It's not their party, but they can cry if they want to. We're talking the dreaded odd man out experience where your child isn't invited to a party or gathering. It can happen to the best of us, but that doesn't make it any easier. Being left out is never a good feeling, regardless of your age. So how do you help your child cope? Well, here are some of the major pity-party no-nos. {relatedarticles}Don't ever ask a parent or child why your child wasn't invited. It's that child's party, and it's his or her decision who to invite or not invite. Don't fish for details. Don't put the parent or child on the spot by asking about the party. Just think of it as one less birthday present you have to buy. Don't end the friendship because your child isn't invited to the party. Consider this... Maybe the number of spots was limited. Perhaps it was a family-only event. Or maybe it was just kids from the child's class. The lesson here is not to take it personally. If you don't have high expectations, you'll never be disappointed, and neither will your child.
The best way to handle not being invited is to do nothing at all. Remember, this is an issue that isn't going to go away as your child gets older. While some schools have a rule that you either invite the whole class or nobody at all, that's not a reality. {relatedarticles}Once your children get to middle school, these rules go by the wayside. If your child isn't upset about not being invited, don't mention it again. If he or she doesn't have an issue, neither should you. However, if your child is feeling hurt, comfort your child. To soothe your child's soul, plan a fun activity on the day of the part to distract your child. Make your child feel like he or she has something special going on as well. Chances are they'll forget about the birthday party in no time.