Need Help For a Summer Bday!!!

[llori7]

Hi, My DS's bday is 7/25. He will be 5 and currently goes to preschool. This year, a few kids in his class had birthday parties, so now he wants to have one. I was trying to figure out if I should do the party in early June, so no one forgets about or if I should have it around his bday.

His last day of school is this Wednesday 5/21, so I thought about passing out "save the date" cards. I would just be a generic postcard with the date of the party one it. Then mailing out invitations closer to the party. That way, no one will forget about the party. I need help coming up with a cute saying on the cards that I send out.

Do you think this is a stupid idea?? Should I have the party in July, around his bday or in early June?? I am just afraid if I just mail out the invitations in July, no one will be able to come.

I will take any suggestions. I have to decide what I am doing by this Wednesday.

Thanks!

 

[RMulieri]

I would do it in June.my dd's bday is December 26th..so every year i am at a loss as to when to do it.

 

[bumbershoot]

I didn't go to birthday parties that young, but once older, the summer b'days were all with friends. Friends that were close enough that we could just be contacted about the parties.

If all of his friends are from school, if the kids are splitting apart for different classes, will they really still be friends by then? I really don't know; my only friends were kids of my mom's friends (though some of those kids were also at my Montessori school) so it was easy enough to be invited for parties.

My guy is younger than yours, and we're on the homeschool track (LOL), but I'm so tired of even just the family parties that I think we're going to just travel for his b'days. We're going to Disneyland this month for his 4th, next year we hope to be on a cruise, looking for those pirates in the Caribbean, and who knows what we'll be up to for the subsequent ones. He has talked about parties, but ultimately Disneyland sounds better to him!

And we have the problem of his b'day always being Mem Day weekend, meaning that NO ONE can come...and having a 6 month away unbirthday lands us at Thanksgiving!


I can't imagine the save the date cards would go over well. They are sometimes not really welcomed with weddings, let alone a 5 year old b'day party! Try to imagine what the response would be if someone posted about receiving one on the Community Board, ya know?

 

[llori7]

I didn't go to birthday parties that young, but once older, the summer b'days were all with friends. Friends that were close enough that we could just be contacted about the parties.

If all of his friends are from school, if the kids are splitting apart for different classes, will they really still be friends by then? I really don't know; my only friends were kids of my mom's friends (though some of those kids were also at my Montessori school) so it was easy enough to be invited for parties.

My guy is younger than yours, and we're on the homeschool track (LOL), but I'm so tired of even just the family parties that I think we're going to just travel for his b'days. We're going to Disneyland this month for his 4th, next year we hope to be on a cruise, looking for those pirates in the Caribbean, and who knows what we'll be up to for the subsequent ones. He has talked about parties, but ultimately Disneyland sounds better to him!

And we have the problem of his b'day always being Mem Day weekend, meaning that NO ONE can come...and having a 6 month away unbirthday lands us at Thanksgiving!


I can't imagine the save the date cards would go over well. They are sometimes not really welcomed with weddings, let alone a 5 year old b'day party! Try to imagine what the response would be if someone posted about receiving one on the Community Board, ya know?

Someone suggested the "save the date" cards to me. I thought I would see what people on here thought, but I don't know if I like the idea all that much, but it is better than anything I came up with!! I understand he is young, but all the other kids in the preschool class are having parties and he wants one too.

The kids in his class will be going to different schools next year. So that is why I am worried if it is in late July, some will not come. I am just trying to come up with something that will work, since he is a summer bday. I just hate to get his hopes up and plan a party at the end of July, and have no one show up. That is why I thought maybe we would just do it a month early, as soon as school is out. But I also don't want to confuse him with when his bday.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

One of DD5's best preschool friends has a birthday in July. Her mom is holding her party on her birthday at a neighborhood pool. She has been telling the other moms about it so it will kind of be in their minds. The kids are all going to kindergarten in the fall (different schools), so it is possible they won't be seeing each other much after school gets out next week, but she is going to invite them and hope most can come. I know we'll be there - DD is already talking about it and the girls will be doing a camp together that week. They had her party in July last year, too, and many people came.

I did hold a birthday party very early once. We were getting ready to move and DD8's 3rd birthday was six weeks away. We had a party with our play group - everyone knew we were moving and everyone I asked told me to do it. I didn't want it to seem like we were trying to load up on presents, but I didn't want to be six weeks in a new state and trying to have a party. We had a family party on her birthday. DD loved that year - her birthday lasted for two months!

