Birthday party guest list when starting a new school

[Anonymous]

My son is turning 5 in September right around the time he will start a new school. Due to a bunch of factors, the only options for a birthday party are:

1. the day before school starts (no idea who we’d invite- a few close friends from preschool but otherwise the rest are off to new schools and haven’t seen them much since early June),
2. a month later in October (could invite new class, but son will probably be sad to wait)
3. doing an early birthday party in august with camp friends (including some preschool friends, but mainly kids we haven’t known long/little interaction with parents.)
4. Doing something special with only his three closest friends close to his birthday.

What to do in this situation? With my son and his preschool class all off to a bunch of new schools, it’s an awkward year.

[Anonymous]

It's fine to just invite his whole class from school. Do it at a playground near the school and whoever comes, comes.

[Anonymous]

A month later in October. I doubt he will care of you do cake on the actual day as a family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not a awkward year. So why if 5 years old go to different schools.

We haven’t seen most of his preschool class since school ended. Only his best friends who are in camp with him. I know a few friends from camp, but it’s not like we have any interaction with camp kids or parents like we do at school. I can invite either of these cohorts but it feels awkward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's fine to just invite his whole class from school. Do it at a playground near the school and whoever comes, comes.

We did a backyard party last year and it got rained out. Never again!

[Anonymous]

I would recommend that you not sweat it so much. The awkwardness is coming from inside you, most people would not feel awkward about this. My pick would be #4.

[Anonymous]

#4 or just a family only party this year.

[Anonymous]

Will he be in Kindergarten where most or all of the kids will be new to the school?

If so I would do a whole class party a week or two into the school year because that’s the time families are looking to meet people.

[Anonymous]

My DD’s birthday is two weeks after school starts. We have her birthday party the weekend after her birthday falls and invite the whole class. Almost everyone came in kindergarten and first.

[Anonymous]

#4

[Anonymous]

Ask him to pick between 2 and 4.

[Anonymous]

I'm in the same boat with DS - he has an early September birthday, and he will be attending K in a new school with none of the kids from his current PreK class (it's a parochial school in a completely different neighborhood). We're opting to have his birthday celebration in August and invite his PreK classmates as a "last hurrah" before he starts at his new school.

[Anonymous]

I would do a whole class party a few weeks into school. Super fun and a great way to get to know other parents. Might be challenging to get everyone's emails though.

[Anonymous]

Is your kid very social? Do they enjoy big parties? If so, maybe the full class party.

But, i’d go with option 4, just a few close friends.

FWIW I have a September birthday kid and go through some version of this every year. We moved to a new state right before they turned 5 and skipped the party that year. They didn’t know the names of more than one or 2 kids at the end of September. Last year, we sent out invites in mid September. In the next week or 2, friend groups shifted. The invite list for my spring birthday kid is way easier.

[Anonymous]

2, 4, or just family. He won’t be sad unless you make it a big deal for him to be sad.