birthday parties

I feel this is a good discussion, I do want to add one thing to the comments. I think that when kids are in elementary school, the whole class should be invited. These are the years when children's self esteem is being built, and to invite some and leave the others out is asking for trouble. Most of the kids who have been shooting at the schools have been the kids who always feel left out. Now when the kids get to middle and high school that is a different situation, by then they know how to get contact info from their friends so no one has to be invited at school, it can be done at home. As for having all the expensive parties for small children, maybe parents need to refocus their priorities, kid's today get so much they don't really appreciate anything, and then when the time comes when you do have to say no, they think their little spoiled worlds have come to an end. You can have a goos party, at home, or at the local park, with some old fashioned fun, like pin the tail, and pinatas and the small kids have just as much fun because most of them haven't done this type of thing before, they are so used to skate, and paint ball parties. Then you can invite the whole class and no one feels alienated. Then when the kids get older and can call or email their friends they can have the bigger bashes. This is my humble opinion, and I hope it helps.

My son has never had a birthday party, but from what I have seen in his class this year the birthday child has been inviting the whole class. My son has been invited to several parties this year and he said that the whole class got invited.

I always let my children decide who they want at thier birthday parties but i usually have to put a limit on the numbers depending on the venue.