No replies for DDs party - advice

freddie_2

Its my DD 4th birthday next week. She wanted a party in a soft play centre so I booked it and invited some friends. I also asked her nursery techer to pass 6 invites onto her friends whom she regulary plays with.

This was last monday and I still have not had any replies from her school friends. Without then we do not hae minium numbers for soft play centre.
What should I do?
I have no contact details for the parents, only see them at school and no one speaks to each other!

Do I cancel the soft play and move to our house and pray for bouncy castle weather?

skylight

Speak to them in the morning. Check they got the invite and are they coming as you need to know for numbers. Best way to get chatty with other parents at the school gates.

You have to do that becuase if you cancel, then you would have to speak to them to tell them anyway!

Lizzieb151

Ohh that's a tough one, years ago I had a party for my son - on the actual day a load of school friends turned up even though they hadn't replied!!!

Is there anyway of asking the teachers to check for you before you move the party??

Or can you just book the soft play and plead ignorance on the day that some didn't make it??

Spendless

I feel for you. I agreed to my daughter having the most expensive play area in town for her birthday. £10 a head with a minimum of 10 kids and to pay in advance. The day before the party 1 person said they couldn't make it. On the day itself another 2 said they couldn't, a further 1 contacted the play centre to say they weren't coming - who didn't think to ring me and another one didn't show, so 5 down. :mad:

Fortunately letting my DS fetch a mate, asking my friend wha has 3 kids to attend and letting sibling of a party guest eat with the others meant I didn't pay for food not eaten.

Never ever again!

I'd ask the parents in the playground if they are coming tomorrow.

Surfbabe

Ask them tomorrow - people not replying to invitations is a real bug bear of mine - It was my sons 21st BD a couple of weeks ago and we had no idea how many were coming - and it was only family that were invited in the first place!

esmf73

I'd ask them tomorrow. Just a cheery - did you get the invitation for XXXX's party next week, I just need to know by nnnnn, should do the trick

freddie_2

I would ask them but to be honest I dont even recognise which child is which and really not sure who is whos mum. I have no car at the minute so my mum is taking her to school most days so I dont get to see them.

Really annoyed as although I dont know them DD is friends with their children at school and I wanted her to have her 1st 'proper' party.

patchwork_cat

Go with your mum tomorrow, first ask teh nursery teacher has she handed them out, who to and get her to identify the children. Arrive early for school pick up and as each child that has been invited comes out and goes to a parent ask said parent about the party.

Some people are incredibly ignorant I find that to put a please confirm by.... and phone number helps. And Yes like Daska says some parents don't go through bookbags regularly( or they slip into a book) or the invites get left in their tray (that was my DD's speciality!)

daska

It may be that the parents haven't even seen the invites. I know my sister spent the first 3 days of this term apologising to parents whose children's parties had been missed because the invites had been tucked inside a book that my niece had already finished reading!

Why not send a note to the teacher explaining your predicament and 'replacement' invitations stating that you need responses by x date because there is a minimum number requirement and all the food has to be ordered in advance.

elvis86

What strikes me most about this, is how sad it is that you don't speak to the mums of the kids that you've invited.:(

Go with your mum (you've said she takes your daughter because you have no car, so presumably you are available, not at work or anything?), pull your finger out and speak to the other mum's!

Won't that be a bit awkward on the day if you don't know any of the kids' parents??

tiamai_d

Did you out your mobile number on the invite?

We have kinda picked up a habit of popping a mobile number on the invites rather than slips of paper, because most of us (as in local parents) won't be able to say a deffinate yes or no until the week of the party. So text works best.

Also, due to playground politics you may find that kids only really go to parties of kids who are 'known'.

It's a mine field!