Birthday Party guest that my DD doesn't like?

[cluelesswonder]

Hi,

My DD will be turning 3 and we'd like to throw a birthday party for her and her classmates, but she is vehemently opposed to one of her classmates. She doesn't like him because for the first 2 months of school he cried and shrieked at the top of his lungs (2 days a week!). He hasn't done so since, but she's still fearful of him crying.

We would like to invite the class, but aren't sure how to handle this. Since it is her birthday, we don't want to surround her with people who will cause her anxiety.

The class is already scheduled to have a special "birthday" snack.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Karen
Elsa's mom. 3/02
Baby Bo on the way 6/05

[raynjen]

In cases like this it is best to picture it as a dinner party...

If you were inviting EVERYONE from your office except for one person then you would be creating issues. Now, obviously if you truly did not get along with someone in your office then you would only invite a selected few (i.e. just your peers, or, in this case, just the girls).

On the other hand you will probably find that she is so distracted by everthing that she doesn't even care if this other child is there...

Jen in Okinawa
Mom to a wonderful preschooler,
who just turned three, Noelle!

[masetane]

To save feelings, I would invite this child. You can teach your child to be polite and play with others - probably what she does at preschool too.
Caroline
http://fool.exler.ru/sm/ma.gif
Isabelle 10/1/00
Nicholas 2/27/03