Awkward time to have a birthday

[PrettyCandles]

Ds will turn 5 less than two weeks after he starts school in September. Too soon for a party, because he won't know his classmates yet. I don't mind delaying his party, we had it a month late last year, and I was wondering whether it would be a good idea to have the party during the half-term week. Would that be more or less convenient for parents?

I don't know about he timing but delaying/advancing it is a good idea. Me and my sisters are from August and the main problem was that everybody was in holidays at the time of the parties or that after a few weeks at home school friendships seemed so distant. I always wanted to have my party just before the end of the course . Don't know if this is helping but hope so

I've got this problem. DS will be 6 on 1st Sept, the week before school restarts. So many people are planning to go away just before the new term, it looks like his party will be him + 2 others!!

He will be sooooo disappointed, esp as we went to one a few weeks ago where there were 27 children, so the Birthday boy got mounds of presents of course.

I think having a party in half term is a good idea because often parents don't know what to do with their kids so they'll be very grateful!!

Wouldn't some of the kids be away during half-term? Delaying sounds a good idea, but I'm not sure I'd go for half-term.

Saying that, my ds is six next week, so we are having a party in the summer holiday!

As a FTM it doesn't make much difference to me when a party is held, but would it be an issue for working mums to have a party on a work day?

Easy, why not delay the party?

I think its best not to have a party during a holiday as people go away

Depends on the school. Ours has masses of families from overseas and they all vanish at once, even for half-terms, so parties during half-term (which is exactly when dd's birthday is!) look a bit forlorn.

Do you really think it's too soon for a party? In your place I would do the party - also as a way of starting to get to know the other parents. When I do dd's in Oct it's often one of the first - and somehow from then on the school gates get that much jollier.

We're in the same position my DS 7th birthday is the day before he starts his new school but he is very keen to celebrate with his new class, so we are biting the bullet and sending him in to school on the 1st day with 30 invitations to give out to all the class for the following weekend. So its fingers crossed that some of the kids are busy and the sun is shining!

Gosh that's brave, Highlight!

It would certainly break the school gates ice, Binkie, but TBH I'm not sure I really want to invite 30 children plus associated adults. We'd have to hire somewhere, and we're not keen on that.

Yes, I see - early schoolyear parties probably do have to be "mass" ones - and that is how I've done dd's so far. Totally shattering, it's true - but with the ice-breaking and all, sort of worth it (for me).

Prettycandles

DS has set his heart on the party being ON his birthday.

And we're going on a big holiday 2 weeks after term starts, organising a kids party in the middle of packing isn't my idea of a good time. Mind you, looks like I won't be working then, so it may now be a possibility (if he can be persuaded).