We usually get evite invitations for kids parties and they never say who is invited - they are just sent to our email addresses - and usually to both my and my husband's email address. I totally get restrictions on size and would never be offended if siblings aren't invited but I do think people who host the party just have to explicitly say. This becomes less of an issue as kids get older because it becomes really clear it's just the kid who is friends with the birthday child but right now our son is 5 and many of his friends have siblings and all kids and all adults are at 95% of the parties we go to.

I think the only time it's ok to ask is if it is an at-home party.

The reason people say no siblings today is because people have forgotten but only the person named on the envelope or on the Evite is the one invited. Just like weddings, if your name does not appear on the invitation then you’re not invited.

Yeah, no siblings unless it says so or you ask ahead of time.

But I do love the families a little more that include siblings. I always do for our parties. As someone whose spouse is often gone on the weekends, trying to secure a babysitter so I can take one child to a birthday party can be tricky- and not good use of a babysitter. Drop off party, no problem.

Anonymous wrote:I think it depends. If it’s at a venue, where you pay per child, the answer is no. But if it’s at somebody’s house, why not? We hosted DD’s birthday last weekend and a couple of parents brought siblings. I did not mind at all.

Not everyone lives in a 5000 sf McMansion. My house is small and doesn’t have a lot of huge open spaces. I limit the guest list to the number of kids I can reasonably fit in there. And then there’s the fact that people aren’t watching the younger siblings and they get into stuff.

I think it depends. If it’s at a venue, where you pay per child, the answer is no. But if it’s at somebody’s house, why not? We hosted DD’s birthday last weekend and a couple of parents brought siblings. I did not mind at all.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I saw from the Evite invitation (I’m not the host) that people are definitely bringing their siblings to a bounce house party. I’m quite sure they didn’t check with the host because someone said the additional child is Larla’s little brother.

Maybe Larla's mom is close with the host and the host invited Larlo. Or maybe Larla's mom checked with the host privately and the host said okay.

What I am trying to say is host may be friends with some of the moms and so the siblings of those kids may have had a private invite and host just does not want everyone else to bring siblings because its a venue.

This thread makes me not want to have anything to do with kid birthday parties.

How long can I do this before it’s a problem? I only want family parties for my kids.

Anonymous wrote:I have a neighbor mom who has always insisted that her fourth and second grader go to everything together -- playdates, parties, etc. She poses it as making sure they both get the same all the time, but really it's about her getting free babysitting.

You have to speak up. Say, "Sorry, I can only host the child invited," and stand your ground. The mother might be upset because the gig is up, but so be it. Teach people how to treat you, OP.

This

OP here. I saw from the Evite invitation (I’m not the host) that people are definitely bringing their siblings to a bounce house party. I’m quite sure they didn’t check with the host because someone said the additional child is Larla’s little brother.

NO.

Just like if you invited Jim and Claire to your wedding. You wrote JIM AND CLAIRE on the envelope, not "The Reynolds Family" or "Jim, Claire, Larla, Larlette, and Larlo."

See how that works?

NO.

It's rude. Siblings are not invited and don't put the host in an awkward position. Why is this so hard for people?

The more the merrier doesn't work when there are limits on the number of kids at facilities or where the price increases exponentially with every sibling.

If it is a mom you are personally friendly with, go ahead and ask. I had 3 ask me this last time, which was fine because we were friends as well as our kids being in the same class. Do not ask otherwise.