https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 25 Apr 2026 16:41:36 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662493 Wed, 07 Dec 2016 15:06:13 +0000 sunny 2662493@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For a daycare friend I would assume the invited child only. However if it's the child of my friend, I would assume all of us are all invited. </p> <p>@looch: I haven't received any printed birthday invitations in the past 2 years. Only emailed ones and they are emailed to me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662470 Wed, 07 Dec 2016 14:18:50 +0000 travelgirl1 2662470@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If it is a friend of mine, they usually invite us as a family. For preschool friends, I assume just the invited child. I sometimes bring DS too because of childcare issues, but I wear him so he doesn't use the facilities or eat the food. When he is too old to be worn I would definitely not bring him along. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662462 Wed, 07 Dec 2016 14:05:53 +0000 Mommy Finger 2662462@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just had DS1's birthday party and invited his whole daycare class (20 kids, yikes!) plus several of our friends' kids. We had it at a place where the fee included up to 20 and then you paid a fee for each extra. Everyone rsvp'd just for the intended invitee except my friend who asked if she could bring her younger daughter. She was concerned about cost. However, there were a few other people who ended up bring their other kids with them to the party. Most were younger so they didn't count and it was at a place where they could run around. One brought their older daughter but was just going to have her sit with the ipad. I told her to join in. Luckily 2 kids who rsvp'd yes didn't show up so I was fine either way.</p> <p>All that said, I would never assume that a daycare party meant bring all of the kids. Usually DH stays home with DS2 since the baby is usually napping at that time. Plus, I'm more social with the other parents than DH. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662351 Wed, 07 Dec 2016 10:37:47 +0000 lamariniere 2662351@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I assume it's for the invited child only. If we are friends with the parents and it's not a venue party, then I might ask. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662349 Wed, 07 Dec 2016 10:27:30 +0000 Ajsmommy 2662349@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@skipra: @AB810: @Kemma: same as these ladies.</p> <p>If it was a family friend I would assume all kids, if it's school/daycare I'd assume just the invitee and I'd ask about addl kids if necessary (ie: it was a solo parenting weekend) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662339 Wed, 07 Dec 2016 10:02:36 +0000 snowjewelz 2662339@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd assume it's for the invited child only but I'd ask if I need to bring another with me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662334 Wed, 07 Dec 2016 09:57:41 +0000 WinterBee 2662334@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@erinbaderin: I'm really surprised by a lot of these answers. I would never assume I could drop off multiple kids to a birthday party where only one was invited.<br /> Granted, most of the birthday parties around here are casual house parties, but I still wouldn't assume everyone was invited if only one child's name was on the invite, I also would not call to ask if I could bring the entire family.</p> <p>The only exception would be my friends kids/family parties... but even then the person having the party wouldn't just put one persons name on the invite... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662317 Wed, 07 Dec 2016 09:38:18 +0000 psw27 2662317@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think this is a big "it depends" situation. For example, if it was at someone's house - I would assume all of us could go. If it was a structured activity, such as a gym class or a museum trip, I would assume it was just the LO who was invited. If it was a close friend, I would assume they were inviting all of us but if it was a daycare invite, I would only bring a sibling if it was noted that he could come. </p> <p>The exception would be if sibling was like 5 months old and I would just be baby wearing him the whole time anyway/he wouldn't be participating in the gym class, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662305 Wed, 07 Dec 2016 09:18:56 +0000 looch 2662305@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I only have one child, so it's not an issue in terms of who I am bringing, but unless the invite is clearly addressed either to the family or multiple children, I don't understand where the confusion lies. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662291 Wed, 07 Dec 2016 08:45:30 +0000 mediagirl 2662291@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If I'm hosting at a place that can only hold a certain number of kids, I would mention it on the invite: "Due to space restrictions, invitee and parent(s) only, please". </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662274 Wed, 07 Dec 2016 07:42:01 +0000 erinbaderin 2662274@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks, everybody - this makes me feel less stressed. If it wasn't at a place with a maximum head count I wouldn't mind siblings, but I just had visions of 18 classmates all showing up with an extra person. </p> <p>@skipra: oh definitely, if it's a friend I would assume everybody was invited, but I don't know any of these parents (or actually even the kids, most of them I couldn't pick out of a lineup). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662272 Wed, 07 Dec 2016 07:28:24 +0000 Adira 2662272@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>All the parties Xander has been invited to usually say something like "siblings welcome!" and when they don't, I ask. I never assume it's okay to bring extra people to a party! