Children's Party Invitations -What's Expected

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My dc have always had whole class parties. Some of the children reciprocate and invite them back to their own parties but others don't. This year we're scaling back and only inviting a few children. I feel obliged to invite the other children whose parties my dc have attended but I've noticed that many other parents don't bother to do this. Am I trying to hard? What do other parents do?

ask your child who they would like to come to the party - give them a maximum - and invite these children

and dotn stress about it

its a childrens party not a dinner invitation

For DS 5 invited the group he's put with at school and those who have invited him. Last year and the one before all the kids in class/ playgroup. You can't win I got asked why little x,y,z had been excluded but couldn't fit 30 kids in my house.

We had the same situation last year when my ds was 7. He would probably have invited mostly boys but had been to quite a few girls parties too (who he's been friendly with since Reception).

I wouldn't have forced him but did think it would be nice to invite those whose parties he had been too. He thought so too

I have got my 5 yr olds party next sat and tbh I just sat him down told him how many he could invite and asked him who he wanted to come . I did then leave it 24 hrs before going through the list again with him and making sure he hadn't forgotte anybody before sending out the invites .

I did worry a bit about making sure he was inviting people whose party he had been invited to but things change so quickly with children that the person they were really friendly with a month ago is not always still going to be a great friend now .

I just figured its his party and up to him .

So it sounds like I'm worrying too much then.
Perhaps I'll see about inviting the children whose parties they've been to since September and then allow them to choose x more themselves.