Birthday Question (your honest opinions needed)

azaretsky

Hi Ladies -

Here are the facts:

1) DS will be 4 in January and we want to have a kiddie birthday party for him.

2) DS's preschool has an unspoken rule - if you're celebrating your kid's birthday you need to invite not just some but all of the kids from preschool. There are 19 kids there in total.

3) There are 4-5 kids at preschool that DS is great friends with, so I'd like to have them at his party.

4) We have a lot of friends with kids (12 kids!)

5) Can't break the bank for this birthday party.

So - WWYD?

 

ldcoffel

Don't invite school friends. Or pick one from school. 12 kids is plenty. 

smilejenn

I'd let him take the lead on his party. How often does he see your friends' children?  Since he goes to school at least a few days a week (I'm assuming), he may prefer to have his school friends at his party. Kids at this age tend to have the closest relationships with those children they see on a regular basis.

June2007

If your DS plays with those kids outside if school too then I would invite them, otherwise I would stick to just friends/family with kids and not invite any of the school friends. In that case I would send cookies or muffins to school one day near his birthday to share with his class.

weddedwife

Pick either the school friends or the other friends. Or just invite the friends he's really close with, "unspoken rule" or not.

We usually do DD's parties at home. There's no way I'm shelling out a couple hundred bucks for a 3 or 4 year old's bday party at some overpriced venue. There's no reason kids can't have fun at a regular old-fashioned bday party.

74dragonfly

I would just invite your friends kids if, like PP, he plays with them a lot. 12 kids is a lot for a four year old party.

74dragonfly

June2007:

. In that case I would send cookies or muffins to school one day near his birthday to share with his class.

This is what I did for DD 3rd birthday.

anonsouthernbell

I'd invite the 4-5 kids from school but do it outside of school (call, mail or email invitations.)

LoCarb

I would have a celebration at school and the 'other' friends at the b-day party. At DD's PS, some parents go all out on the school parties and hire magicians, clowns,etc...I'm more on a budget and would probably celebrate with cupcakes and maybe goody bags for the kiddos.

ridesbuttons

WTF with the unspoken rule.  Jesus.

Invite who you want.  I'd stick with his 4-5 friends and that's it.  No "your friends" or the whole damn class.

Have fun.

The end.

brewcitybride

Don't do a big party for a 4 year old. Sorry, but that is my theory. I do a big bash for the first birthday party, because come on, how fun and cute. After that, it's super small and fun things with family, cake and presents at home. When my children are older (7,8) and are able to want to have input into who would come to their party, then I am willing to do a real kid-friend party. But I would never invite 19 kids, for example, to my 4 year olds party, some of whom my child probably doesn't even interact with! Just seems silly.

Jen&Len

The friends that DS wanted to invite from school were all boys, so I invited all the boys, plus our 15 family friends/cousins.  I did invited via email.

pensparade

I'd just bring the ones he is bff's with. Screw the unspoken rule. That's life. You can't always invite the whole class

macchiatto

My boys will be 4 in January, too. I'm asking them who they want to invite to their party. I ask them every few weeks to see who they consistently say (since I know sometimes they might mention they just happened to see that day but wouldn't normally think of). I agree with screw the unspoken rule. As long as you're not excluding just a few kids, I think it's unnecessary (and expensive!). I think we're just inviting 2 of the boys' classmates.