Should I Cancel My Little Girl's 6Th Birthday Party?

I am so sorry! I hate when no one replies but then half the people show up! It is so rude and only takes two minutes to respond to a birthday invite. Call and speak to the moms tell them you will have to cancel if they are not coming---

I would contact the parents and ask if they can attend. Don't cancel based on people not replying; only if they actually reply that they can't be there.

I would send a reminder. On a whim I decided to take my daughter roller skating a couple weekends ago, only to find her friend's birthday party there! I thought - no biggie - we weren't invited. UNTIL I saw the invitation in the recycle bin later that week - my husband didn't even tell me she had an invitation!

This is a really big pet peeve of mine. I mean really, how long does it take to place a quick call or send an RSVP email. I always include both phone number and email for RSVP along with the RSVP by date.

Our school provides us with the class list of contact phone numbers and emails. I'm not sure if you have access to such a list but if so I would call everyone for their RSVP. I know that is a lot of extra work for you but I would give it a shot before canceling the party. I hate to think of your daughter being so very disappointed.

Peace and Blessings,
T. B

I have been known to call up each and every parent that didn't respond and say "I hope the invitation didn't get lost in the mail...did you receive it? I'd hate for your child to think they weren't invited." MOST of the time, they'll say "Omigosh, I just completely forgot! I'm SOOO sorry! Yes, we will definitely be there!" Sometimes it will be "I'm so sorry, I thought I'd already gotten back to you, we won't be able to make it." But EVERY time, I get a response then and there.

Last couple of years, I've sent out Evites. It lets you keep a list of who you invited and tells you when they viewed the evite, lets them respond, sends out email reminders, etc. The toughest part is tracking down all the email addresses, but once that's done, it's super easy and convenient.

If you have phone numbers, I'd start calling. Or getting email addresses and send reminders.

Hate when people don't RSVP, just hate it. I hope you don't have to cancel your little girl's party.

I don't think I would cancel the party. I think people are just being rude and probably not RSVPing. Ask your daughter to ask her friends if they're coming and to try to encourage her friends to have their parent call and RSVP. It's hard to imagine that out of 26 kids, NONE of them would come!

I would send a reminder note/flyer on colorful pink/white paper.

The mothers are so rude to not have replied. No, this isn't your fault, it's theirs.

Get on the phone and tell each and every one of them that you have not received any RSVP's and you would hate for your daughter to arrive at her birthday party and no one be there. Ask if their child is coming.

That puts it out there, J., and makes that mom FEEL what it would be like if it were her daughter. (There's nothing wrong with a little guilt...) Hopefully she will check her calendar and write it down and make a concerted effort to bring her child.

So sorry - people can be so rude when it comes to parties...

Dawn

Don't cancel the party. Does she have any other friends/neighbors coming?

For my daughter's 5th bday party last Saturday, she invited her whole class. As of Wednesday before the party, we'd received 4 rsvps. After that, we received 7 more between Wednesday night through Friday night. About 1/2 the parents did not rsvp at all. This is the 3rd birthday party she's had, and this seems to be pretty standard on rsvps. I was sweating it this year, and it turned out just fine.

You might send a note tomorrow saying that your daughter is looking forward to the party this weekend and to contact you if they need directions. Then include your contact info. That might nudge some parents to rememeber to rsvp.

People are terrible about RSVPing (because they don't want to commit). Before I would cancel a party, I would see if you can call parents or have your daughter remind people to RSVP. Even if you have to send a reminder note with kids.

I have occasionally forgotten to RSVP and had a parent email to ask if we were coming.

My daughters are 8 and 5, and it's our experience that virtually NO ONE RSVPs until the last minute, if they rSVP at all. It's pretty common that people don't RSVP until they are on their way. So no, don't cancel the party. Parents have busy lives nowadays, often we don't know what we'll be doing until we're doing it either! I don't think it's rude, it's just how life goes.

You may have to follow up with each family as nobody seems to know how to RSVP anymore. Then even if it is a small party, have something for her anyway.

