moms with kids in daycare re: birthday parties

Susie2005

So, I'm trying to decide what to do about DS's birthday party. I was not planning to invite the kids in his class but he recently got invited to one of theirs so now I'm second guessing myself. With friends and cousins he'll already have plenty of kids at his party.  If I invite daycare friends, I'd have to include all 12 of them, though I'm sure they would not all come. He is the youngest in his class and this is the first party he's been invited to. All of the others have already turned three and they did a little party for them at school but did not invite classmates to outside parties. What have you done? WWYD? Thanks.

xbrooklyngrl

We have a lot of friends with kids so I don't invite daycare kids. My DD has one that she's best friends with and we get them together once a week at least outside of daycare, so of course I did invite him.

This year, my DD's best friend decided he wants the entire daycare class so she invited them all. I'm curious to see if DD will now want to do the same.

Mrs.Saxy

DSs bday is New Year's eve so I don't really have problems because he's off school and it's kind of a family holiday.  But, we wouldn't have invited them.  He's too young and I don't know if he likes them or not.

If I did invite one, at this age I would just leave it at that.  They don't really talk about so-and-so's party so I doubt they'd get hurt feelings. 

EliseB0323

We invited the daycare/preschool class starting w/ DS's 4th birthday. For his 2nd and 3rd birthday we had a little celebration at his daycare. For his second birthday, Elmo came to visit daycare and played and danced with the kids. We brought in cupcakes too. For his 3rd birthday we did cupcakes and my sister (who is an art teacher) came in and did an art project with the kids and played some games about colors.

mrsmikey

So far we have not invited daycare friends.  There is one friend we are friends with outside of daycare that was invited, but no one else.  I wouldn't feel obligated just b/c he was invited to one.  They do little parties in class for birthdays, and parents can bring cupcakes or whatever, so we've just done that.  Right now his birthday party consists more of family members and adults than kids.  I'm sure when he gets older we'll be looking into inviting more kids. 

stacynikki

We just had DS's party and only invited three of the boys from his class of 15.  Those are the three he always plays with.  I really don't even know who else is in his class.  Two of those three also just had parties and while one of the boys did invite the entire class, the other only inivted the same three.  I didn't think it necessary to invite the girls or the other boys that DS never talks about.

Dcubed

Starting with the 3rd bday we invited daycare friends.  His 3rd no one showed up and he was a bit disappointed but of course does not remember it.  For his 4th (a new daycare) he had a good show.  We go to their bday parties and the kids have a blast.  It's the same kids that basically come to the parties and they all play so well together.  I like seeing how he plays with the other kids since I don't get to see it much when I just go to pick him up and it gives me a chance to meet the parents of the kids he plays with daily.  I don't invite his daycare friends for more presents nor do I feel that we get invited for that reason.  It's a bday party, regardless of the age you go to the party to have fun, play and socialize.

jlw2505

Just because you are invited to a party does not mean you have to invite that person to yours.  And why do you "have" to invite the whole class?  Sorry but I just don't get that throught process.  At my daycare, the birthday child typically brings in cupcakes and the class has them for afternoon snack that day and that's about it.  The teachers make the child a crown or something else special.

With my older DD, she has been great friends with about 4 kids since they started there so we have invited that small group to her last 2 parties and will do so again this year.  My younger DD's 1st friend party is on Sat and we invited 3 of the kids.  1 never responded, 1 is not able to make it and the 3rd had something come up last week but I don't really consider the 3rd as a  daycare friend as we knew them before they started going to daycare.

Other than school friends, we invite the kids from our ECFE classes that we often see for playdates and such (older DD is done with classes and younger one is still in classes).  Family is included as well.  For DD's birthday on Sat, she will have 4 friends total at the party and I think we had 4 that were invited but not able to make it.  Older DD's parties to be a little bigger but we always done her parties at home, outside, since it is summer and she just has more friends.  Younger DD is more shy and doesn't have the # of friends that older DD did at this age plus we are having her party out at an indoor play place.