Party Invitations: How to Ask Parents to Stay
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Party invitations are your powerful keys to bring in guests to your kid’s party. People have different viewpoints about sending out invitations. Some prefer digital, while some still opt for paper invitations. Yet, how can you ask parents to stay with these kiddie cards in fancy envelopes?
The technique lies in keeping everything simple and straightforward. On your invitation, tell parents directly that you want them to stay at your child’s party. You can also include a program showing kids’ and parents’ participation to make them feel more welcome.
Party-hosting parents who want their co-parents to gather around have even made different variations and modifications in their party invitations. Using your wits and creativity, you can other parents to stay at your child’s party in many different ways.
Whichever way you prefer to say it, just remember the rule to keep it simple. Be creative but not too fancy. Put a harmonious balance between creativity and simplicity.
Remember that simplicity easily reflects sincerity. Creativity makes a perfect blend, too, in showing sincerity and persuasion through your scribbled words. So, keeping invitations simply creative yet persuasive makes you win hearts in asking parents to stay in your kid’s party.
Strategies and Samples on How to Ask Parents to Stay through Party Invitations
You may be confused about making your party invitations simple yet creative and persuasive. Your invitations must reflect your sincerity. Thus, if you want to invite the parents of your child’s friends, you need to make sure they get your message correctly and sincerely.
Here are some sample entries that are proven to give positive results and avoid misunderstanding.
- “Parents need to stay for their child’s security.”
- You can also address the invitation as “To the Johnson Family” instead of just using the kid’s name on it.
- You may also state this on the printed invitation: “Parents and siblings are welcome. Please advise via RSVP by (date: a few days before the party).”
- If you have a young child who is new in school, these words will positively affect parents: “Parents please stay so we can all meet each other.”
- “Hi, we’d love to invite your child, Kirby, to our son’s birthday party at (time, date, and location). This is an unfenced venue. We ask parents to stay for safety reasons. Hope to see you there.”
- You may indicate as a postscript in your invitation: “Apologies but no ‘dump and runs’ possible due to venue…see you there!”
- Simply address the party invitation to “Keith and Family.”
- “Parents are welcome to attend.”
- “Separate refreshments and munchies available to parents. Please join the celebration.”
- “Games for parents ready. Please join the fun!”
The suggestions above will surely help the hosts on how to ask parents to stay at the party. However, you can still modify them or write even more witty statements based on how well you know them.
Asking Parents to Stay: Considering the Pros and Cons
Not all parents hosting a party like the idea of extending their child’s party invitation to siblings and parents. Some parents still favor the “dump and run” or the drop-off party for some personal reasons like limited budget and making the party exclusive for kids only.
Considering the pros and cons of whether to ask parents to stay or not during your child’s party will help the hosts and the guests to clarify party issues beforehand. This will help them be more responsible parents. Teaching children birthday etiquette and good manners in every situation will be easy, too.
Pros
- Ensure the child’s safety
- Get to know other parents
- Socialize and strengthen bonds with the other parents
- Attend to your child’s needs so you won’t add up to the hosts’ busy day
- Help the host, if possible
Cons
- Extending the guest list to parents and siblings means extending the host’s budget
- Accommodating more to the venue can be stressing
- Exclusivity and privacy issues
You may have other concerns to be added to the list. Yet, generally speaking, the pros outweigh the cons here. This implies that asking parents to stay during your kid’s birthday party is a more favorable idea than the other way around.
When is a Drop-off Party Ideal?
Another common kids’ party issue that most parents find awkward to ask is at what age parents should stop accompanying their child to a party. Is a drop-off party a no-no? Or is there an ideal time for this particular type of event?
Most parents are quite busy with their jobs that they sometimes prefer drop-off parties than attending kids’ parties. However, deciding when the ideal time is for a drop-off party is still an issue for most parents. On average, parents stop accompanying their kids to birthday parties by the age of five.
Remember, though, that this is just an average age that most parents use to gauge their child’s independence and let them join drop-off parties. If your child is a regular guest of his particular classmate’s birthday celebration, then it is reasonable for him to be at a drop-off party when he turns five.
Yet, not all parents allow five-year-old children to attend drop-off parties. Some factors that parents usually consider are their child’s reliability, how well they know the host parents or other guests, and the venue.
Being new to the place is another thing that could affect parents in considering drop-off parties for children. There may be specific factors that parents try to balance before they decide to drop their kids off to a party.
If you think you can only allow your aloof child to attend a drop-off party when he reaches seven or eight years old, then do so. Just make sure to ask the hosts what time you can pick your child up so he won’t feel being left out when the party is over.
