Do people not reply to party invites these days??

Bumpmakesfour

gratefulforhelp wrote: »

also, as a working-full-time-parent, I need a bit of notice to get present and card together - we don't live near any shops.

I thought(VERY naively as it turns out!) that 3 weeks notice would get MORE replies as people might not have made plans.But no..now that's too much notice:p
Other mums in the playground were complaining the invitations given out yesterday for this saturday wasn't ENOUGH notice!Jeez you can't win :rotfl:

Bumpmakesfour

Seeing the split in opinions on here has really set me thinking.
If one of my guys come home clutching a party invitation they're generally excited about it.We look on the calendar,if there's no plans then course they can go if we have prior plans they can't.Either way I reply then tell my kidlet if they're going.Unless something absolutely unavoidable happened I wouldn't go back on it once I'd told them they could go.
I don't sit and wait for a better offer to roll in then think it's ok to reply the day before if nothing more exciting turns up!And if someone asks us to do something after we've said yes then we can't..because we already have plans..the party!
Do people not realise the planning that goes into a party?Or how sad it is having your child ask you every day if anyone else is coming but you can't say yes because the parents can't be !!!!!d to let you know?
I appreciate that it's not most adults idea of a great time taking their kids to friends parties but surely as a parent you have to put the kids happiness first?Or is that just me?I want my kids to enjoy this bit of their childhood as much as they can.The'll soon be far too cool for parties and soon not need me to take them places so where's the hardship putting our own personal feelings and time aside and going with the whole party thing for the short time that they're little??

sassyblue

Bumpmakesfour wrote: »

Seeing the split in opinions on here has really set me thinking.
If one of my guys come home clutching a party invitation they're generally excited about it.We look on the calendar,if there's no plans then course they can go if we have prior plans they can't.Either way I reply then tell my kidlet if they're going.Unless something absolutely unavoidable happened I wouldn't go back on it once I'd told them they could go.
I don't sit and wait for a better offer to roll in then think it's ok to reply the day before if nothing more exciting turns up!And if someone asks us to do something after we've said yes then we can't..because we already have plans..the party!
Do people not realise the planning that goes into a party?Or how sad it is having your child ask you every day if anyone else is coming but you can't say yes because the parents can't be !!!!!d to let you know?
I appreciate that it's not most adults idea of a great time taking their kids to friends parties but surely as a parent you have to put the kids happiness first?Or is that just me?I want my kids to enjoy this bit of their childhood as much as they can.The'll soon be far too cool for parties and soon not need me to take them places so where's the hardship putting our own personal feelings and time aside and going with the whole party thing for the short time that they're little??

Nope me too. I agree with everything you said in your post. It's not about us it's about our child or children.

Frogletina

Bumpmakesfour wrote: »

update..5 out of 27 replies :rotfl:
But DD1 came home with a party invitation today for sunday 17th so I'm wondering if it's normal to give 5 days notice and my 3 weeks is OTT for some:p

Think you'd better check that invitation! There is no Sunday 17th for months!

Bumpmakesfour

Frogletina wrote: »

Think you'd better check that invitation! There is no Sunday 17th for months!

LOL tx realised that after I posted it.. it's on sat :rotfl:

[Deleted User]

kids parties = nightmare!

I remember a few years ago one of the kids turned up with mum and dad and younger sister in tow too. We told the parents the time it was ending (it was a bowling party) but they didnt turn up.

We tried phoning mobile but no answer. In the end, they rang us back about 2 hours later so basically we had to look after their kids for them after everyone else had gone home.

Think the parents had gone shopping/food and thought great free babysitting for the day !!! What annoyed me was we told them the time and I think it was accidentally on purpose !!!

Frogletina

Bumpmakesfour wrote: »

LOL tx realised that after I posted it.. it's on sat :rotfl:

I've a plane to catch on Saturday, you had me worried!

jess1974

After reading this thread first thing this morning, i made sure i collared a lady at the school today to tell her my daughter will be attending her party at the weekend, its made me realise that possibly i've been a bit slow in replying before so will make sure i improve in the future..............

gratefulforhelp_2

I bet she was really grateful.x

balletshoes

sashadesade wrote: »

It seems like some people's unwillingness to commit to things is due to them waiting to see if something 'better' comes up. It's pretty scuzzy, but it happens. Goes hand in hand with people waiting to see who else is going to a party before they commit to going, I suppose.

it might not be that though - it could be that the child who has been invited is involved in a regular weekend or after school activity, and genuinely doesn't know 3 weeks in advance if they have anything on with the regular activity. Granted this may not be the case for a lot of 4/5/6 year olds, but for example, my DD often has extra dance classes she is expected to attend around show/competition time, she only gets notice of these extra classes when they can be fit in, so sometimes a week or 10 days notice is given. Same with my nephew with his football team.