Kids birthday party - politics ( again)

[k74]

I saw a thread on here recently about someone whose son hadn't been invited to a kids birthday party.

I am now on the other side of this as a couple of people have been offended that their children were not invited to my dd's 7th party - one actually got her friend to ring up to make sure the invite hadn't been lost! Was put in embarassing position of having to say 'sorry he wasn't invited'. Another mother told me how upset her son had been to not receive an invite!
I was really discreet giving out the invites.

My bug bear is this - if your child is invited to a party does this mean you have to invite them to yours? There were some kids who weren't invited and my dd had been to their parties. But I always make sure I give nice pressies so I although I felt a bit guilty I thought we were 'even'.

Plus, when it boils down to it I asked my dd who she wanted and she said. End of. Not a political exercise, just a kids party. For her birthday.
I could only have a set number and that was it.

Should I have changed the venue so that I could invite everyone and not offend the playground mafia?

Or is it not about that, is it about what my dd wanted for her birthday?

FGS this parenting lark is just one minefield after another..

Just bumping - realised I posted this at 8 am on a Saturday!

I just invited who DS wanted. Tough for the others. Think people make it so difficult and its the adults that are offended not the kids!!

I have mainly had whole class parties as there are only 24 in DS class

but 2 years ago had a swimming party and so for safety as it was a private pool ie we were in charge along with a lifeguard the numbers had to be smaller

last year he had a sleepover here and so there were 4 of them

This year we will have another wjhole class party as it is a disco and is their last year at junior school

so IMHO it depends what and where the party is

DS is at a party atm that is also a swimming party so only about 10 of them are there

BUT I do think it is your DD decision

but agree it is difficult about returning party invites

One mother upset me a few years ago because she very loudly invited others I was sitting with and ignored me, but she is a very tactless person

I don't mind DS not being invited but wish she would have been more tactful iyswim