Daycare/preschool moms ... bday party invite question

Do you think you have too invite the whole class to your DC bday party?

last year when it was DD bday she had 5 kids including her in her class so I just invited them all plus one other girl we are friends with not in her class.

this year she has 21 kids in her class some people I say that the whole class should be invited and then others say its not a big deal no need to invite the whole class

So I am wondering what did you do/would you do invite them all or only the ones you know she plays with the most?

I think if my DD was excluded I would feel a little bad for her if others were invited but then at the same time I think who cares she will get over it

I was planning on just inviting the whole class but then I think will parents think that's weird. (yes I know I am definitely over thinking this)

no matter what I will be doing cupcakes for her class and probably bring in bagels to celebrate her bday in school.

ETA: DD will be 4

Message edited 9/5/2014 11:01:10 AM.

Daycare/preschool moms ... bday party invite question

I say no because we have not been invited to every party in DS's class and he has recently been invited to parties where other kids have not been.

So far DS has been invited to his friends and the kids he has been in classes with since the beginning. Newer friends/classmates he has not been invited to. And I am happy he is not invited to all....it would be too many gifts and parties to go to.

Re: Daycare/preschool moms ... bday party invite question

Daycare/preschool moms ... bday party invite question

I say No too. I think if your onyl inviting a small amount of the class your are ok. We did this last year. my Ds class had 15 kids, I only invited 3 of those 15. Those are the kids we meet with at the park, and the ones he talks about often.

Re: Daycare/preschool moms ... bday party invite question

My oldest DS is in 1st grade but I know when the school hands out the invites for you it's either the whole class or all of the boys (or girls if you have a DD). Last year for his bday party I invited the whole class which was expensive. This year I told him just the boys. DS#2 is in daycare (he's 3) and last year for his bday party I invited just the boys. I will probably do the same this year. Birthdays parties are just too expensive to invite 20+ kids!

Re: Daycare/preschool moms ... bday party invite question

My DD just started Pre-K and her birthday is coming up soon, I don't plan on inviting the class because we don't even know them well enough yet and we are bringing in cupcakes in the classroom. We are keeping her birthday party to family only.

Re: Daycare/preschool moms ... bday party invite question

I recently took some time to think about this because they are pros and cons to both, the most significant con for me was the financial aspect of inviting 21 kids plus all of the friends that arent from class. Either way you go its your decision and the adults with be fine with it.
Ultimately, my opinion (and thats all it is is an opinion) is to invite the whole class. Some of my reasons are: 1. If other children find out about it who want to be invited but werent, i would not want them to be upset.
2. Even if my child is not close to one child now, they may be in the future.
3. I want to encourage my child to be friends with everyone (i know its impossible to be close friends with everyone..but friends nontheless)
4. the other children's parents have the option to say no if they do not want them to go.
5. I can afford it so taking in all of the above, it makes sense to me.

I understand different people care about different things and this is clearly just the way I look at it.

Daycare/preschool moms ... bday party invite question

I've been thinking about the same thing! It's so hard - classmates, neighbors, other friends outside of school! As DS has gotten older, his social circle has expanded.

Since I don't have an unlimited budget, I think I am going to have to pick and choose. Our daycare moves every 6 months so I plan on inviting the core group he's been with - which is now spread between 2 pre-k classes. There are kids in his class now that he's never been in class with (and he's been at the daycare since he was 11 weeks).

I've seen all different things though - all boys, both pre-k classes, one class, a mix from varying classes, 5 people, etc.

Message edited 9/5/2014 1:01:41 PM.

Re: Daycare/preschool moms ... bday party invite question

Thanks for the responses. I still have plenty of time just want to try to not wait till the last minute to plan

Daycare/preschool moms ... bday party invite question

All or none for me

I was all set for more to show up last year (from her pre-k class) and was sorely disappointed. Nice big pretty kick butt place for kids, tons of room and things to do and only 10 showed. They had a blast but I felt bad for AJ. I invited the whole 24 student class plus others in May for an early Bday party so she'd have one last hurrah with her classmates before Kinder started. total bust

This year just before 1st grade I figured it'd be small since I couldn't invite the class (school hadn't started). I thought what 10-12 at tops? Yeah, right! I was at 17 the day of, should have been 19 but one girl was sick and one sibling stayed home.

Last year in Kinder we were invited to several parties but only went to maybe 4-5 at tops? her class was 24 in Kinder as well. And I think of those 4-5 only one or two was not from Girl Scouts. heck one of the parties WAS a girl scout meeting/outing/bday party combo! LOL

Daycare/preschool moms ... bday party invite question

We got invited to birthday parties for daycare. I decline all invites. DS doesn't talk about the kids there or ask about them. Also we live quite a ways from the daycare and to travel 30 minutes to a 90 minute party is a bit much.
Now he is in school 5 days a week and no longer in daycare. He goes to DDI. His birthday is next week. There are only 10 kids and I would invite them all but again it's kids from all over and I do parties at home. So no one is invited from school but I hope that will change as time goes on.
We are celebrating with the class this week at school.

Message edited 9/7/2014 11:00:18 PM.

Re: Daycare/preschool moms ... bday party invite question

I'm not. I am inviting the kids he already socializes with outside of class, the ones I know their moms. So out of about 16 kids, I'm inviting just 4 from his school class.
DS will be 3, and I figure if I'm not friends with the moms, i.e. facebook, they won't even know he had a party anyway lol.

The rest are neighborhood kids, my friends kids, or friends from other activities.

Message edited 9/8/2014 6:04:35 AM.

Daycare/preschool moms ... bday party invite question

The only way I wouldn't do the whole class was if I did only girls or only boys. I just don't think it's fair otherwise and will cause hurt feelings.

Daycare/preschool moms ... bday party invite question

I was thinking about this too. For preschool I am an all or nothing type of mom when it comes to inviting to bday parties. So this year (this is the twins' first year of school) I decided on not inviting any of their classmates. Their bday is in December and with family and close friends we already have a lot of kids so I will just be keeping it at that. Kids parties are expensive and as much as i'd like to invite their new friends, I want all their cousins there and all our close friends since all of the kids are around the same age. I just can't afford an extra 12-15 kids.

Re: Daycare/preschool moms ... bday party invite question

can you just do a in-School party and then an outside of school party?

Re: Daycare/preschool moms ... bday party invite question

I invited everyone in her class, but that's because she is close with those kids. Those are really her friends right now.

Daycare/preschool moms ... bday party invite question

i am planning on doing and in school "party" but nothing big. the problem is there is at 3-4 kids I would invite no matter what to her party and its a mixed of boys and girls so I cant just do all boys or all girls. I am slightly worried about the cost but in the long run I know most will probably not even come. I have also been told they are getting at that age were they start talking about the party they went to and that's why its good to invite everyone.