what is the trend of number of kids invited to parties in your area?

[AnnieW625]

In DD1's class so far there has been one girl only party where all of the girls were invited, and four whole class parties. DD1's class has 14 girls so we are doing a girls only party, and we are inviting all of the girls in the class plus two other good friends DD1 has. I had a summer birthday so I never got to invite all of my girlfriends so I think I am really enjoying the fact that DD1 can have her classmates come over for her birthday. I am sure this will change and the parties will get smaller as she has a smaller group of close friends, but for right now I'd rather include all of the girls than just a select few so feelings aren't hurt.

[SnuggleBuggles]

After preschool and k, people tend to have smaller parties here. Big until then.

[m448]

Slightly different around here since we tend to run in homeschool circles. Most families are invited as a unit and most of my friends have 2+ kids. However being latin even growing up and going to public school the parties in our family always included all the cousins as sibling groups and the grownups too.

[crl]

Preschool in SF was 28 kids per class so no whole class parties. Preschool in NoVA was around 15 kids per class and there were several all class parties. In K there were several all class parties, but less than half were that way. In 1st and 2nd there have been no all class parties and ds has only been invited to one or two parties for school friends.

Catherine

[hellokitty]

The economy is doing poorly where we live. I've noticed that more ppl are doing home parties and due to that, the parties are much smaller. Plus, there are only a like 3 places to do a, "big" bday party at in our area and they are all very expensive. My two older boys have only been invited to parties where the entire class was invited maybe 2 or 3 times. It's uncommon in our area.

[div_0305]

We are seeing a trend to smaller and fewer parties in 1st grade. I'm ready to scrap plans for a party this year altogether because DS wants only certain boys and girls from class to be invited. While I agree in theory about only inviting friends, I worry about hurt feelings. But maybe that's just a part of growing up. DS' good friend's mother, who I do not get along with, did not invite DS and said to DS, "I'm sorry we forgot to send your invitation." Since the boy is DS' good buddy, I was going to invite him regardless of his mother and her accompanying stupidity. But there are boys and girls I really don't want at the party because they have severe behavior problems and I want the party to be a happy occasion (ie, not me babysitting those kids and trying to avert fires). Boy, I've veered off-topic!

[egoldber]

After preschool and k, people tend to have smaller parties here. Big until then.

:yeahthat:

Once they get into elementary school the trend is very much toward smaller parties with a few close friends.

[hellokitty]

:yeahthat:

Once they get into elementary school the trend is very much toward smaller parties with a few close friends.

I also think that school policies play into this. Our school's policy is that unless you invite the entire class, bday invitations are NOT allowed to be passed out at school. So, it naturally makes it easier for parents to narrow it down to only the few kids that their child may be closer too. There isn't as strict of a policy in the two preschools my kids have attended, parents openly pass out bday invites in front of others that aren't invited.

[PunkyBoo]

In Preschool and K, usually everyone invited the whole class. But in 1st and now 2nd grade, the classes are much larger (the state budget cuts increased class size from 20 to 30 over the last 2 years) so most of the time it's boys-only and girls-only from the class. Punkin went to one party a couple months ago that was only about 4 boys from the class but we couldn't figure out the rhyme or reason behind who was there because Punkin said those weren't necessarily the birthday boy's closest friends in the class.

But I also agree with the PP that said the economy is changing all this. Neither of our boys got birthday parties this year, we just couldn't afford it. and lots of other moms have told me the same thing. Punkin is going to have a 1st Communion party in April but that will be family and family friends, and even that will be a financial stretch for us.

[georgiegirl]

Dd has been to 2 whole class parties and 2 selective invite parties. The rule is that you have to invite everyone if you bring the invitations to class. But the teacher never circulated a class list, so I can't really pick and choose or do an all girl party (which is kind of what I wanted to do originally.). Last week, one of the moms told me that someone has been circulating a class list with addresses covertly, so there are a few select kids parties. DD's birthday is in a few weeks, and I'm just inviting her BFF (really the only kid from her class we've ever had a playdate with), her big sister, and the 3 kids who live next door (they play all the time weather permitting.). I didn't want to have a whole class party (I didn't want dd to get 20+ presents).

[elephantmeg]

DS is in K. So far he has been to 1 whole class party. We are doing 5 people from his class and 5 from DD's daycare class and the usual group of family/family friends/church friends at their party this weekend. They have also been invited to 2 bouncy place parties with selected groups from daycare etc

[bigsis]

Trend around here is only 8-10 kids.

[jk3]

Either the whole class or all of the girls or boys. Most seem to invite the entire class.

[maestramommy]

Every party my kids have been to is some version of "entire class" invited. The smallest was last year when Arwyn was invited to a party at Build a Bear, and only the girls in the class were invited. Still, including the bday girl's cousins that was about 10 girls. The parties are usually at a place. Chuckie Cheese, Bounce U. The simplest party was in a rec room at the family's condo, and they hired an entertainer. Now I'm starting to see parties at the bowling alley.

But we stick with parties at our home, with the neighborhood kids. Which could mean a total of 15 kids (including ours). We have the advantage of large outdoor space, large garage in case of rain (as in the case of Dora's last party). But we don't invite classmates right now because frankly, our kids don't ask. In fact, when I asked Dora this year if she wanted to invite any kids from school she gave me a "deer in the headlights" look. :p So it's just the neighbors for now.