No replies for DDs party - advice

tiamai_d

emsywoo123 wrote: »

No, that is no excuse.
We all have busy lives, appts etc, but the parties are really important for social development.
It is just rude.
Sorry for going a bit OT OP!

I will put my sons health before social events each and every time.

krazykidskate

freddie wrote: »

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?

I've been there and can't get over how rude some parents are so never bothered again.

I tend to just go to the playcentres with a few select friends and take a birthday cake. No official party at £10 a head, no minimum numbers, no worries about siblings, but the birthday child still get pressies and cake. Everyone pays for themselves to get in so it doesn't cost a fortune, but when their childs birthday comes round they do the same so nobody minds:)

JimmyTheWig

Either pester the teachers or get your daughter to point out the children before/after school to you or your mum.

emsywoo123

tiamai_d wrote: »

I will put my sons health before social events each and every time.

FGS that is obvious to any caring parent, I just do not understand why you cannot respond until the week of the party? What if every parent did that?

SandC

I think you will have to make yourself known to these childrens' parent(s) - as they are so young wouldn't they all have an issue of sending their child to a party of another child whose parents they don't know anyway? Maybe that is why there has been no response.

emsywoo123

OP have you got an update of how you got on this morning?

ALIBOBSY

Kids parties can be a minefield. My son is at an age now (nearly 12) where they tend not to go to parties as such, but just go to a sleepover or a day out with one or 2 friends.
DD1 is only 6 though and DD2 just 2 1/2 so still a few to deal with yet lol.

To be honest I have found the best and least stressful parties for me have been the ones where I did it at home. That way numbers didn't matter and I really enjoyed doing a kids buffet and organising the games. But then again I love kids and enjoy all that side of things lol (baby 4 due in 4 wks so our house is always busy anyway!).

Funnily enough all the kids and the mums said the same thing, the kids said home parties are the best and the parents said their kids enjoyed it more that the usual play area fare. But they all said I admire you for being brave enough to do the party at home- I don't get this it genuinely was pretty easy. Rope in as many helpers as poss-gran/grandad/siblings/neighbours/friends (I have found the older siblings mates really enjoy helping at the parties even when originally only invited to keep the older child company they end up joining in lol).
A few parents have just rented a local village hall up the lane (£16 for 2 hours) where there are 2 rooms and a small kitchen you can use. So although you organise things its not in your house and the kids can run around in space, again no numbers required.

We even have jelly and icecream in those little metal 70's bowls . Inherited from my gran. Pick a theme and its easy then to organise, we have had pirates/teddy bears picnic/knights/faries/HSM. E bay and matalan sell themed items such as plates etc and even cake toppers with the childs details on if you can't do decorations.

Its definately an advantage to get to know the other parents on the playground if you can, makes life alot easier in situations like this. Invites should have mobile no's and email I have found-makes life a bit easier, but you always get some people who can't come last minute or don't reply.

When we last booked a playarea for my DD we had 3 who didn't reply. We had booked for 10 so actually invited 12 (I checked with the playarea and they said the odd 2 or 3 extra wouldn't be a problem as long as we paid the extra on the day and paid for at least the min 10.
One who didn't reply didn't turn up either-turned out she had been off sick and then on holiday so never saw the invite.
One was sick the week before but ok by the day and the mum rang me in the morning about it-she came in the end with no probs.

The third just turned up anyway. So I just paid the extra to the playarea. Other parties I have been to usually have some relatives they can invite extra or at one party for my son, I had to go with my DD in tow and they offered her a spot as so many had not turned up. I offered to pay as I had intended to let her have a play anyway. All the parties I have been to until the kids were older (say 7 or so) the parents stay and quite often pay for siblings to have a play as well themselves. We sit and have a nice coffee and a chat lol. Perhaps its a northern/ or small village/town thing we do seem to chat alot. I rarely go shopping or out anywhere around here without bumping into someone I know and having a chat.

Definately get out on the playground. Hope you get sorted soon.

ali x

Just realised I sound like I live in a rural 50's village lol. It is a semi rural area, low crime rate etc and pretty much everyone knows everyone else which maybe makes life a bit simplier. I have even taken the kids to parties in local church halls and even once in my local church (our vicar always pops in for a slice of cake lol).

tiamai_d

emsywoo123 wrote: »

FGS that is obvious to any caring parent, I just do not understand why you cannot respond until the week of the party? What if every parent did that?

Where did I say that?

I said we include a mobile number because we can't give a deffinate yes or no, so we reply with a yes (usually) or a no and then the week before we can text to confirm that we are going or say 'no, this has came up'.

Your legs sore from all your jumping to conclusions or do you get a lot of practice at it? :cool:

emsywoo123

tiamai_d wrote: »

Where did I say that?

I said we include a mobile number because we can't give a deffinate yes or no, so we reply with a yes (usually) or a no and then the week before we can text to confirm that we are going or say 'no, this has came up'.

Your legs sore from all your jumping to conclusions or do you get a lot of practice at it? :cool:

Well done. :T Just in case you were not coming across well on this thread, nice post LOL.

*Chattie*

looking at it from the other side if my son had received an invite from a child at that age whose parents I didn't know and it had come to my child via the nursery/school then I probably wouldn't be inclined to allow him to go?