Too old for birthday parties?

[AustinTink]

I saw something on the birthday invite thread about birthday parties ending in middle school. Is that the norm? Just wondering, as DS is in 6th grade and we're having a party for him next week.

 

[Art 1]

My daughter and her close friends had them through senior year in HS. Of course they were different as they got older.

 

[MomofKatie]

Different ages, different type of parties. DD is 12, in the 7th grade, and still attending b'day parties. Not as many as when she was younger, and usually smaller, spend the night or movie and shopping type now that involve just girls. Not very many boy/girl, whole class invited parties at the skating rink, bowling alley, or other venue anymore. Although, in a year or 2, they will probably be interested in boy/girl parties again...

 

[cristit14]

My daughter is in high school and still has them, but they have changed throughout the years. Around 4th grade they became much smaller and slumber parties. The last couple of years she has invited several girls over for the evening and then a few of them end up sleeping over. She already has hers for next year planned (Nov). She wants to invite 2 girls to go up to Estes Park with her and stay at the Stanley Hotel. My son is in 7th and he will still have them too, but he hasn't had a big party since probably 3rd grade. He has been inviting 2 or 3 boys over, we go to a movie and then they spend the night and play video games.

 

[Cinderella94]

I'm a senior in HS and all of my friends are still having birthday parties. But over the years they've changed from parties with planned activities to hanging out at the person's house watching a movie.

 

[AustinTink]

Different ages, different type of parties. DD is 12, in the 7th grade, and still attending b'day parties. Not as many as when she was younger, and usually smaller, spend the night or movie and shopping type now that involve just girls. Not very many boy/girl, whole class invited parties at the skating rink, bowling alley, or other venue anymore. Although, in a year or 2, they will probably be interested in boy/girl parties again...

I was wondering about the bolded part. We've always had the big boy/girl parties for my DS. We figured out years ago that it was cheaper to rent out the whole skating rink at an off hour than try to do a party by the head at some of the other party places.

DS never went through the "girls have cooties" stage, so we always invited the whole grade, both classes. All the kids show up and seem to have a great time. Plus DH and I love to rollerskate (children of the 70's) so we have a great time too. Many of the parents get out on the floor, as well.

 

[AustinTink]

My daughter is in high school and still has them, but they have changed throughout the years. Around 4th grade they became much smaller and slumber parties. The last couple of years she has invited several girls over for the evening and then a few of them end up sleeping over. She already has hers for next year planned (Nov). She wants to invite 2 girls to go up to Estes Park with her and stay at the Stanley Hotel. My son is in 7th and he will still have them too, but he hasn't had a big party since probably 3rd grade. He has been inviting 2 or 3 boys over, we go to a movie and then they spend the night and play video games.

That sounds neat. We offered to do something similar for DS next year. Like possibly a Spurs game in San Antonio and a night at a hotel for a few kids. But that would be much more expensive than the roller rink, so we'll see.

 

[dislaney]

Mine are in high school and they still have parties. Some parties mine have had in the last few years are taking some friends out to a nice dinner, one had a skating party, Greatwolf lodge for the weekend, the ice at the Gaylord with a group of friends, sweet 16 at a hall. We let the kids pick within a certain budget. Some years we get off easy others they use the whole budget.

 

[luvmy3]

Thats when I stop doing parties, instead we invite a few friends to do something, bowling, movies, etc and/or sleepover.
This seems to be the norm in this area as my 2 kids in 5th and 7th haven't been invited to any formal parties this year. My youngest has been invited to a ton.
My dd is turning 13 this year so I do want to do something more special for her, but haven't figured out what yet.

 

[golfgal]

We stopped having big "planned" parties for the kids when they were 10-meaning, parties at the bowling alley, ice rink, where you invited all the kids type parties. After that they had a sleepover with a few friends where they took care of the details or maybe took a few friends to a movie. They also get a big party for their 16th birthday. DS18 had about 20 kids over and they played games in the back yard, had a bon fire, etc. Not sure what the twins want to do yet for their 16th coming up soon.

