I posted this on the main forum but thought I'd try here too. The trio's fifth birthday is coming up....gulp.....I cannot believe that! It looks so weird to type that. Anyway, they are now getting old enough to recognize the fact that they share a birthday and...up until now...presents. What to do, what to do. We are planning their party for Dec. 2 because their bd is too close to xmas. We want to make it a class party and invite everyone from school but don't want everyone to bring three presents. Last year we kind of worded it like "one to share". We only had 2 kids at the party. I don't know how to handle this and having 3 parties is out of the question. I don't know how to word the invitations. Any suggestions?

Liz
B 8/01
BBB 12/19/02

BELIEVE

Ya know being a Mom of five year olds I totally feel you and understand what you are saying. This is what we decided. When my girls are invited to a party we bring three gifts within our price range. So when their party came along....I no longer enfored the one gift to share rule. Worked out great. People still might bring one to share and that's out of your control. We worked on teaching our girls to be gracious for what they were given and to not have a fit. I did throw in if they didn't like it to still say thank you and we'd return it later.


Sure you can home school your kids: www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/How_To_Homeschool/tosbrochure.pdf
*†¯`·.,*† ¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.->*† .¸¸.·*†(¯`·.¸*†¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.->*†
I BELIEVE in miracles
g/g/g- June 2002
fs - November 1988
Married to my best friend

lol oh funny how you type things out and it sounds fine then revisit again and it doesn't sound quite the same?

Let me clearify that we are not gift greedy people. My girls are the most kindess five year olds I know and while they like treats they don't bug me in the store to buy them things b/c they think they should have them. We also don't normally return gifts but one daughter who does not play with dolls always ends up with one so that's why I threw in the last part. Yes we realize it's not about the gifts and if you knew us this wouldn't have to be explained.

Man internet can be tricky sometimes. lol

My kids play with the same kids so giving my girls a chance to invite just one friend each wouldn't work for us. Iam blessed to have friends with three kids each. So for us it makes sense.

I guess that's the point. This is not suppose to be diffcult but fun for us parents as well.

Sure you can home school your kids: www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/How_To_Homeschool/tosbrochure.pdf
*†¯`·.,*† ¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.->*† .¸¸.·*†(¯`·.¸*†¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.->*†
I BELIEVE in miracles
g/g/g- June 2002
fs - November 1988
Married to my best friend

Two thoughts: my birthday is also Dec 19th an LOVE having a holiday bday It feels so special!
Some people chose to celebrate a half birthday instead of the actual December date. Specify on the invitation that it is A (B or C)'s birthday party each party is being invited to. Matt recently had an invite which simply stated "X's" birthday. We all know it's triplets, but if we want them to be treated like individuals, we must show others how to do so.

Happy upcoming 5th birthday,
Tracey

Michael (10)
Francesca (9)
Matthew, Alexis & Gabrielle (8)
Torunn (Norwegian DD,19)
Johannes (German DS,16)

So, would you split up the class list and invite specific classmates for specific triplet? My though is what if matt gets 5 kids and no one on Ian's list can come...should I worry about it being "even"? I don't usually.


Liz
B 8/01
BBB 12/19/02

BELIEVE

For the past two year I had the kids each invite their own friends to one shared party. Each invitation was to one child from one child . . . recipients loved it when Jack's friend and his sister got their own invites. I tried to work it in when people called to RSVP that the kids had all invited their own friends in an effort to cut back on rampant gift-giving. Some people brought presents for their appointed child and some brought presents for everyone. I very close friend said she LOVED getting presents for all of them and another said they couldn't afford it. Each did her own things. There were loads of presents, we didn;t keep count, but it seemed to work out FINE.
Jack, 6 years old on July 4
Abraham, Dylan and Zane, 4 years old on July 6
35 weekers and 6 pounds a pop!

Liz,

My b/b/b/ are 7 and for their last two parties I worded the invitation so it was obvious that we only expected one gift for one boy.

One year I had all three boys names on the top of the invitation, but at the bottom by the RSVP I put, "Please be ________'s guest at the party." I got the idea off the forum.

This year the boys were in three different classes. I printed three separte invitations. Each had one of the boys names at the top.

It was interesting. Both years a couple of kids brought gifts for all three. They were usually the neighborhood kids or the children of women that I knew well.

Some of the guests at this years party didn't realize their classmate was a triplet until the party.

We have big parties. Each boys invites 7 or 8 kids. We never have 100% attendence, but the boys usually end up with 6 - 8 gifts each (because a couple will bring gifts for all three).

The first year I worried about one of the boys not getting the same amount of presents as the other two. I bought a couple of inexpensive gifts and had them hidden in the car. I didn't need them.
It is total mayhem when the boys open their gifts and they would never notice if one got more presents.

I personally don't want guests to feel obligated to bring three gifts.

Some of the guest were creative about giving each boy a present. One gave each an individually wrapped hot wheel and a cool hot wheel set to share. Another idea was a silver dollar for each child and a board game to share.

Birthday parties are tricky when you have three! Good luck and have fun!

Melissa

We have, in the past, sent out an invitation inviting "XYZ" to come to the "smith" triplets birthday party. We have worded it so they are invited as "janes" special guest. I have even worded it so they do not feel obligated to bring 3 gifts. That seems unfair to me and it just gets plain expensive - I know, coming from 2 b-day parties this weekend, one where all 3 were invited (we brought 3 gifts), and one where only my daughter was invited.

Parties are not about gifts only, and I know my kids know that, but, they are still kids and they do compare. As pp said, when parents call to rsvp, there are those that ask and they will bring 3 gifts no matter what you say. But I would never want anyone to feel they have to, kwim? And as a parent, I do sort of make sure, when they rsvp or when I send out invites, that each child will have pretty close to the same amount of guests. So even if it not 100% equitable, they will survive and still end up with a great time I'm sure.


http://teensandtriplets.blogspot.com/

Wiltrip Mom with 5
2 teens & BBG - school age and easier than the teens!