Rsvp

I would make up another little reminder that say's it's a busy time of year. please rsvp for the party so I can plan food appropriately.

I know it's too late at this point, but next time get email addresses and send an evite. That way you know when they receive the invite and can send reminders if they forget to RSVP. The last couple of parties I had for my 4th grader a couple of parents did not RSVP but the kids came anyway. So I think you sort of have to plan for them to show up.

People just don't RSVP any more - it makes me crazy. What I did was send a reminder note (I would give yours tomorrow) asking for RSVP and include email and cell (specify that they can text too). This worked for us. Also talk to the teacher maybe she can email the group on your behalf ?

Best of luck!

ONE:

I think the lesson here is NEVER send out a "blanket invitation", especially if you don't know the names, numbers and email addresses of the parents, so you can follow up if necessary.

TWO:

A blanket invitation can be considered kind because you are including every child. A blanket invitation can be considered a request for lots of gifts.

THREE:

Does your child like/play with every kid in the class?

FOUR:

Wouldn't it be better to have a small gathering with kids he knows and likes who have parents that have the courtesy to reply to the RSVP?

FIVE:

A week before Christmas? Many schools may be already closed for the holiday break.

SIX:

Why not ask the school for permission to bring treats to the class for your sons birthday?

Blessings......

I would ask your son if any of the kids have said anything to him. At this age, some start to think the kids will relay the RSVP. Of course you have some that will never reply one way or the other and others who only reply IF they are coming. How they expect us to know/prepare is completely beyond me.

I just had my daughter's party and as it turns out everyone that replied showed but one...who was the first person to reply but that is because her parents forgot to look at their calendar. They emailed me bright and early the next morning and then showed up w/ her present (which was sweet) so I know it was a true OOOPs moment. I did have 4 reply that they couldn't make it but a few didn't tell me one way or the other. I prepared for all the ones I knew were coming and had some extras ready just in case.

Good luck.

Ugh. If I could tell you what DOES and what DOES NOT make it home in the backpack of my 3rd grader! LOL

People are so RUDE about RSVPing, but this might be a combination case of rude parents AND missing invitations.

I would get on the internet and find as many phone numbers as you can....call & tell them you know it's a busy time but you're trying to plan for food, etc....so you thought you'd call & ask.
Good luck!

I think your first mistake was in sending these invitations to school...chances are half of the parents never even SAW the invitation!!! Of course it is too late to do anything about that...but just food for thought for next year.
Surely you don't live in such a huge town that you can't locate a lot of the phone numbers through the telephone book. I would start making calls NOW....(ok..wait until the sun comes up!!! :-) ) and see what you can salvage of the day. You still have time to react to this..and save the plans. I don't know if it would be possible to obtain a school telephone listing of some sort...some smaller schools do that to share information with all of the parents.

I would assume at least half are coming but in the future, I would have sent out the invites a bit earlier. Giving someone one week notice to rsvp around christmastime is just not enough time! Most people have plans booked throughout december, so its important to plan early. Can you go to the school at pickup time and see if you can catch some of the parents? I would do that--- I hope everything turns out well for your son-

M

Oh no! Such a bummer. Well true that since it's so close to Christmas many people could be traveling out of town. Honestly I'd ask the school on Monday for email addresses or phone numbers to a group of the friends your son plays with the most often, and contact their parents. Have a smaller gathering at your house for his birthday. If all else fails and no one can come, just take him for a great day out, to a movie or Chuck E Cheese, or something similar, and just explain to him that the reason people couldn't come is that it's so close to Christmas and people are out of town. Maybe try to do his party a couple of weeks earlier next year (the week after Thanksgiving maybe).

can you double check with the teacher that they were indeed handed out? would she be willing to send out an email to the parents with a reminder of the party? is there a room parent that can help you? would it be possible to bring treats in to school so he at least he has his special moment?
you may be surprised to have people show up even though they didn't RSVP....are there any people coming not from school that you know are coming? even if you just have one guest show up it can still be a very special time for your little one and if more show up, the more the merrier :)

People just don't RSVP. I am to the point that I just invite the guests and assume everyone is coming. That way if no one comes I just have leftover cake and ice cream. I do not get sucked in to that goodie bag mentality, it is just a seller gimmick to get a parent to spend more money. So I am not spending money on junk that gets thrown away as soon as the kids aren't looking.

I can honestly tell you that I have gone through my granddaughters school bag, when she remembers to bring it home, and found invitations to parties that were over a month ago. I would buy a phone directory for the school, they usually sell them in the office and just call the parents next time then send the invitations. That way you know you have let them know an invitation is coming.

I think that you need to mention the party to the parents when you pick your child up. That way you can meet them and speak face to face about it.

There may be something going on too, a lot of people have very limited time in December. My friend's son has a birthday the 18th. She never has his party until some time in January. She has had parents tell her they would have had to decline in December and that she is really smart for waiting until the kids come back from Christmas Break.

I hope everyone shows up and he has a wonderful birthday

This is one of the reasons that I am resisting the big birthday party thing. Frankly, I do not know one of the parents in my son's kindergarten class. I certainly have not been provided with a listing of their contact information. My son's birthday is coming up in January and I am just planning to do a family thing. I will also send cupcakes to the school for the class.

Our school directory has the parents emails. It helps a lot in this case. I agree that the teacher may have them. I am assuming that it is a busy time and parents are not sure. That makes it hard to RSVP. I hope that he gets a few guests and has a fun time :)

My daughter once received a birthday invite at school, but never gave it to me and it found it's way to the bottom of the school bag. I never found it until after the party. Everyone involved ended up feeling bad, but I had no idea who this classmate was and what she was talking about.

But, I agree with Oneanddone, this may be a combination of rude parents (or parents bogged down with holiday chaos) and missing invites. I think you should try again. It's a shame that your school doesn't provide contact information for the students. Is there maybe a classroom email list you can utilize?

School Invitations are weird one year we had 20 kids one year we had 7 kids. 8th grade i'm not sure I'd want the teacher giving those out. Yes Elementary school we gave them out to the whole class but 8th grade I would not expect the whole class. I'd ask your son who he hangs out with and expect that amount amy be one or two more.

I would try to find numbers from the phonebook or a school directory and call anybody you can. I'd set up for the party and hope people come. People not RSVPing makes me bonkers, too.