Holiday Party Etiquette

[RachelEllen]

I hope it all turns out for you. You may be worrying over nothing.

I'd suggest that you let your son throw his own party some time next year for his friends. Maybe when it's warm, so they can be outside. Sounds like he'd really like to have his own party.

He's quite social. But he has gotton to throw several of his own (all boy) parties. I think this started because he took our saying "We are having a holiday party" to be more inclusive of a "we" than we intended!

 

[Hannathy]

The invitation sets the tone and yours says it's an adult party and kids can be included.

Lisa

But her son sent email invites to the kids way before the mailed invite got there!

Unless you and your son want to have to go back and uninvite all the kids he invited, I'd just let whoever comes come, send them to the basement with some 2 liters of soda and several bags of snacks and say have fun.
You will be in the house and kids that age don't need babysat.

I wouldn't go either if I didn't know you I'd assume there were 2 parties going on and you were just being polite to invite me,(especially when my kid got invited several days before my invitation arrived) so I would just drop my kid off.

 

[kirstenb1]

OP, I think you're kind of stuck now. Basically your son has created a second party going on at the same time.

He's 11, so the years of parents staying at "his" party are long gone.

I might shift the date of "his" party so you can enjoy your own, and then properly supervise his.

 

[tlbwriter]

But her son sent email invites to the kids way before the mailed invite got there!

Yes, this is the problem. I'd probably contact the parents of those who said they planned to attend on their own and say "I'm so sorry, but Junior got ahead of us and gave his friends the impression that he was throwing a kids' party. In fact, it's an adult party where kids are welcome to come with their parents. I hope you'll consider joining us." And it may be that, now that they've seen the invitation, they're having second thoughts and will appreciate the clarification.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

But her son sent email invites to the kids way before the mailed invite got there!

Unless you and your son want to have to go back and uninvite all the kids he invited, I'd just let whoever comes come, send them to the basement with some 2 liters of soda and several bags of snacks and say have fun.
You will be in the house and kids that age don't need babysat.

I wouldn't go either if I didn't know you I'd assume there were 2 parties going on and you were just being polite to invite me,(especially when my kid got invited several days before my invitation arrived) so I would just drop my kid off.

Yep.

OP, just go with it this year and next year don't invite parents because your son wants his friend there, unless you know they are coming because you know them well.