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662241 Tue, 06 Dec 2016 23:13:05 +0000 honeybear 2662241@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I guess I'll revise my opinion. It looks like there may be another protocol for parties where guests' families are not necessarily known to the parents of the birthday child and the party isn't a drop-off/elementary school party. </p> <p>LO wasn't in daycare, so we never got invites for toddler birthdays from anyone who didn't know us. But at the preschool he went to, the party invitations he got were clearly for the entire family, and most of the time the siblings of the other invitees came. His class was small, so I assume the parents throwing the parties knew which children had siblings and expected them. Anyhow, in a situation where you want to invite children whose families you don't know, I guess it would be more like a drop-off party invite in that probably only the invited child should go. Although that still feels kind of strange to me when we're talking about really young children who have to have an adult accompany them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662238 Tue, 06 Dec 2016 22:52:15 +0000 Kemma 2662238@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If it's a personal / family friend then I would assume siblings are invited but if it was a daycare friend then I would assume it was just the invited child. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662237 Tue, 06 Dec 2016 22:48:15 +0000 PinkElephant 2662237@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What @dolphin: said. At my DDs' current ages (4.5, 2.5 - not counting the 7 week old), I assume school parties or friends we don't know as well are only for the child invited. When it's a mom I'm friends with who has other children, I assume the sibling is invited - but still double check when it's at a pay-per-head type of venue. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662236 Tue, 06 Dec 2016 22:47:15 +0000 AB810 2662236@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In that situation (school invite) I would assume just the invitee. If it was a child of one of my friends it would be different, I would assume the whole family was invited. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662235 Tue, 06 Dec 2016 22:33:52 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2662235@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are talking daycare/ school friend invites? I would assume it's just the invited child. I think it's odd to think the entire family is invited to participate in a child's birthday if guest sibling is not friends/ does not know party child.Unless the parents know each other well, how would party mom even know that guest mom has additional LOs? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662234 Tue, 06 Dec 2016 22:24:33 +0000 dolphin 2662234@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Class party just the child that is invited. Friends party I bring both my kids. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662229 Tue, 06 Dec 2016 21:52:21 +0000 honeybear 2662229@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel like for non drop-off parties, it's kind of odd to not invite siblings. Both parents are invited, right? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662225 Tue, 06 Dec 2016 20:44:12 +0000 skipra 2662225@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It totally depends for me. For our friends that we all have 2-3 kids all around the same age, yes I will assume the invitation is for all of us. School parties I only bring the one invited (plus non-mobile baby but I don't think that counts). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662217 Tue, 06 Dec 2016 20:35:28 +0000 travellingbee 2662217@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would assume its only the invited. But I've had people show up with siblings to our parties. Not a problem at a house party but at a venue, that's not cool. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662212 Tue, 06 Dec 2016 20:22:51 +0000 irene 2662212@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It is so sad that there is never a clear etiquette about it! Most people who are considerate and understanding would only bring the child who is invited, but so many of them also bring their entire family. It is frustrating especially when some of these places charge by the head count! Wish there were a "Parent Handbook" being distributed when people are giving birth at the hospital :P</p> <p>ETA: Thinking about it, we did a party at a children's museum when LO turned 3. They charge per head and it was 20 people max, kids and adults and birthday party included (!!!). On our invitation card, I made it look like a train ticket, and I wrote on the card that "this invitation is good for 1 child + 1 adult". Most people RSVP and I emailed them to double check, but there was definitely no confusion. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662210 Tue, 06 Dec 2016 20:13:49 +0000 pinkcupcake 2662210@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel like most parents assume siblings are invited unless it's explicitly stated otherwise on the invite. I had a lot of ppl rsvp for multiple children and it was super stresssful trying to accommodate all the extra kids :/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662205 Tue, 06 Dec 2016 19:58:03 +0000 FaithFertility 2662205@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would just bring the invited child unless the sibling is under age<br /> Ex: if DD was invited<br /> I would bring DS but he is only 2 months old </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662203 Tue, 06 Dec 2016 19:56:18 +0000 Bao 2662203@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just for the invited child. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662202 Tue, 06 Dec 2016 19:54:23 +0000 Mamaof2 2662202@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I assume its just for the child that was invited and only ask if a sibling can come if I am solo parenting that weekend </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-your-child-is-invited-to-a-party#post-2662198 Tue, 06 Dec 2016 19:52:30 +0000 erinbaderin 2662198@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do you assume it's ok to also bring siblings? Does it depend on where the party is being held?</p> <p>I'm planning my son's 3rd birthday at a gymnastics gym. We want to invite his whole daycare class. There are 24 kids in his class and we can only have 25 at the party, plus we have friends with kids we'd like to invite. I know not everybody will come but I don't want a bunch of older siblings instead of friends. </p>