Summer Birthday party dilemma

[LIZS]

Have just booked dd's 5th b'day party for the weekend before term starts (she's an August baby) allowing for between 10 and 20, for which you pay per head. Just had her Year 1 classlist and there are only 5 from her existing class on it plus 11 others, some of whom she knows, others less so. I had planned to invite all those from both classes, on the basis that she has been to most of her current class members' parties and may well get invited to the 6th's of those in her new one, plus she can't really ask just a selection of those in her new one. So that makes 26 in total.

Does this sound reasonable or OTT ? Some may well not be back from holidays by then anyway. I need to get the invitations out before everyone goes on holiday and I'd only bought 20 thinking they wouldn't make such drastic changes !!

anyone ?

To put it another way , if you had a child in the new class, but didn't really know dd or me, would you feel miffed if your child was not invited ? I just remember I so appreciated dd being invited along to her first party when new last year and she may yet make frends with those she doesn't know.

If you were me, I would just ask dd to chose a few of her favourite friends, add a few family/every day friends and leave it at that. It's very difficult to get carried away with birthdays when kids are little. I'm sure they really don't care too much who comes as long as their best buddies are around.
You can't guarantee that she'll make friends with people just because they are at her party. She will make her friends by herself when she's ready.
Have fun, whatever you chose to do and don't worry about everyone else. It's your dd's day!

Snap I am doing exactly the same - party for August born DS1 in September. I am just inviting 7 or 8 mates round - they don't mix the classes so don't have that dilemma.

Its a problem as we have just had another 3 party invites for the last two weekends of term - all summer babies. If we had stuck DS1 in there then we would have a problem finding a free date.

If I had a child in the new class I wouldn't mind at all if she weren't invited. OTOH I would probably be very happy if she were. I would probably take Sparkler1's approach.

I guess I also feel a bit guilty as we moved back to the UK last summer with her knowing noone and by the time she turned 4 and term began we faced a round of 5th b'day parties among those who had come from the nursery together so hers never happened. Hence why we're prepared to push the boat out and indulge her this year.