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Archive through April 12, 2005

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2005 Mar. ~ 2005 May: Parneting Room (ARCHIVES): The Politics of Children's Birthday Parties:: Archive through April 12, 2005 users admin

Author Message
Graceunderfyre
Member

01-21-2004

Thursday, January 27, 2005 - 6:43 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I thought they said to plan for 20% absent. . .

Pamy
Member

01-02-2002

Thursday, January 27, 2005 - 7:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
20 -50 % I think!

Skootz
Member

07-23-2003

Friday, January 28, 2005 - 4:37 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Dd is having her birthday party this Sunday at the play land at Burger King. I had wrote on the bottom of the invite, RSVP, my name and number
and a date to reply by.

Some people never know what that means. I had another note go home with the kids who didn't reply and one mother calls me and says, "Oh, I didn't know I had to let you know that my daughter is coming to the party" so far we have 9 out of 10 girls coming. Thank goodness it is not at our house with mostly all of them coming. this is the first an only Birthday party where dd will be allowed to invite all the girls. But I figured it would be nice for her as they all play together and not in little groups and it seems to be the norm this year for parties. I am sure that next year when she goes into Grade 1 and is in school everyday she will start to establish smaller groups of friends, then I will just have her invite 5 or 6 girls.


Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Friday, January 28, 2005 - 5:44 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Far too many people these days think RSVP means "Regrets" rather than "Respond". I always put "Please reply to Annie at my number" on the invitation.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Friday, January 28, 2005 - 6:36 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Every year I not only put RSVP but I also add an additional "please call us at
xxx-xxxx by x-x-xx" and yet hardly anybody calls. I find myself calling at least 90% of the invitees... I really don't get that.

Skootz
Member

07-23-2003

Friday, January 28, 2005 - 7:28 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I guess picking up a phone and dialing and taking a couple of minutes out of your life to do so is just too much for people

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Friday, January 28, 2005 - 7:36 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Perhaps the recipients have been raised by wolves and don't know what rsvp means?

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Friday, January 28, 2005 - 9:46 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
What amazes me is that the people I invite weren't raised by wolves....I don't know what's happened that causes people not to reply. Actually, I get better responses with my kids' parties than I do to ones I host for grownups.
Lately I have noticed email addys in the Reply section, I like that.

Pamy
Member

01-02-2002

Friday, January 28, 2005 - 12:34 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Evites work well also, I love Evite!

Danas15146
Member

03-31-2004

Friday, January 28, 2005 - 12:58 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Julie - no way are we having it at our house. Trying to decide between bowling & chuck e cheese.

We normally have the same problem with the RSVPs - end up calling that day to check. Everyone says half won't come - but normally they all seem to come. Last year we had 25 (classmates + cousins & non school friends) - I think maybe two didn't show.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Friday, January 28, 2005 - 2:06 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Dana, how old? Bowling can end up being a pain if they are younger than 3rd grade cause for some reason the bowling shoes just completely flip them out and you end up having to put shoes on everyone not to mention setting up the lanes for scoring. BTDT! LOL

Graceunderfyre
Member

01-21-2004

Friday, January 28, 2005 - 10:54 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
First off, I learned something while working for a printer in college - the correct way to write it is, R.s.v.p - because it's really a sentence - Respondez s'il vous plaît - so only the first letter needs to be capitalized.

Secondly, I know there are tons of people that don't even know what that means let alone that they need to take action!

ok, so what's wrong with people that they don't realize you should reply to let someone know if your kid can make it? They must not throw a lot of parties. Evites are great - but there will always be people who aren't able to get at them. My cousin did that for her son's birthdays last fall and I know my MIL was completely clueless about it until we told her she had to go in and reply.

