We're having a party in a few days for friends with young kids. We sent out an Evite rather than paper invitations this year in the hopes that would up the response rate. But still, it's just a few days before the party and fewer than half the people have even responded and half of them have said "maybe." I've sent emails and called the non-responders and not a single one of them was able to give me an answer. I mostly get, "we're still trying to figure out our plans for the weekend." But the weekend is 3 days away and I need to shop and cook and I need to get stuff for all the kids. I work and we have 3 little kids (oldest = 5) so I can't put it off until the last minute. I'm so frustrated.
Some of the people I know are in tough situations -- divorced with her ex-husband jerking her around so she doesn't know if she'll have her kids, 8 months pregnant and not sure if she's going to feel up to it, father ill and not sure if she needs to be around to take care of him. These "maybes" I get and I don't badger them for an answer. I make stuff for the kids and if they show up, great!, and if they don't, well, they already have their hands full with life. I get it, I do. But the other people I don't get.
Should I just not invite these people in the future? Any tricks you've found for getting people to respond?
