Birthday Help Needed!!!! Please.....

[Melora]

Most years since my 8 year old has turned 5, we have had a birthday party for him and invited his whole class.

His first big party (pre school) we had an OK turn out (about 12 kids) but for his kindergarden party only 4 kids from his class showed up. There were other kids from outside of school but not many maybe 3 or 4. We had it at Chuck E Cheese. My son barely noticed the small turn out, but I sure did! I think the problem was that a little boy from his class had had a party there the week before and maybe most parents didnt want to do CEC another weekend. We went to that one and the boy had at least 20 kids show up. My son was pretty excited thinking he was going to come home with that many gifts.

I was pretty upset since everyone seemed to really like my son and he never had problems in class or with other kids. Hardly any of the kids parents RSVP-ed either. (Do any of you notice how few people seem to do that?)

1st grade (different school) he had a good turn out (15 kids) and last year (2nd grade) we were doing the communting thing (living 35 miles from his school and taking care of my mom) and couldnt have a party for him.

Now my dilema is that I am worried about giving him a party this year and no one showing up again. He's (once again ) new to this school and not a single kid has had (or invited him to) a birthday party so far this year.. Well except the kid 2 doors down from us.


Do you think this is a sign that kids at this school do not have birthday parties? Maybe he just didnt get invited to parties because he's new....Or do kids this age tend to invite only boys/girls to their parties and maybe boys don't have as many parties as girls do. I think at 9 its perfectly OK to invite both. My son has friends who are girls and wants to ask both boys and girls.

So should I go ahead and make a party for him? He wants one! And worry about how many kids show up? Any party suggestions for a 9 year old boy?

I think I'm so gun shy because of what happened in Kindergarden that I don't want that to happen again.

 

[Kimberle]

Sorry about the low turn out. Sometimes it just happens. It could be that you just picked a time when lots of people had prior plans. I'm sure it had nothing to "do" with your ds.

Last year, for the 4th b-days, lots of us had parties. Most had around 13-16 kids. One very nice lady had 6 kids come. She had a lot cancel at the last minute because of sickness. (I felt terrible as I was one of those, but Brittany had a temp of 105. I just couldn't take her.) Some parties had 25 kids because "everybody could come". You just never know.

I don't mind them not coming so much, it's the non RSVPing that erks me. This year, I was very lucky, only 3 out of 26 didn't RSVP. But last year, over 50% didn't & I had to leave a 2nd "reminder" invite. I ended up with 13 out of 24 coming. (Which was fine, it was a wonderful party.) I had Brittany's last w/end. 19 kids (out of 26) came.

I'd say, talk to your ds. What does he want to do? 9 can go either "way". He may want a traditional party, or he may be happy with 2 or 3 friends at a movie.

Good luck to you! It's just never easy with these parties! But, don't take it "personal" if only a few kids come. I'm sure it's no reflection on you or your ds!

 

[Rajah]

You say he wants one, that's enough for me. Throw the party and invite everyone you want to invite. Who knows, it may be a good thing to help him get to know the other kids, too.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

What I did for my 7yodd last Sept was I invited 1 friend and took them to a ceramics place and then dinner afterwards.
Yes, it wasn't a big party but she had a great time!

I vote for the 2 or 3 friends and plan something special.

Good Luck!