I probably wouldn't do save the date cards - I'd just casually mention it to other moms when talking about summer plans. If someone has a vacation planned, they likely are not going to change it for a 5-year old birthday party. Invite who you want and hope at least a few can come. At least it won't be July 4th weekend!

 

[Reagan&Co.]

My DD's bday is in the middle of June (and we get out of school before Memorial Day). Every year it has been about 50/50 with people at the beach, etc. Even if we had it early, people are always going to be busy on the weekends AND weekdays, so I have learned not to be disappointed with a lower turnout. Usually that makes for a better party anyway. (And the kids don't notice that certain people did not come.....)

Have fun!

 

[rt2dz]

Even with save-the-date cards, it's hard, especially at the preschool age. So many people are vacationing and they are not going to change/consider a child's birthday party in that. A wedding, maybe, but generally not a birthday party. My youngest has a summer birthday and a friend whose child is a summer birthday recommended to me that I do what she does, hold the party at the end of the school year and do a family only party on the birthday. More kids are able to come and it just spreads out the fun. I have to say, it's true. My nieces have summer birthdays and barely anyone can ever come to their parties. It's so important to them at that age and many won't come at the preschool age if it has been too long--they probably won't see each other after K starts mentality.

 

[SharpMomOfTwo]

As an event planner, I don't see anything wrong with save the date cards - especially for weddings! I think it gets people excited - they know they are getting a "date night" out and it gives them time to get a babysitter if needed. As for the fact that they are not all going to be in school together next year - so what?!? Its a party, not a huge commitment! I also don't really have a problem with having the party in June rather than July - it will be fun for your kiddo to have two parties!

 

[Deffenm]

I understand how you feel. We have one birthday on July 7th, one on Dec. 24th and one on Dec. 30th. As you can see all around major holidays so my kids only have maybe 1 or 2 friends show up. They don't mind because we still play games, have goodie bags, cake and presents. I don't think your son will care how many show up as long as you still make the day special for him. My kids always get to pick out their theme and help pick out their decorations.

 

[canadianmom2three]

Great thread, I am in a similar situation....my DS's 6th Bday is August, and he has been talking for months about how he wants to have his friends for a party. We will actually be at WDW for his birthday, so I am planning to have his 'party' just after school gets out. Our last day here is a Wednesday, so I'm thinking the Friday. He gets that its not his birthday, but I explained to him that we will have a 'party' at WDW on his real birthday, and his grandparents are coming to WDW so that should be enough fun for him!!! As far as the kiddie party goes, he wants to invite all the boys in his class (about 10), plus a couple friends, but really I could care less how many come, as long as a few show....We have a pool, so I am going to hire someone to guard the kids, and also we are going to set up our crazy carpet, and some water balloons etc.....heaven help me if it rains!!!!!

 

[ekmom]

My DD's birthday is July 10th. She will be 22 this year so my kid birthday party days are long over, but summer birthdays are always hard. People are just not around as much, especially if they have cottages where they spend their weekends.

I think save the date cards would be a waste of time. Nobody is going to arrange their schedule around attending a 5 year old's birthday party.

After a few disappointing years when few kids were able to attend DD's party, we started just inviting her 3 closest friends. That way we could coordinate schedules so that everyone could make it. Keeping it small also allowed us to do things that were a little more expensive like taking them to a water park.

 

[llori7]

Thanks for all your input. I think I will just do the party one of the first 2 weeks of June. That way, I feel I have a better chance of more kids showing up!!

 

[mickeymousemom]

I know you've already decided, but just wanted to say I think your idea is a good one. Your son is only one day younger than my DD(she will be 5 on 7/24). I've never known what to do for a party with her classmates, as kids this young can easily forget each other, as well as the date being so far out. I just told DD that as she gets older she'll make friends that will last longer and then we can do b-day parties with them. For now, we just do family parties and she she still loves them. We took her to the Children's Museum last year on her b-day and she's begging to go back!

Good luck with your party!

 

[lclark0621]

My DS's birthday is 7/23. This year he will be 5.

Last year, we handed out the invites to his party (which was like 2 days after his birthday) the last week of school.

Without RSVPs (because many did not which drives me nuts!) we had 40 kids here! YIKES!

This year I have the school directory & I am mailing the invites in June. I like to have a firm number by around the 4th of July so I can plan for goodie bags, and other stuff (plates, drinks, etc), as well as for the entertainer we have.