Llkoolaid
Member

08-01-2001

Monday, January 31, 2005 - 3:48 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
When I send out invitations to birthday parties for Hilary, I always follow the invitation up with a call to the parents. Kids sometimes leave invitations in their backpacks and the parents don't see it until it is too late, some parents just don't bother to R.s.v.p and some don't know if they can or not and leave it until the last minute. I like to plan on a set number so Hilary has to pick who she invites carefully. If the invitation goes to school, then every girl in her class must be invited, (school rule). A quick call asking if they were shown the invitation by their child can get you the answer without seeming like a pest and then a quick explanation that you are allowing your child to have a set number of guests usually will get you a quick response. I always prepare for a few extra kids, just in case. Three older kids has taught me a lot of lessons on kids birthday parties and the easiest way is to not have it in your home, it doesn't cost much more to have it somewhere else and someone else cleans the mess.

Deesandy
Member

08-12-2003

Monday, January 31, 2005 - 4:59 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Grace, thank you for the R.s.v.p. information!

Here is the invitation information that we are using:

Bibbity Bobbity Boo
I'm inviting you
to a Princess Party
with games and food too!

No time to rest
Get out your Princess dress
And R.s.v.p. to my mommy
By March 10th, no less!

Date: March 13th
Time: 11:00-2:00
Place: My house
If the weather is warm,
Bring your bathing suit along!

Any suggestions for better wording is welcomed.

I have invited 20 girls so I hope that 20% cannot make it. It is on a Sunday and many people have church events to attend to, right?


Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Monday, January 31, 2005 - 5:00 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I've never had 20% NOT show!!!!!! LOL
Cute invitation!!!

Graceunderfyre
Member

01-21-2004

Monday, January 31, 2005 - 8:02 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
awww what a cute invite!

ok I'm shivering at the idea of swimming in March.

BTW, I just reread what I wrote and realized it came out harsher than I meant it. . .I was just telling you something I thought was an interesting fact about R.s.v.p - I still write it wrong on invites when I'm not thinking :-)

Deesandy
Member

08-12-2003

Tuesday, February 01, 2005 - 6:55 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Grace, I didn't think it was harsh at all and appreciated learning something new!

I agree about the swimming. However, last year we had a huge party and we didn't mention that we have a pool. A few people commented that they wish that they had brought their suits. One of them had and did help themselves to the pool anyway. That caused some grief among the other kids who wanted to swim!

We are giving everyone a choice...swimming or art project. My dd will chose the art project because she too thinks it is too cold to swim in March!

At least it was last year...

Danas15146
Member

03-31-2004

Monday, March 07, 2005 - 5:42 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
We made it through the bowling party. 23 kids and a lot of noise!! They all had a great time and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be -- price wise or confusion wise. Now I have to think what we are going to do for Samantha's bday in May .... One down one to go.

Graceunderfyre
Member

01-21-2004

Monday, March 07, 2005 - 6:25 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
good to hear! Well take a breather before you start planning out May :-)

Danas15146
Member

03-31-2004

Monday, April 11, 2005 - 8:57 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
TIme for round two ---

Twenty five invites going out today for Samantha's big 5 on May 7. We decided on Kidz Own Playzone - which is a chuck e cheese type thing near our house. I am really hoping for better luck w/ the RSVPs this time because I don't want to have to call all these kids.

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Monday, April 11, 2005 - 4:57 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Twenty-five 5 year olds???? May the force be with you!!!

Schoolmarm
Member

02-18-2001

Monday, April 11, 2005 - 5:04 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I'm having flash-backs to teaching Kindergarten on "field day". LOL!

The Playzone will help....bring a couple extra adults! (Hopefully not all the kids will come!)

Danas15146
Member

03-31-2004

Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - 12:22 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I hear you! The good thing about Playzone is they provide a "party coach" - so I can just sit back and watch it happen!

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - 4:33 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Need an idea on what to do....

My nephew will be one 4 days before my DD will be two. Sis and I are very close, but the idea of combining birthday parties is out, because on his first birthday, IMHO, and every birthday for that matter, the child should be made to feel special on their day. We have a lot of mutual friends and I don't feel right asking them to bring DD a gift 4 days after they had to purchase my nephew one. What should we do?

Maris
Member

03-28-2002

Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - 4:38 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
People dont mind bringing gifts to kids and more imporantly kids at that age dont really care all that much about the quality of gifts. In my house, October is break the bank month we have three birthdays, and two anniversaries. I say give your kid her birthday on the weekend following. At her age, it is all about the cake and the attention.