Another smart alternative most parents do is to wait outside the venue or park their cars nearby so they can easily attend to their child whenever he needs help. However, be sure to instruct your child where you will be waiting for him for easy access whenever problems happen.
Handing Party Invitations Like a Pro: A Quick Guide to Successful Kids’ Parties in Action
Party invitations are usually sent 2-3 weeks before your child’s event to make sure everything is ready when that special day comes. However, knowing how to handle party invitations well makes a big difference to your kid’s birthday party.
Before you rush into a craft or specialty store to select sets of party invitations for your child’s chosen theme, here are some of the things that you need to plan and prepare well about handing your invitations towards a successful party.
- Knowing the necessary details to include, like time, date, venue, etc.
- Electronic invitations
- Setting the guest list
- Welcoming extra guests
Knowing the Necessary Details to Include in Party Invitations
- Clarify Who You Want to Invite
Be clear about who you want to invite. The invitation should clearly state whether you just want to invite the kid alone, or if the parents are welcome, or if the party invitation is extended to the whole family.
If you don’t want parents around, you can indicate it as “drop-off requested or drop-off preferred.” Indicate your preferences on your invitation and on the envelope as much as possible.
- Let Your Guests Know About Your Party’s Theme
Though the theme may sometimes be obvious based on the invitation you are sending to your guests, make sure to still mention it. If you require a certain outfit for your young guests to wear based on your theme, state it clearly in your invitation.
If you are having a beach party, you can also indicate whether you want your guests to come in their favorite swimwear or not. This will make your invitation and the party even more fun. It will also create a positive impact on your guests.
- Let Guests Know Whether Gifts are Welcome or Not
Giving gifts to the celebrant is a birthday custom. Yet, contemporary parties sometimes don’t require guests to bring gifts. The usual reason for this is that the celebrant prefers donations to be given to charity.
Others simply do not want to bother their guests with gifts. They may be so content and happy just having a party with friends that simply being with them is enough. Indicate your child’s preferences clearly on the invitation to avoid confusion.
- Ask Guests to RSVP
This is another thing that you need to clarify in sending invitations. Ask your guests to RSVP. Indicate the exact date for that so you can settle on the number of guests and other preparations you need to make.
- Let Guests Know What Time the Party Will End
If you set the time for the party to start, let your guests also know in your invitation what time it will end. This will make them arrive on time. You can also be sure they will prioritize the party, instead of arriving late and missing the party’s important segments.
Electronic Invitations
Evites and other electronic invitations must also include all of the five details previously mentioned. However, experts do not recommend electronic invitations. If only possible, send an Evite but also do your best to send the printed invitation to a particular guest.
This makes your invitation more formal and sincere. Another thing is that electronic invitations cannot be kept and cherished for years. People will still appreciate the classic invitation in an envelope. Having the actual card makes the memories more special.
Considering the Guest List
Having a schoolchild may want you to invite the whole class. Yet, what should you do if it’s a large class? What if you simply can’t accommodate these kids in your venue and with your tight budget?
One ethical way in setting the guest list is to invite only the boys or the girls to make the party exclusive. Another option is you can limit your guests to your child’s closest friends such as having five guests only.
Avoid inviting the majority of the class while having one or two kids uninvited. This will make them feel being left behind. You can then affect these kids’ self-esteem as they grow.
You also have to make sure these invitations reach the kids’ parents safely. Be sure to ask for contact numbers from the teacher or any other source so you can track the invitations on time. Remember that it is your job as host to follow up on your guests whenever they fail to RSVP on time for an accurate headcount.
Be Ready to Welcome Extra Guests
Hosts should be ready for unexpected things that might happen during the actual party. Even if you have followed everything stated here for clarity in your invitation, you cannot expect your party to come as flawless as you have planned it.
This is the main reason why you need to prepare extra food, party favors and treats, or any other related stuff. Sometimes, a parent may show up with the young guest’s sibling for some unavoidable circumstances. Being ready with extra treats for guests is always better than not having enough to accommodate these unexpected conditions.
Related Questions
- Can I invite 16 kids out of 26 in my child’s class?
Yes, inviting 16 kids is better than inviting the whole class that your child does not want to do. Remember that this is his party, so let him decide whom to invite. Furthermore, you are not leaving just a kid or two uninvited. Thus, having 16 out of 26 is a safe number of guests to keep.
- How can you estimate the number of siblings that will come to the party?
Simply indicate this in your invitation: “Siblings are welcome. Please let us know how many children are coming along.” Be sure to track this in RSVP or contact them whenever they fail to confirm.
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