Weekday Parties

My daughter has been invited to a party at 3 pm on a Wednesday afternoon … and I am a working parent!  There’s no way my child can attend this party due to my schedule.  Is this appropriate given how many children have two working parents?

Although only a few years ago I wrote an article on the fact that more kids’ parties are held on weekends due to more flexible schedules and several other factors, today the trend has definitely shifted and more and more parents are planning their kids’ parties mid-week.  Many of the reasons for this trend come down to pure economics.  As an example, typically party venues will offer deals mid-week to help keep costs down.  Also, because it is on a school day, this may cut down on the numbers for the birthday party given that there are after-school activities going on and some may not be able to make it due to family schedules.

Yes, it is unfair to the kids who have working parents to schedule a party mid-afternoon on a school day. A better bet in order to take advantage of the party venue savings is to hold the party in the early evening when kids with both working parents and stay-at-home parents can get their children to the party with some ease.  This way, you can take advantage of savings and still have the guests you want at your party.

This is certainly a hot party trend these days and one that may not turn around anytime soon due to people scaling back during these economic times.  However, be sensitive to your guests’ family schedules so that people do not feel left out.