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Parents not replying to party invites

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  • Pollycat
    Pollycat Posts: 35,755 Forumite
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    daveyjp wrote: »
    Did the invite state you needed to know by a certain date?

    People are busy. Knowing whether they can attend an event 4 weeks in advance may simply be too far ahead and parents may wait until a few days before the event before deciding.
    Good question.

    I think your best option is to pull on your big-girl pants and contact each of the parents to ask if their child will be attending.

    If you did put on a RSVP & a date, I agree the parents who've not replied are rude.
    If you didn't do that, it's down to you.
  • getmore4less
    getmore4less Posts: 46,882 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper I've helped Parliament
    Did the first invite have an RSVP date?

    if yes and the date has passed cancel due to lack of interest

    if no start again this time with an RSVP date
  • pmlindyloo
    pmlindyloo Posts: 13,091 Forumite
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    Hope you know all these parents as you are going to have to ask them face to face. Perhaps do new invites and hand them out personally saying 'just in case you didn't find the invite'. Did you give a telephone number for RSVP/

    The very likely explanation is that they have never even seen the invitation - like a previous poster I have experience of children having notes in their book bag from months ago.
  • suejb2
    suejb2 Posts: 1,918 Forumite
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    I never ever had parties at places where you had to have a minimum amount going. You end up paying for 15 places when only 7 turned up.
    I invited children to be there at ? O'clock until ? O'clock and whoever turned up I paid for,hey you 'miss out' on the organised party and food but in my opinion that were dire anyway. Have you got time to cancel that?
    This may end up being an expensive lesson this year but in the jungle of the playground you will need to be strong.
    Life is like a bath, the longer you are in it the more wrinkly you become.
  • balletshoes
    balletshoes Posts: 16,610 Forumite
    these threads come up a lot OP - as you're finding out its very stressful organising a class party, and people only do it once ;).

    When you do a class-size invitation, you need to have an RSVP on it, and then be prepared to chase it up with the parents once the RSVP date has been reached.

    Next year - only invite your child's closest school friends and organise a smaller event (ie maybe half a dozen - or less - including your child).
  • lika_86
    lika_86 Posts: 1,786 Forumite
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    I'm trying to sort out final numbers for our office Christmas do - first request for confirmation went out and nearly half ignored it (despite giving a deadline), second email was targeted to those who hadn't confirmed one way or another and two thirds of those who hadn't responded then replied. The next email will be one giving a final deadline by which if they haven't responded, they aren't coming. And that's the response rate from adults who were asked directly via their work email inboxes!

    Don't be afraid to chase and confirm firstly whether the invite has been received and secondly whether invitees are attending.
  • Threebabes
    Threebabes Posts: 1,272 Forumite
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    Been there, done that...

    Again I would grab parents at school to see who can't make it.

    Or could you send round just a note, saying can you let me know by ?? date if I don't have a reply I will take it you have plans, as I need to know numbers for the venue.

    Its a horrible mine field.

    Pleased my 3 are past this stage.
  • peachyprice
    peachyprice Posts: 22,346 Forumite
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    daveyjp wrote: »
    Did the invite state you needed to know by a certain date?

    People are busy. Knowing whether they can attend an event 4 weeks in advance may simply be too far ahead and parents may wait until a few days before the event before deciding.

    This exactly.

    OP, 4 weeks in advance was probably far too early to have sent out invites, there are probably quite a few people who don't plan that far in advance and can't answer either way yet, especially coming up to Christmas. I would hold on for now and re-send them 10 days - 1 week before the party.

    I do feel your pain, my daughter's birthday is in the summer hols, I soon learnt to have her party before they broke up!
    Accept your past without regret, handle your present with confidence and face your future without fear
  • Primrose
    Primrose Posts: 10,701 Forumite
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    I,d be tempted to contact everybody and say that as time is running out to make arrangements, several people haven,t yet replied and you realise it’s a busy time of year for everybody you've decided to cancel the idea. “Perhaps another time when we’re all less busy and not so stressed ?”
  • balletshoes
    balletshoes Posts: 16,610 Forumite
    Primrose wrote: »
    I,d be tempted to contact everybody and say that as time is running out to make arrangements, several people haven,t yet replied and you realise it’s a busy time of year for everybody you've decided to cancel the idea. “Perhaps another time when we’re all less busy and not so stressed ?”

    thats only going to work if the OP does in fact want to cancel the whole thing. I'm not sure she does?
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