Birthday Girl Turning 7, but No Friends for the Party :O(

Birthdays are special, but who says the party has to be on THE day?
I would find out when more kids can be gathered up, plan the actual party for that day and celebrate just with the family on the actual birthday.
Believe me, this doesn't traumatize a child. My sister and I are both "Christmas" babies and no kids could ever come to parties because well....not great timing for parties. My parents always made us feel special. We could choose anything we wanted for dinner and always had cake. We had our birthday parties on June 21st, our "un-birthdays" as my dad called them, when we turned 1/2 a year older. We so looked forward to it every year.
It doesn't sound like you need to go that extreme, but my own children had parties not near their birthdays. My son, for instance is June 28. We have his parties before school gets out before all his friends are scattered to the winds on summer vacation. Then, we have a family celebration on his actual day.
If your daughter has her heart set on a party, I think she's old enough to understand that it might have to happen when people are available as opposed to feeling slighted because people can't come on the given day.
This is a good age for her to understand that parties take planning and finding out when she can get people gathered is part of that.
It's just a suggestion.
There are lots of ways you can make her day special. You know what she likes more than anyone. Find out when you can get her circle of friends or at least a couple of them gathered up.
You just have to get creative with these things sometimes.

Best wishes.

Can you reschedule the party for another day when more kids can come? Maybe talk to the moms in advance to find out their availability. That's what I did for my son's party this year, and ended up switching from a Saturday to Sunday to make sure that his closest friends could be there.

On her actual birthday, let her choose how to spend the whole day. What to eat for each meal, where to go, what to wear, when to open her presents from the family, etc.

Maybe you can take the one girl and your DD out for a special 'girl's day'. Save the money you would otherwise spend on a party, and take them to get manicures. (they can just get their fingernails painted at the place...) You could also take them somewhere fun (Our mall has a bounce-playground that's not too expensive for admission... something like that would be fun I'm sure) You can let them each have, say, $10.00 to spend at the mall, and let them get something. Instead of having cake and ice cream, you could go out to eat and order a special desert. If she would get a kick out of the waitstaff singing to her, ask them to! Most places are happy to comply, and some will give you a free dessert for the birthday girl. :) That way, it's still a special birthday, but not a huge party.

Take them out for the party, like to the movies or a restaurant ,or to a little girl salon for manicures. Something more intimate and fun for a smaller group. It's hurtful and embarrassing to have a party where hardly anyone shows up, especially if that one friend is going to be adoring her older sister.

Awe, that breaks my heart just reading this.... We would go if we lived there :0) Take her to the spa and do a bunch of girly things.. IE: go pick out a new birthday outfit, get nails and feet done, curl her hair or put it up, put cucumbers on her eyes and give little facials.. go out for icecream and go pick out her favorite movie to watch..

Change the date.
She needs to have a fun day, not a day spent vying for attention.
LBC

My daughter is also turning 7 this month, and we home school as well. It seems to me that people are just so busy starting in May and for the rest of the summer, so I get discouraged too with not having as many kids being able to come as I would like. But we do usually have a couple of her friends and a few cousins show up. My child has not asked for a "friend" party in particular, but I think that having a birthday in May may always be difficult due to everyone's busy schedules. However, her grandma who lives a couple of hours away, who is one of her favorite people, always comes, and often her other grandma who lives in New Mexico comes, so that always makes it special. We usually have a pinata, which is a lot of fun, and this year I want to get her a trampoline, which she has wanted for a long time. Does your daughter love something that you could turn into a theme? One year mine wanted live cats and dogs at her party, so I had people bring their pets. Invite any more kids you can think of, cousins, neighbors, etc... If not many kids can come, suggest to her that you will plan a play date in a couple weeks and maybe have everyone go to McDonald's, to the park for a picnic, or do a pool party in June or something like that, so she will feel she has a special time with friends to look forward to, and maybe some of them will bring her a belated gift. Good luck!

I know it is short notice but I would reach out to the local school and talk to a teacher. She is home schooled, but this can be a bridge for the traditional students and your daughter as well. Maybe you can do cupcakes and the teacher allow some social time. In my daughter's preschool we're asked to bring in at least two pictures that show how much she has grown. The kids love having a discussion that is focused on the birthday girl. another thought is to open it up to neighbors and be sure the adults know to give the birthday girl a lot of attention. I hope you are able to put together a very special birthday for you little girl. Happy Birthday to her. :)

Since it is not a big group you can afford to do something that costs a little more. Once year we are going to let our son invite one friend and we will take them to a local amusement park for the day. It's one of those places with rollercoasters etc. You could go to a water park. I am not sure what is in your area, but something BIG like that would be very exciting!!!

You already have some good advice, so I just wanted to suggest getting involved in your town's homeschooling group. They often go out on field trips and do group activities. Friends that homeschool their children swear that these groups are their lifeline, and they meet as a group once a week for normal meetings with additional field trips, play groups, study groups, and more. They also organize themselves so that they can participate with the public school's sports teams and other extracurricular activities.

All of those things will help expand your daughter's social circle.