The bean is turning 10 at the end of the month (double-digits… when did that happen?!), and that means birthday party time. I’ve vowed never to do the crazy huge hoopla again and Covid measures in the last few years have allowed me to keep that promise. We’re going easy this year too: six kids total at a laser tag place where they handle all the entertainment, mess, and noise.
But this whole process of hosting a kid’s birthday party got me thinking about the politics involved, because there are a lot. It started with the guest list and my son not wanting to invite certain kids who had already invited him to their party earlier in the year. I told him the polite thing would be to invite them; he told me they’d be “toxic” to his party. In the end, my husband took his side and reasoned that he should be allowed to invite who he wants to his party. So I dropped it.
What do you think? If your child was invited (and attended) a party earlier in the school year, shouldn’t that child me invited to your kid’s party?
I also know RSVPs can be a hassle because parents don’t respond in time (been there, done that). Moms, dads, guardians everywhere: pleeeease respect the requested “RSVP by” date on the invitations. Hosts need proper headcounts to organize food, loot bags, and games or activities.
I’d also like to say that just because your child was invited to a party, doesn’t mean your other children are invited. I remember throwing a party for my son once where he invited a child from his class and the mom dropped her off as well as her brother and sister! Thankfully I’d made extra goodie bags, but still: birthday parties are not free babysitting services.
And finally, if you are hosting your child’s birthday, be ready with some gift ideas because you’ll get a lot of RSVPs followed by “any suggestions on what I should get him/her?”
We’re finally at an age where the parties are drop-offs: treat these parties with respect. And pray for me as I host his 10th birthday party…
A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more, sharing with readers everything she knows about being an (almost) superhero mommy.