By Sarah E. Visbeek, author of In the Trenches of Mommyhood

A new school year brings new classmates, which means new friends. Which means a new batch of birthday party invitations. With three school-age children, I am no stranger to this phenomenon. My boys probably receive at least two party invitations a month. That’s a lot of parties. Bowling parties; gymnasium parties; miniature golf parties; indoor playplaces parties…Thankfully, we are at the stage where these parties are drop-off events. Meaning I don’t have to stick around for 2 painful hours of small talk with strangers.

Now, it would be impossible for my children to attend every single event to which they are invited. Not to mention, I would go broke in the process of gift-buying for all these children.

So my husband and I have implemented a “Party Rule” in our trenches: In order for one of my sons to attend a birthday party, my husband or I must actually KNOW the child and/or the parents, or else we have to have heard our son talk about the birthday child as a friend.

Of course, there is always room for negotiation.

My fourth grade son just recently received his first birthday party invitation of the new school year. I did not know the child, nor had ever heard my son mention him. I assumed it was an “invite the entire classroom” party. But no. The boy was not in my son’s class and had personally handed my son the invitation.

I felt bad telling him no, especially because we happened to not have any plans.

So he attended. And it was fine.

I think as the boys get older, we will have to revise our “Party Rule”, but for now, I’m sticking to it!

Do you have a “Party Rule” for your children?

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Like what you see? Check out other posts by Sarah:

• What is Your Back to School Bedtime Routine?
• Meal Planning Made Easier
• Back to School Preparedness… Or What NOT to Do
• Welcome to our New Weekly Columnist: Sarah of “In the Trenches of Mommyhood”!

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