Preschool/kinder kids questions

[savan]

As long as it is at a time that's convenient to us, I ask my kid if they want to go. They almost always say yes. Young kids don't care as much about being good friends with the birthday girl/boy. They just love the party.

[lizlemon19]

Jan 30, 2015 12:24:14 GMT -5 tryingtobehappy said:

Do you go to birthday parties if you are invited but your kid hardly ever talks or plays with the birthday kid?

The whole class was invited for this birthday but I have never heard dd talk about the birthday kid. I am wondering if it's worth the effort to go make new friends. I don't think DD cares.

i would ask the kid, and also consider the venue and schedule and if it works. I passed on a party at a movie theater because in kindergarten my kid couldn't sit through one. We went to a party for someone DS didn't know very well but had a good time and I met other moms.

[Deleted]

We haven't been invited yet (and won't invite preschool friends to his), but if it worked for us I'd do it. If it was a pain, I'd pass... but DS LOVES birthdays and would love anyone's birthday party.

[cinco]

Sure. my kids love birthday parties. We don't cancel our plans for birthday parties though. We only go if we don't have prior plans.

[KKD]

If my kids want to go, we go. If the whole class is invited, they have fun playing with their other friends even if they're not close to the birthday kid.

[pinkdutchtulips]

my kid has YET to refuse a birthday party invite .... as long as we don't have other plans, it's a go !

[drloretta]

Generally yes, as others have stated above. But DD goes to a small Montessori school. I'm going to be potentially interacting with these people on a few occasions a year, might as well meet them at a party. And...cake!

[h]

If my kid wants to and we are otherwise free, then sure.

[cjeanette]

I always ask my kid if they want to go first. I have never been told no by them.

[DarcyLongfellow]

Absolutely. I love it when parents invite the whole class to birthday parties because it's a great chance to get to know the kids and parents in my child's class.

Why do you feel it's not worth the effort to make new friends??? I feel like the more people my kid is comfortable with in her class the better.

[ECB]

As long as we had no conflicts. He's going to the party of a boy he doesn't talk about much tomorrow. We have nothing else ot do, so we're going. But in two weeks there is a conflict. Only a minor one (two parties that overlap by a 1/2 hour), but the one party is for a boy that DS only ever talks about how the boy hit someone, or threw something, etc. So, we're opting for the other party instead.

[hocus2]

I go to 90% of the parties we get invites to. If my daughter really disliked the kid or the party conflicted with something else then we'd skip it. In my daughter's K class there are about 5 families that pretty much go to everything and then the majority seem to be more selective.

[robot]

We usually go. I've found it a good way to get to know some of the other parents and kids. We're still in the age where parents stay..

[whitepicketfence]

If the girls want to go and we're able to make it, we go.

[anna7602]

yes. I've been to lots of awful (for me) birthday parties because of this, but DD usually ends up having a good time playing with the kids she is actually friends with. 

I'm also always nervous this will be the one kid who ends up with no one at his/her party and I don't want to be responsible for that!

[jeaniebueller]

If we don't have plans, yes. If we do have plans, nope. Especially if its a kid that my kid has never talked about. I don't worry if we don't go.

[mslhb]

Jan 30, 2015 12:29:48 GMT -5 savan said:

As long as it is at a time that's convenient to us, I ask my kid if they want to go. They almost always say yes. Young kids don't care as much about being good friends with the birthday girl/boy. They just love the party.

This!

[savan]

Jan 30, 2015 15:10:58 GMT -5 tryingtobehappy said:

Jan 30, 2015 13:05:46 GMT -5 DarcyLongfellow said:

Absolutely. I love it when parents invite the whole class to birthday parties because it's a great chance to get to know the kids and parents in my child's class.

Why do you feel it's not worth the effort to make new friends??? I feel like the more people my kid is comfortable with in her class the better.

This is because it is painful for me to talk to people. I am socially awkward.

Thanks ladies! I guess I'll make an effort after asking DD.

I totally understand.  I am the same way.  Most parties are okay but there have been some horribly awkward ones for me.  However, DD always walks out saying it was the best party ever so I keep doing it.  

[bronxgirl]

Yes. We love parties.

[faith194]

DS has been invited to two parties from his preschool class this year. The first one was Thanksgiving weekend and impossible to attend. Last weekend, we went to one at a bounce house place. My DH and I just hung out with each other, and DS had a blast with his friends. It was socially awkward for us, but it was worth it for DS:) we have found the parents of this preschool class to be very clicky and a bit younger than us. We actually made good friends with two sets of parents from last year.

[jackie011]

Teacher weighing in here- keep in mind that while your child may never mention "A" at home, "A" may consider your child to be his/her very best friend. I've seen it happen year after year.

This year in my class, "A" had a birthday party in October and she still talks about how "B" went to her party. It was clearly the best thing ever in her 5 year old world! They rarely play together in class and I know the families aren't close outside of school, so I bet B's mother probably wondered whether or not to even attend.

[redpenmama]

My DD is a party animal, so yes, we go. I actually don't mind them -- pretty cheap entertainment.