’s choice. If more it is worth considering who has invited them. Also as pp says it is nice to include any children who might not get many invites, they will really appreciate an invite.

Invite who he wants. With my son almost weekly I had kids round to my house for dinner after school and to play with him and he was very rarely ever invited back, and I never really knew how to take that. But with parties, I think whatever just do what the kids want. It’s his birthday!