LookLoveSend Blog

Sweet Little Birthday by Jennifer Pritchard

When it comes time to draw up a guest list for who should receive birthday party invitations, few other party planning steps demand such a rigorous balance between kindness and caution. And if you’re a parent, the pressure that comes with closer-knit circles intensifies with the need to set the right social example for your child.

Do you let your child include as many kids as possible to avoid hurt feelings (e.g. go ahead and invite the whole class or team!) if your own personal sanity, to say nothing of your wallet, is at stake?

Make Big Decisions First

You can navigate birthday invitation politics with a simple roadmap that is based simply on what matters most to your child, how age plays a role, and other circumstantial issues. Once you’ve got your roadmap, stick to it.

All-inclusive vs. Exclusive

This approach means you discuss with your child what matters more to him or her, inviting a large group of friends (say the whole class) or choosing a special activity that may limit numbers (you don’t need to go into budget discussions).

Age

Younger children don’t care as much about an activity or theme as much as the basics–cake, games and goody bags! But older kids whose friendships are cementing, a larger guest list may become fraught with social dynamics. A smaller gathering might be better for older kids, even as few as a foursome, taking a special trip somewhere,  or keeping things simple with an outing to the movies or an amusement park.

Circumstantial

• Twins - If your child has a friend who is a twin, know that most parents of twins won’t expect them to be invited to all the same parties like a package deal. Ask your child if he thinks his friend’s twin should also get a birthday party invitation.
• New to town – An all-inclusive party is a great way to help introduce your child to everyone in his or her circle. It’s easy to utilize the school class or a sports team to invite a group of kids, and could help jumpstart friendships for your child and even yourself.
• Best friend moves away – This one is tricky to navigate. While an all-inclusive party might seem like a good idea, it might highlight the missing friend. Maybe this is the year to plan a small gathering or an extra special trip…to visit their old friend!