Birthday Party dilemia

[186momx]

DD really wants a birthday party (b-day is the 11th).  I can't afford the party at the gym on top of all the other expenses we have this month.  I gave her a choice of dinner out with 2 friends and then go to open gym or party at the house.  She choose the party at the house.  Which bad weekend would you choose?

1. June 9th-10th is graduation weekend for high schools and colleges
2. June 16th-17th is Father's day and the 1st weekend after school gets out
3. June 23th-24th DH is out of town at a paintball tournament
4. June 30th- July 1st into 4th of July week

If I could talk her into the dinner out with friends I would choose Friday the 8th. 

Other ideas, I'm open!

[CrazyLucky]

I'd do Saturday the 16th. Some people might do a full weekend celebration, but I think most just do one day. No way in hell I'd do the birthday party while DH was out of town.

[rere]

Do you have any graduations to attend? Do her friends have siblings graduating that weekend? If not, I would do a Friday night party on June 8. I like Fridays because there is a good time limit and it doesn't eat the entire weekend. Plus, if there is any of the spending of the night, they usually fall asleep earlier on Friday.

[judyblume14]

Absolutely not while H is OOT. I'd probably do the 9th/10th, but I'm assuming that your guest list would have conflicting grad parties?

So, do the Saturday before Father's Day. (I have to share mother's day weekend with my H's birthday each year. It's not the worst).

[erinshelley21]

How big of a party are we talking? Given that your H is less than helpful, doing it while he is OOT may not be a bad option.

[helenahhandbasket]

6/16. IME, father's day is usually just an afternoon BBQ, if that. I wouldn't think anyone would need the full weekend to prepare.

[k3am]

The day before Father's Day. They get a day, not a weekend.

[2chatter]

We used to do one Dad on Saturday and one
on Sunday. So I would avoid that weekend. I’d do the weekend DH is OOT - I always have my friends help with parties (and vice versa) and DH is surplus to requirements for those that are just girls.

[186momx]

DD has about 15 friends she wants to invite. 8 old friends, 4 gym friends, and 3 or 4 kids from school. I'm guessing I will have good luck with the old friends and gym friends and those groups I talked to and 16th or 23rd were pretty open as of 2 weeks ago.
erinshelley21, DH is less than helpful during past parties and he seems indifferent on party dates and actually thinks she doesn't need one.
We don't have any grad parties to attend this year but I know a handful of people on the invite list will.

rere, talk to me about Friday parties. What do you feed everyone? I'm talking age range of 4-8 and no sleepovers as most of these parents will be staying the whole time. We haven't gotten into the drop off parties with our social group yet.

[jlaok]

Is there a direct conflict with graduations? If not, that weekend seems to be the best.

DS's birthday weekend is always the same as college graduation (we live in the same town as the state's largest University). The only hassle I've had due to it is ordering/picking up inflated balloons.

[xctsclrx]

I would probably go with father's day weekend especially if you hinted around that date already and everyone seemed open.
The only caveat to that would be if it would bother your DH. As in bother him enough to make you miserable over sharing his weekend. Some guys are weird like that.

My second choice would be the weekend he is out of town if he is indifferent and isn't going to be useful

I think we nixed parties in my house when we hit the double digits. I was allowed to invite 1-2 friends and do dinner, one fun event ( one year we went to the circus) and sleep over. Maybe that can be something to look forward to when she is turning 10.

[ECB]

I said Fathers Day weekend, but unless you KNOW that the kids attending the party would have a conflict with graduations - I'd do it that weekend.

[k3am]

TBH, I plan my parties around what works for us. If people can't make it, they can't make it. Our schedules are busy enough, trying to coordinate other people's real or presumed plans is just impossible.

I would skip the weekend YH is OOT, because that sounds potentially annoying. Then let your kid pick if she has any strong preference.

[rere]

May 30, 2018 12:47:35 GMT -5 186momx said:

DD has about 15 friends she wants to invite. 8 old friends, 4 gym friends, and 3 or 4 kids from school. I'm guessing I will have good luck with the old friends and gym friends and those groups I talked to and 16th or 23rd were pretty open as of 2 weeks ago.
erinshelley21 , DH is less than helpful during past parties and he seems indifferent on party dates and actually thinks she doesn't need one.
We don't have any grad parties to attend this year but I know a handful of people on the invite list will.

rere , talk to me about Friday parties. What do you feed everyone? I'm talking age range of 4-8 and no sleepovers as most of these parents will be staying the whole time. We haven't gotten into the drop off parties with our social group yet.

Depending on the age, I usually do 5:30/6 until  around 8:30/9:00 (DS was 11:00, but he is 15). I usually either do pizza, because cheap or I may have my DH grill some burgers and dogs before hand and just have them in crockpots along with chips, cake, icecream and fruit/veggie tray.  Since the parents are staying, it saves them from having to go home to eat.   

[hocus2]

I'm thumbs down on a Friday party. We're in the middle of ball season so we have games every other Friday. It is also still a work day and while I might be able to get out early my husband won't and then I have the issue of what to do with my other child.

I think the Sat before father's day is fine. Just set a 2 hour block and let the chips fall where they fall. Some folks will have to miss out. There is unlikely to be a date everyone can come.

The only firm no would be June 30th/July 1. People will be traveling and/or have pre-4th BBQ that weekend.

[waverly]

186momx, I would do the weekend of June 9th/ 10th. If you are doing a Friday night I would do 6-8 pm and feed them pizza and veggies/ fruit and juice boxes.

[ECB]

I think to do a Friday night party with 4 - 8 year olds could be rough. When DS was 4, even a party from 6 -8 would have been difficult. He was an early to bed kid. Especially after being in preschool all day.

And as said - IDK, I'm not a hermit on Fridays necessarily but for a lot of people, unless it's something they REALLY want to do, going out on a Friday can be a pain. I'd try to go for a Saturday party.

I feel like for older kids where parents aren't going to stay, a Friday night party would be great.

[sunbutter]

June 9-10. Don’t overthink it.

[ilovelucyvv]

My son’s birthday is June 10 and we have parties that weekend every year, to date without problem, although the kids attending are not graduating age. I am happy not to share bis birthday with Father’s Day, although I do consider that a Sunday-only holiday.

[dglvrk2]

I have had success with the Friday night parties. (DD1 is almost 7 and DD2 is 4) we've fed kids pizza or hot dogs, had an activity or two, possibly a movie, cake then home.

Kids go home and immediately to bed. Also, I think since it's evening, the pressure to make it "magical" or super stimulating is off. I appreciate how they don't cut into weekends too much. I've heard this comment from friends too.


We've kept evening parties small: 5-6 kids and parents if they want to join. It's worked for us....