What to Know
There have been plenty of times that, as an adult, I worried about people not coming to adult get-togethers, game nights, or birthday parties. So when I think of the guest lists for my kids’ parties, that anxiety is through the roof, and for good reason. Sometimes, you just can’t predict what kids will come to a child’s birthday party. A mom on TikTok, Shona Niblett, understands this well, since her own daughter had to learn the hard way that an invite does not equal a confirmed guest at a party.
Shona shared a TikTok post where she features a photo of her daughter, Gracyn Niblett on her birthday. The text on the screen says that it’s the face of a little girl who, at the time the photo was taken, did not know that none of her classmates would show up to her party for her fifth birthday. It’s an ordeal that Shona’s daughter still talks about and, for many parents, it’s a fear come to life.
The little girl still asks why no one showed up to her party.
Shona’s post explains that her daughter, who turned five at the birthday party in question, was surprised and all around saddened when no one from her class showed up to her party. For some kids, the first birthday party after starting elementary school or preschool is the first one where actual friends get invited, so it probably hit extra hard for Shona’s daughter.
“The face of a little girl who is yet to find out no one is gonna turn up to her party,” the post says in the photo of Gracyn. “My sweet girl has asked for another party this year and I can’t bring myself to do it. Her words ‘my friends might come this time.’ No one should ever have to go through this heartache.”
After Shona shared the post, other parents shared their own stories of their respective kids’ parties ending in disaster when none of their classmates showed up.
One mom wrote, “This happened to my son. I invited 30 children, about a handful came. Compared to the other class parties that happened that year, it was clear that my son wasn’t liked. He is autistic and GDD. but is the most kindest, gentlest boy in the class.”
Another shared, “This is sadly so common (happened to my son, too). I can’t imagine, as a parent, being so lacking in empathy not to understand the impact that ignoring an invite would have on a little one.”
But most of the moms are in agreement that Gracyn did not deserve the snub from all of her classmates. Whether there was some massive communication issue, or the parents really were that careless, I think it’s safe to say we need to do better.
Shona spoke with Newsweek about the ordeal, which happened around a year before Shona posted the TikTok. She explained to the outlet that Gracyn still talked about her birthday party months after it happened. She wondered if her friends might come to her sixth party. But, Shona told the outlet, they were hoping to take a family trip to France for Gracyn’s birthday after the failed party.
