My daughter keeps coming home from school (almost weekly) on a Thursday (like today) and once on a Friday for a birthday party invitation for Friday night! I am beginning to get upset! There is no notice at all!!! Would you all find this frustrating too or am I just getting cranky in my old age? LOL!! She just started middle school and is with a whole group of kids I do not know. I have let her go to 1 or 2, but this is getting out of control. Who can afford this every week???
I am wondering if the invitations weren't passed out earlier and then if others are rsvp'ing regrets, they are inviting more kids???? Anyone else going through this too?
L.
I would stock up on some $10 Target gift cards. If you don't have plans, let her go. You never know when the cliques will start and the invitations will slow because of it.
Many times.... the invitations were passed out earlier... but the child... 'forgets' to bring it home or give it to you.
I really doubt... that most Moms, would only give 1 day notice, about their kids' b-day party.
And no, you do not have to let your kid, attend every single darn B-day party.
And/or, you just tell your child, it is TOO last minute, for her to go. Being you only got the invitation, now.
AND let the parent know... too. "So sorry, but its a little too last minute... I wish we knew sooner... we have plans already...."
People have started doing that here with the note "Since the invitation is so late, no presents are needed." Really? That is not fair to the child.
Once when my DD was in 5th grade she got a phone call from a girl on Saturday, "could she come to her birthday party tonight?" Our family shares one car. There was no way we had time in our day to shop for a gift. I just thought it was kind of crappy to get this last minute invite. The gut feeling I got after talking to the Dad was that probably my DD was just "filling in" when some of the first tier invitees started cancelling. Especially since this was not a very close friend and in previous years they had given out regular paper invites with plenty of advance notice. I just told him "I'm sorry, we cannot work that into our family schedule with such short notice. My DD would have liked to have gone, but we would have needed more notice." DD was only slightly disappointed we had to decline. She did like the girl, but also wasn't sure she would be comfortable with some of her other guests anyway. Now that she is in middle school, I do notice her peer group is notorious for making last minute plans, but she hasn't had any more last minute birthday party invites.
They might just be busy and forgetful too.
My friend is so wonderful. She plans ahead. When Walmart has everything in the store on clearance after Christmas she stores up a whole closet of stuff for presents, from bath sets with bubble bath and loofahs to toys that are pennies on the dollar. She is set for a birthday for just about any age, she also buys some of the clothes on clearance for the next year. It is not that hard to figure how much your child might grow in a year. She has various wrapping papers, tape, gift bags, those white boxes, everything she can store in that closet, she is prepared.
I have found that as they get older, the parties become less formal and more of a get together. Often they are last minute. There's also the possibility that it's been hanging around a bookbag or a locker for a week.
Don't feel bad if you can't make it. However, I give an rsvp to let them know you won't be attending.
