My son had his first invite to a party- the child in question has a website dedicated to the day. Is this normal party ettiquette for a 5 year old?

[DrSpaceman]

They barely know each other as they have only just started school.

The website is really sweet but I can't help but feel horrified at how slick it is. There is a family profile, a wish list of presents, the games they will play and what the day will consist of and photos of the previous years photos with cake etc.

I was hoping my ds could have a few friends round for tea with lots of coloured food and some donkey tail pinning.

I am a novice at this and look to the vipers and their wisdom to put me right on all matters normal/crazy with this schooling lark.

I have namechanged as I suspected supermum may be a mumsnetter/Fly type

He is the youngest of four!

Drspaceman - I pity the birthday child tbh, if this is what his parents think is appropriate for a 5yo what on earth will he expect/get when he is 16

Crazy OTT parenting

Stick with party at home with multicoloured food and donkey tails - sounds fab

I think so. It was only a pang.

I have a big garden so I will turf them out there when the time comes.

A gift list? For a 5 year old?

How spectacularly vulgar.

It was a wish list Slubbergullion not a gift list as such.

I think I have made it sound really vile but it isn't. I thought it was very slick.

very ott

c'mon, link

at least give us a couple of google buzzwords

You have to have a password to get onto it.

No I can't what if she is a MN member,

I feel awful now starting this, shame on me.

Envy is a terrible thing

Spaceman, slickness and vulgarity aren't mutually exclusive you know .

I'm sorry but things like this give me the splayed toes. It's so show-offy and grubbily grabby.

NO NO NO don't be envious. Be JUDGEMENTAL. It is a deeply horrid thing.

Wow a present wish list!?!?!

cheeky organised fekkers!!

Agree totally OTT! All the ones we go to are just at the local soft play, with a cake thrown in! There was one princess/makeover party. A wish list for presents seems really cheeky to me!

PS dd has been invited to a BOY's party. What do 6 yo boys like? I have no clue.

Well I'm going against the grain and saying that it sound really cool and I am envious of such great organisation . All the info is in one place, everything you could want to know. I'm not sure if it is a British thing to belittle people who do great things because we are jealous. DISCLAIMER: I am British and I could not achieve such a wonderful party for my DCs!

That is w.e.i.r.d

I have two dd's age 6 and 3 and every party they have had at home with about 6-10 friends.

My flat is pretty average.

They always have a great time and have never asked for a big hall party etc. We do all teh traditional games, music, dancing sometimes art and craft, dinner and party bags.

I have never felt pressured to have a massive party with her whole class. I really dont like these parties. I have been to quite a few with my girls and it never really looks like its a party for a particular person, it does not look like their special day but rather alot of organised fun and it could be anyones birthday there. Plus I hate the idea of all those presents!!!

Maybe when she is older a large party would still feel like their special day.

When we have our parties at home, all their friends always make a fuss about them and thats what makes it special.

All her friends mums always say how lovely the party looks and they wish they could have a tradiotional party like that but always feel the need to invite lots of people.

This kind of thing that women is organising is not special but egotistical!

Horrible, but thats just my opinion.

Oooh! A birthday website! What a cool idea, I must get DH onto making one for DD's birthday next week.

Portofino 6yo boys like BEN 10, Army theme stuff, a bit of Lego, balls, anything with wheels on it, or that shoots missiles. Marbles are good if no younger siblings in the family.

ahhh but there is a difference between throwing a great, highly organised party and creating a web site to bray about your fabulous party throwing skills.

I think it's a perfectly valid (British ) response to belittle pride and greed.

Well there are well thought out things on it too.

Nobody knows each other yet and it has their names and directions to their house and we'll know what they'll be doing and we can tell them if we want to stay so she/he will prepare food for us.

Just in case you are reading this (mum at school)

I still prefer the telepathy idea though.

what.........!!!

I think they will look back in years to come and cringe! And their child will grow up to wonder wtf they were thinking?! I also live in Surrey and party invites here tend to come on pre-printed pads from Tesco and usually arrive crumpled in the bottom of a book bag!

well, I'd never in a million years be able to do something so organised but I don't think it's a bad idea at all

I think you're all being horribly sneery

but then I have done wrapped up books as party bag preseents several times along with a couple of sweets cos I can't stand the idea of spending £££ on a whole load of crap which will go in the bin as soon as the party guest gets home

and what's wrong with a present wish list? dd would love me to tell all her friends' parents what she'd really like (double )

Oh I do love a good healthy sneer now and again .

Directions to the party can be printed/photocopied onto the back of the invite. If you are going to all the effort of wrapping things up around lollypops [double sneer] then the information (time, date, venue, rsvp phone number) can all go on there, no need for the website.

Why do you need to know what they are doing? It's a party for a 5yo fgs. I doubt they will be juggling with knifes and cooking their own strips of swordfish on fire stones (although I guess anything is possible in Surrey).

Whiskybar, there are so many things wrong with a wish list for a 5 yo I don't know quite where to start.

So what type of things are on the wish list? Bet there's nothing on there within my budget

oh god that is awful and cheesy. Worse than couples who have websites for their wedding day.

The family must be very self-important self absorbed people with too much time on their hands.

This is not supermum. This is sad.

Agree with slubber. Do not be envious.

This is ott and not the sign of a well organised mum, just the sign of a dysfunctional mum/parnts/family.