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Children's parties - invite adults without children?

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Hi there - I'm looking to get opinions on the best thing to do here.
My LO has his heart set on a party for his birthday in the next few months. We've only had one party before, which was a shared party with a couple of friends, so we were limited to numbers and just invited 5 friends each.
This year I'm going to organise a party at our house. I have a short list of definite invitees (around 12 including siblings). But I was wondering if I should keep the invitations for children only, or also invite MY friends to the party.
We recently went to a child's party which had children and (non-parent) adults invited, which seemed to work just fine. I have a friendship group where 1-2 of us have children around the same age, but others do not have children and I'm concerned that those without children may feel that I'm excluding them as they are not parents. However I don't want them to feel obliged to come along and feel like they don't belong there as they haven't brought children.
Any thoughts please?
My LO has his heart set on a party for his birthday in the next few months. We've only had one party before, which was a shared party with a couple of friends, so we were limited to numbers and just invited 5 friends each.
This year I'm going to organise a party at our house. I have a short list of definite invitees (around 12 including siblings). But I was wondering if I should keep the invitations for children only, or also invite MY friends to the party.
We recently went to a child's party which had children and (non-parent) adults invited, which seemed to work just fine. I have a friendship group where 1-2 of us have children around the same age, but others do not have children and I'm concerned that those without children may feel that I'm excluding them as they are not parents. However I don't want them to feel obliged to come along and feel like they don't belong there as they haven't brought children.
Any thoughts please?
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If one of your non-parent friends happens to be a special friend of his, then invite them too, to help out and give you assistance with maintaining order and/or your sanity!
Otherwise, schedule a party for your friends one evening when your son is in bed, at which point the fun can be unleashed!
Bottom line: it's your son's special day - organise the things he wants, not the things you want!
If really you want them there for an extra pair of hands to help out, then just ask if they'd mind, don't gloss it up that they're invited at your son's request.
As a child I would have been bloody cross with my mum if she'd invited her friends to MY party... I'm sorry, I don't get it at all!
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I don't particularly want my friends there (I find hosting parties hard work and you never really get chance to talk to anyone properly).
I ask because I worry that my childless friends will feel excluded as some people from the same friendship group will be there, with their children.
Before I had children I really wouldn't have wanted to go to a kids party (maybe not even now!) but some of my friends feel like they're not "part of the gang" and are left out of things because they don't have children. I don't want to make them feel worse.
The party is for pre-schoolers so as long as there are games and cake I don't think they'll care who's there...
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I think it depends on the relationship the adults have with your child. If they're close. I'd say definitely invite them. However make it clear that they shouldn't feel obliged to come if they don't want to or don't feel able.
In this instance, I would invite your child-free friends.
That said: Tell them there will be 'loads of noisy kids there' and you 'won't be offended if they don't come.' So they have a get-out option.
But at least you will have invited them, and won't feel bad for excluding them, and they won't feel left out, and everyone will be (hopefully) happy.
Must admit, when I read this thread title, I read it as you were wondering whether to invite the adults to a children's party, and not invite their children. LOL.
)o o)╯
/___\
Just my own opinion.
In a word, yes. I don't think your childless friends would be offended if you chose not to invite them. If they are, then they are being a little over-sensitive themselves. It's a party for your child, not for them.
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