Do you have dc's parties EVERY year?

[vogonmothership]

In October dd and ds will be 3 and 6 respectively

They are muttering about their parties already and I am stressing. We haven't got the space to have them at home and really can't afford to take friends out anywhere (even 6 close friends at the soft play with some lunch would cost a small fortune). If it were summer wouldn't be as bad as everyone could just go in the garden.
I would rather go somewhere nice as a family for a treat, rather than making ds choose between friends to take out.

So does anyone else just say no party to their DCs or am I just a hideous old grump?

I have 6 children who have had a total of 41 birthdays between them. I have only ever done two parties and one of those was last weekend.

The trouble with parties is that they aren't like they used to be when I was at school. A few friends and a tea party is doable, but 15 boys doing laser quest at £15 a head is very, very expensive.

Nope, they each get a party every few years, I pop a little money aside each year and then use that for a party every three years or so.

Your dd is still very young. I think that only when she starts school it would be really nice for her to have a party. For your ds, could you let him invite just a few friends (say 3 - I think it is best to have an even number in total) and then do some activities at home. You could make things together (craft party), or dress up and act out a story (you read the story and they act it out), or do some board games (snakes and ladders, creationary (nice lego game), puzzle competition in teams of two) or buy a horrible science box and do the experiments together. When I was young my mom organised all our parties, she made up activities etc. I do the same for dd, we do everything ourselves, keeps the cost down and TBH I think it is much more fun. You can make some cupcakes, have some crisps, some sandwiches, lemonade, it really does not need to cost the earth.

Mostly, but I've just realised (slightly late) that 2 friends home for tea, incorporating a few balloons and a cake (and a game of pass the parcel if you want to push the boat out) is considered a party by small children.

Good post Lynette - lovely to mark the occasion and sad if they grow up remembering they weren't allowed a party. Something simple, cheap and cheerful is the way to go.

usually every other year. there are 5 of them so there is always plenty of parties

dd will be 6 this year - so far she had:
Age 1. no party (mean mum!)
Age 2. Party at home with approx 6 other children
Age 3. A trip to the zoo
Age 4. Party at village hall. Entertainment was crafts and games. For whole nursery class.
Age 5. Paint a pot party for 4 friends.
Age 6. 3 friends for tea and a big present. (Gave her the choice of a party or big present - she chose present) We quite often have 1 friend or another for tea, but have invited 3 friends together. No games though!

I have 5DC and with the 4 older ones have had parties most years while they were little, usually at soft play with a strict limit of 14 inc our own. Couldn't afford more. It was over £120 each time as often you feel like you should cater for parents too if they stay.

A couple of times we have just taken them out with a couple of friends to somewhere like Dr Who exhibition and mcdonalds, Build a Bear etc. Pizza hut and cinema we have done a few times.The £1 Cineworld film on saturdays is good if you have loads of kids going. I am trying to cut back on parties for the older ones and they just have a sleepover but it can cost just as much in some ways if we order pizza etc. You don't have to do it everytime, lots of DC friends don't but there is some pressure to do something I found and I didn't want them to miss out.

What about just paying for a group of friends to go to soft play and give them a piece of cake and a balloon afterwards? Or the cinema? Lots of cinemas have a morning showing of an old film for about £2 per child (adults go free I think). Sorry, just realised post avoe suggested that oo.

We have mostly avoided DD having any parties because her birthday always falls during the Easter holidays! Instead, we have been to Legoland, to Chester Zoo, celebrated with grandparents and family Up North, that sort of thing. She always goes back to school and tells everyone she WILL be having a party, but after a week of radio silence from us on the subject she usually forgets about it.

DS is only 3 but he has had 2 "proper" parties. Well sort of. For his last 2 birthdays I just invited a bunch of friends round on the day I don't work and put out teas and coffees and nice cake for the adults. The children just ran around and played with the toys whilst we adults hid congregated in the living room and gossiped. I'm guessing this won't be so easy once he starts school though!