An Oregon mother wants to make sure parents never forget to RSVP again.
Mom Kristen P. Layne wrote a blog post venting her heartache and frustration after no one showed up for her son’s 9th birthday party.
“As a home-schooled child, he’s never had a real birthday party before,” Layne wrote. “This ninth birthday was supposed to be his year. His special day. His first real party with friends.”
Layne planned a party based on his favorite book series, "Diary of a Wimpy Kid."
Her son, who she refers to as “M” to protect his privacy, spent the day cleaning his room, assembling goody bags and organizing games he and his friends could play together.
“When the party time came and passed, and none of the party guests were here yet, I started to get a little nervous,” Layne wrote. “I had asked parents to RSVP on the invitation, but hadn’t received a single reply ... I expressed my concerns with my husband the night before his party, but he reassured me that ‘Nobody seems to RSVP these days. Don’t worry, they’ll come. Kids love birthday parties.'”
Not a single child showed up to M’s party.
“Seeing my heartbroken little boy sitting all alone at his brightly decorated, empty party table was more than I could take,” Layne wrote.
She asked parents to remember to RSVP for kids’ birthday parties.
“I know you’re busy, tired, stressed, have a million and one other things to do, etc. I’m right there with you, but please the next time you’re tempted to ignore the handwritten invitation from a classmate, please remember that there could be a child sitting at an empty party table, crying into his napkin, feeling unloved and rejected,” Layne wrote.
After posting to her blog, people around the world have reached out to cheer M up. He has gotten cards and gifts from strangers around the country.
He even got in touch with Jeff Kinney, the author of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid," who contacted him via FaceTime.
Although M was heartbroken that his party didn’t go the way he planned, he still kept up his good spirits and positive attitude. As he woke and and got ready for school the next day, he had one thing on his mind.
“His main concern was making sure that his friends still got their treat bags that he made for them. That’s our boy, though, always thinking of others instead of himself,” Layne wrote.
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