Random Thoughts From Marybeth

Parties, School, and Impolite People

Last Sunday was Emma's birthday party. We went to The Artist in You, a place where the kids get to paint a ceramic figurine that is then glazed and fired. I like having the parties somewhere other than home. (I don't have to worry about cleaning the house before the party!) Her birthday was yesterday. I have pictures somewhere...I'm not exactly very organized right now (as if I ever am).

Conor is having a birthday party next Sunday. He's having it at the Hwang's Martial Arts and his father is taking care of most of the details so outside of having to send out the invitations I don't have to do much planning for that one.

It's not really the planning that is the problem for me though. I kind of enjoy that. We don't do it more than every other year though because during the week before the parties I always swear I'll never do it again. My problem is with invitations.

First, in my kids' school, you have to mail invitations unless you are inviting everyone in the class. They don't want any hurt feelings. The only problem with this is that not everyone is listed in the school directory. Some people choose not to be listed. Some probably just forgot to send in the forms at the beginning of the year. I wouldn't rule out the chance that some parents carefully filled out all the forms but the kids managed to misplace them somewhere between home and school.

I think the chance of a child's feelings being hurt are greater when they don't get invited to a friend's party because their address is unknown than someone getting upset because they aren't invited by a kid who isn't really a friend but just happens to be in the same class. Another school policy that came from good intentions but isn't really logical.

The second problem with invitations is that you fill them out. You carefully put all the required information; who it's for, where it will be, and what time. You include your phone number on the line next to where it says R.S. V. P. You mail them out and wait to hear from the kids or their parents to let you know who will or won't be there. And you wait. Why is it so hard for people to make a phone call? Do they think R.S.V.P. means regrets only? Or that it means call if you're coming? Or are they just lazy, inconsiderate cretins too busy to call?

While I don't like it, I can handle it if someone is rude. I really don't like it when someone is impolite though. If the schools want to teach kids about consideration of others, here's their chance. Teach them some social manners because I have strong doubts that many of them are learning them at home.