Emily Brown
A mum was left handing out last-minute party invitations after only two children agreed to come to her daughter's fifth birthday.
Mum Sadie Christgau took to TikTok to share her devastation on the day of her daughter Brogan's party, explaining that she'd bought enough party supplies for 25 children and invited everyone in Brogan's class to take part.
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The mum-of-six, from Minnesota, told TODAY that Brogan is 'very social and assumes everyone is her best friend', so she decided to invite everyone rather than having Brogan just pick a few friends.
"I didn't want to leave anyone out," she said.
Sadie asked Brogan's teacher to share the invitation with the families through an app, which also sends email and text message notifications, rather than risking a paper invite which could get lost.
As the tropical-themed birthday got closer, Sadie became concerned that only two people had RSVP'd.
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She remained somewhat hopeful for a while, saying: "Sometimes people forget to reply but still show up. I've done that myself."
Eventually, though, she admitted she 'started panicking'.
On TikTok, the mum said: "I started inviting all my Facebook friends with kids and I said, 'Just show up, we have enough stuff for 25 kids'. I don't know what to do."
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Sadie's Facebook post explained the family wanted more kids to come and join Brogan for the party, adding: "My heart breaks for her… please let me know if your little one would like to come celebrate with her at our house ... or even if you want to stop by without kids to wish her a happy birthday you’re more than welcome as well!
"We will have cake and party favors that will otherwise go unused," she added.
In an update shared after the party, Sadie revealed that a lot of friends 'came through' for Brogan by showing up with their kids.
"They came, and they all had so much fun together," she said.
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The mum's decision to invite the whole class sparked mixed responses on TikTok, with some people arguing there was no need for her to invite classmates who weren't actually Brogan's friends, but Sadie made clear she wanted to include everyone.
She also stressed she wasn't bothered about getting gifts for her daughter, but was more concerned about her emotional development and ensuring she learned to play with others.
When it comes to planning birthday parties, Francyne Zeltser, the clinical director of psychology, training and special projects at Manhattan Psychology Group, has advised parents to have their children identify important guests and confirm dates with their parents.
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Then, she explained: "Whether or not you invite the entire class, that core group is there."