 

[smb6]

I agree with others; at a certain point- for us it is about when they start to change classes- the parties down size. My young ones still invite the whole class, but my oldest 3 change classes- to invite the whole class- we would be inviting the whole grade! So, they now invite a few friends.... My dd invited 4 friends and I picked them up from school, went to the nail salon for mani/pedi's and back to the house for dinner and cake. Both my son's had six flags bday's last year and invited 3 friends ea and they slept over and we spent the day at 6flags. I actually like these parties better, personally..... This year, my 6th grader is planning to have a "party" at the movie theatre- private viewing, all you can eat popcorn/drinks, he will invite 7 friends...(that is the package they offer). I'm hoping Taylor Swift or someone similar comes to town because my dd would love to just take 1 or 2 friends and go to a concert for her "party".

 

[AustinTink]

I agree with others; at a certain point- for us it is about when they start to change classes- the parties down size. My young ones still invite the whole class, but my oldest 3 change classes- to invite the whole class- we would be inviting the whole grade! So, they now invite a few friends.... My dd invited 4 friends and I picked them up from school, went to the nail salon for mani/pedi's and back to the house for dinner and cake. Both my son's had six flags bday's last year and invited 3 friends ea and they slept over and we spent the day at 6flags. I actually like these parties better, personally..... This year, my 6th grader is planning to have a "party" at the movie theatre- private viewing, all you can eat popcorn/drinks, he will invite 7 friends...(that is the package they offer). I'm hoping Taylor Swift or someone similar comes to town because my dd would love to just take 1 or 2 friends and go to a concert for her "party".

Maybe that where the difference lies. My son goes to a small private school, the whole 6th grade means 50 kids. So, he is still really close with all of them. They have been together since pre-k, about 90% of them. We know all the families well, yada, yada...

Still, I think I may encourage a more intimate gathering next year.

 

[okeydokey]

Mine had their lat actual party at 11. After that they can invite a couple of friends to a movie or some other outing and maybe to spend the night.

 

[shortbun]

The parties stopped here at about 7th grade BUT DS still has all his buds over for an all out, knock down basketball and video game tournament that lasts about two days. They play 3 on 3 tournaments and who knows how they organize the video games-no gifts, no cake, no decorations, no birthday singing.

 

[AustinTink]

Is it considered "uncool" to have a big party after 12? That's the vibe I'm getting.

 

[Art 1]

Is it considered "uncool" to have a big party after 12? That's the vibe I'm getting.

Maybe for boys but not for girls. Ours and many had the largest party at 15 or 16.

 

[MomofKatie]

Is it considered "uncool" to have a big party after 12? That's the vibe I'm getting.

I wouldn't say that- just more like another poster said. Once they get out of elementary school, there are too many kids to invite the whole grade- in our case, she'd be inviting about 400 kids!

Plus, at that age (12-14), kids really start breaking off into the different groups- athletes, "popular" kids, "smart" kids, etc- and it is harder to get them to all come to the party of someone they don't socialize with normally.

DD attended a skating party last night and had a blast- but it was just girls and there were only 5-6 girls attending.

 

[NAB]

Our parties pretty will dried up around 10 years old.

I would not call hanging out with 1 or two friend a party. But that is what it done here too. Take a good friend to the show for your birthday or something like it. Or like others said a sleep over. No goodie bags, no games to plan I love it.

My dd found it sad that the kids in her class didn't even do Christmas cards this year or last and she is in grade 5. I asked about Valentines and she said if she didn't get Christmas cards do you really think they would do Valentines. Guess I am done buying those too. Kids are growning up so fast these days.

 

[Art 1]

Our parties pretty will dried up around 10 years old.

I would not call hanging out with 1 or two friend a party. But that is what it done here too. Take a good friend to the show for your birthday or something like it. Or like others said a sleep over. No goodie bags, no games to plan I love it.

My dd found it sad that the kids in her class didn't even do Christmas cards this year or last and she is in grade 5. I asked about Valentines and she said if she didn't get Christmas cards do you really think they would do Valentines. Guess I am done buying those too. Kids are growning up so fast these days.

I guess it all depends. My girls did all that all way through. In fact when my daughter came home from school this year for Christmas break she exchanged gifts with maybe 5 of her close friends who were home from school.

 

[NAB]

I guess it all depends. My girls did all that all way through. In fact when my daughter came home from school this year for Christmas break she exchanged gifts with maybe 5 of her close friends who were home from school.

She did exchange gifts with her two best friends at Christmas but we thought she would get more cards. How hard is it to write or make a card. No expense for the stamp either.