I'm taking inspiration from the 'postcards' theme that I've seen popping up in various blogs recently...
Dear parents of (some of) Boy #1's classmates,
I know you are busy. I know you are, in fact, rushed off your feet being all busy and important each and every day. I know that of course you are obviously far more important than little old me, but I was just wondering if you happened to check in your child's schoolbag this weekend. You know, the one we are always supposed to look in at the end of every week to see if the children have homework, dirty clothes or rotten apples lurking at the bottom in there? Or, indeed, party invitations?
You have? Right. Well, then I wondered if it would be out of the question for you to actually open the party invitation? Oh. You have. I see...
Well, I know that it's only a children's party, but they do get quite excited about these things, and as my son's is coming up in only a few days time, is there any possibility you could get off your very important very rushed bottom to send a text or email, or even - god forbid - pick up a phone? Just to let me know if your child will be there? (And - just a suggestion here, you understand - it's always a good idea to check the date on the invitation to avoid embarrassing situations like one that happened last year, where a dad called the week after the party to announce very sweetly that his child would just love to join the fun next Saturday. When the fun was in fact, last Saturday...)
I hate to rush you on this one, it's just that we are entertaining your child at our expense at a play centre which is not - in these crunch times - what you might call 'inexpensive'. OK, I have to come clean and admit that it's not my favourite place, and probably not yours either (indeed I have, embarrassingly, been very rude about it on this blog in the past - thank god for anonymity I say), but I have yet to encounter the child who doesn't love this place and it is, much as I hate to admit it, their party.
So it would be just dandy to know in advance if your child is actually going to actually attend, if that's not too much trouble. Because if he / she can't, my son might quite like to invite somebody else...
Yours in anticipation (and in the hope that you never read this blog),
Potty Mummy.
OK, not a postcard then. More of a letter...
Hee hee. That made me laugh. I've been there. On both sides! ( Another party invite? On the same day? That's lovely darling!). Have fun!
ReplyDeleteDaughter received an invitation over the week end to a party on 'Friday, 5th September'. I'm assuming it's on Friday 11th Sept, and that the mother wrote it on the 5th Sept... (she is pregnant, so that's entirely probable...)
ReplyDeleteNo, but can I register my disgust at not having an invite?
ReplyDeleteHMHB, I have to admit I have also been on the other side of this one...(many, many years ago, obviously)
ReplyDeleteIota, definitely the 11th. Definitely. Although it might be worth checking. And of course, depending on how pregnant your friend is, she may also believe that next friday IS the 5th...
SPD, you don't want to be there. Trust me. Not without industrial quantities of nurofen, anyway...
I love the dear so and so posts. A chance to really get what is getting your goat out there. The party sounds like the kids'll love it and the parents will hate every minute. In other words ideal. I miss those places... really, I do!
ReplyDeleteOver here, (where no one RSVPs on time) everyone sends e-vites. It's brilliant. You can reply immediately, and you get reminders from time to time. I know some people will still be incredibly rude, but e-vites are perfect.
ReplyDeleteThat reminds me... I have to go and reply to an invitation.
ReplyDeleteBrit, do I detect a hint of relief in your tone that there are no play centres in Bosnia?
ReplyDeleteEPM, e-vites. Brilliant. It does require e-mail addresses though - which I don't have. (New class structure this year, blast it!)
Mwa, you can thank me later...Or not - depending on whether you have to the party yourself. In which case, I am so sorry.
Erm, are you one of the Mum's I talk to? Are you sure as we had this very same conversation today...
ReplyDeleteI have to confess that this is one of those things that makes my blood boil. It doesn't take any time to send a small text and it's just downright rude not to.
ReplyDeleteAhem, I'll hop off my soapbox now.
Brilliant! Might have to steal this - as am currently having the same issue with the lack of response to the boy's birthday party invites. aarrrghhh! What is it with these parents.
ReplyDelete....uh oh. Have just dug out an invitation that I received 3 weeks ago for JD. Party is on Sat. Response date last week. Have I responded yet? Nope. Note to self: do that mother a favour and tell her JD can't make it (as soon as you have finished this comment of course)
Oh that happened to me too. I hadn't even met the parents of the child we invited so it was all rather bizarre being annoyed at an anonymous person. Still no idea who they are - damn them!
ReplyDeleteI know that feeling. So frustrating when people don't respond and you have to plan things. Shows a total lack of respect and manners. It happens with adult parties too - we had an number of non-replies to our leaving do, some of whom showed up on the night....
ReplyDeletePippa, could be, who knows? (Although unlikely unless you live in Central London).
ReplyDeleteBSouth, can you help me down off mine whilst you're at it?
Nicola, of course I've been on the other side of the fence too - but it doesn't make one any more sympathetic when it's YOUR child's party, surprisingly.
HCM, isn't that part of the fun of kid's parties these days; playing 'match the child with the parent?'
NVG, I'm assuming they were turned away at the door by the 'face control with the list'...
I second the evite. Lots of people here do both, because the kids do love to get the actual invitation. Evite also sends out reminders to RSVP, a lifesaver. Happy party!
ReplyDelete