Unfortunately RSVPing has gone by the wayside. Some parents think it's only for giving a "yes" response or only for a "no" response ... it's not, unless otherwise stated on the invitation. Even a "maybe" is extremely helpful because it allows for planning and lets the parent/planner know there's a 50% chance your child may be in attendance.
Whether inviting a small playgroup or large class of 24, it can be challenging enough to plan a party without having to hunt down responses from invitees. On the flip, being a busy parent means you may misplace those invitations or think the other parent responded when they actually haven't.
If sending invitations out yourself, here are two options for planning your child's next party:
- If your child's school has a directory, adopt a "double hit" method where you first send a "save the date" evite to each invitee parent's email as soon as you know the date of the party. At least 2 weeks prior to the party, send the official, mailed, invitation dirently to the child's home. The "save the date" will alert parents of an upcoming party (and hopefully prevent them from planning another event during that time, especially if it's a party their child really wouldn't want to miss) and the mailed version will do duel duty, serving as an invite and as a reminder.
- If your not lucky enough to have the information that will allow you direct contact with the invitees parents, though considered a bit formal for a child's party, try including an RSVP card in the envelope along with the invitation; teachers can discreetly place the invitations in children's take home folders and the responses in your child's folder when they come in ... always ask politely.
