Does Anyone Else Not 'Really' Do Birthday Parties For Preschoolers

[Phteven]

We don't always do parties. In fact we have only had one 'traditional' kids party ever.

We've done a trip to the aquarium with friends and their children (they have 4 so that's a party right there lol)
A trip to the zoo with just us.
Lunch at the grandparent's place with just them and DH's siblings and partners.
A visit to a theme park.
One year we were in Thailand for DS2's b'day so he rode an elephant and had ice-cream with sparklers for his 'cake'

The boys don't mind that they don't usually have parties. They get right into planning their birthday adventures.

[fionas]

I'm feeling a little better.

She hasn't been invited to any parties of her kindy buddies which either means that she's very unpopular (that's not why I'm feeling better) or that her kindy mates don't really have "invite everyone from kindy" sorts of parties either.

I guess in my head I feel like we should be inviting all the kids she knows from kinder to our house.

Last year we took her to the zoo and met friends there plus she took a birthday cake to childcare plus we took her down to Melbourne to go to a joint birthday party of my old Mothers Group's kids. So essentially THREE celebrations but I still felt guilty because we didn't do the traditional birthday party at home gig.

I think I've come up with an idea. I'm going to ask the local playgroup if they hire out their room/playground for parties. There's toys and stuff indoors (if the weather's bad) and the outdoor playground is really good too. Then I'd just have to take food which is fine and DP and parents I know can do the bending stuff to tidy up.

Or I can stick with the non-party idea which is to take her to Melbourne (possibly with a friend), take her up the front of the train to watch dad drive (she's been asking to do this for ages), go and see Annie and stay in a hotel. Plus anything else I can think of.

[fionas]

A special playdate with a few friends is a sensational idea Sararose!!! That may be manageable.

[The[cookie]Doctor]

She hasn't been invited to any parties of her kindy buddies which either means that she's very unpopular (that's not why I'm feeling better) or that her kindy mates don't really have "invite everyone from kindy" sorts of parties either.

I hope you come up with something, I am having this struggle for my DS who is 5 next Feb but will have *just* started school and wont be seeing his Kindy friends.
I also wanted to point out that as Victorian age cut off is April 30th, therefore only 2.5m into the birthday year for 2013 preps, it means that your DD is potentially one of the oldest children in her Kindy class and not necessarily that others aren't having parties. From 21 we have had only 3 turn 5 so far... just a thought

[fionas]

I see your point dragoncookie but the way I look at it is that DD has been in kindy since January and hasn't been invited to any parties of fellow kindy kids and although some may not be turning 5 until next year, a lot would have had a birthday between January and August (whether it's 4th or 5th). So I just don't think many parents around here do the "let's invite everyone from kindy class" sort of parties, which is what I pressure myself to have for her.

[AnyDream]

No wisdom about the party thing, just wanted to give you massive hugs re your ongoing pelvis problems .