Did you list an RSVP deadline?
Did you put your contact phone number in the invites and/or an e-mail address to respond to the invite?

You need to call, each parent and ask them.
If you know how to contact them.

It is pathetic, that people can't even RSVP.

How did you send out the invites?
Mail?
E-mail invites?
Via the child, bringing it home?
Or you gave it our personally?
Some kids for example, do not bring home what they are supposed to. Or they lose it. Or it is stuck in their bag somewhere.
Do you know all those parents?
Some parents, if they don't know another parent, they don't even respond. Rude, regardless.

did you include a date to RSVP by? i always include a date and request to "RSVP yes or no", i still don't get 100%, but that seems to work better. ask your little girl to ask her friends to have her parents call you...

I'm going through this as well. What I did is include the RSVP by date and my name and number of course. I've also told my daughter, 8, to please remind her friends whom we haven't heard from to let their parents know that they need to call to let us know. In our case we're paying for invited guests so need an accurate head count. The RSVP date is tomorrow - invites went out 3 weeks in advance.

I believe you've done all you can do at this point. Send out a reminder invite(I typed & printed the info out, no need for a whole new set of invitations)just in case the child(ren) lost their original invites. I know one of the students in our case lost hers.

Hope you little one has a great birthday!

If it wouldn't hurt your daughter in the long run, I would say cancel it and meet everyone that shows up with a big smile and say, "Oh, I only received 2 RSVP's so I canceled the party." Then let them stand there with gift in hand, stunned - that would be awesome! BUT, I would not want your daughter to have to have her party canceled, however, it would be even worse if only 2 showed up. I say, either make the phone calls and confirm or cancel the party.

It sucks when people don't rsvp. Manners seem to have gone out the window. How disappointing for your daughter. When is the party? Did you give an rsvp date with your phone number/email? I'd find it odd that none of 26 kids would be able to attend. Does the teacher have a list of the parents' emails that can be shared with you? If so, I'd send a follow up and let them know that you must know by X date if anyone is coming, or the party will be cancelled. I hope some friends are able to come.

Maybe these people feel like they do not know you well enough.. How many parents on here say if they do not know the parents, they certainly are not going to allow their children to attend an event with "those people"..

CALL them. Let them know you are inviting the whole family if they would like to join.. .

Some people do not understand RSVP, so just call them.

Start calling now like Kristin said

How did you send the invites through the mail or through the kids. If it's through the kids who know if they got them.

I think a lot of parents are getting fed up with class b-day parties like this and it is usually a low turn out at best. That's what I've seen anyway.

Gosh it sounds like such a nice party and you've put out the time and money, sure hope it turns out for your little girl's sake.

Make it fun and sweet no matter what

No one RSVP's any more. I think it's coming to a point where you need to just send out the invitations and then a week before the party just call everyone. Then make the final plans.

They don't keep up with the invitations, they don't know you from Adam, they don't have any emotional attachment to not hurting your feelings by not RSVPing. They just see the invite and toss them on the table, to forget about or not.

Making a personal connection with each parent is the way to go. Next time have a party and invite the friends that you know then make sure to meet the other parents face to face when possible.

Argh, this is such a huge pet peeve for me! I struggled with this for a long time - could not understand why people don't RSVP. Then someone told me - they said that they just didn't know what was going to happening on that day, so they couldn't commit. So incredibly rude! In other words, they're saying that they want to keep their options open in case something better comes along. So, now I understand what's going, but I'm even more angry about it. /rant off

Would I would do is call each parent and ask them if they're coming. Mention that you need an accurate head-count for food and entertainment.

invite a few close friends and plan for more to come.

Don't cancel and don't call the slovenly guests. Invite 4 other kids/parents who will show up (from church or family) and when the rude folk come act surprised--oops I hope there is enough food...

It sounds like a wonderful party. I would call and/or email each parent in the class. Be friendly and just ask them if their son/daughter will come. Say that you hope they can make it. That is very strange that no one RSVP'd - I have never had that happen before, but I guess it could happen to anyone.