At age 5, a child's popularity outside of school is based largely on his or her parents' own social status. I only just got that memo.
Given the energy required to keep up the absurd levels of social stroking and tactical positioning you need to be any kind of socialite, I haven't been bothered in the last ten or fifteen years. Also, the fact that I think people are crap doesn't help. I just have a few friends here. Only one has a kid.
But now we come to the golden age of the children's birthday party. At age 5, a child's party is really an adult party too, but in the afternoon and with lame food. But do I realy want to sit round with the local stitch n bitch crew while they make inane political comments and talk about Sex and the City? No. Does my son want to go to their kids' parties? Yes. Des he get invited? No. Why? Because I'm not in the club.
This wasn't an issue when he was younger, or when we were in Australia. I'm looking forward to the age when you can just drop kids off at a party and them pick them up 4 hours later with a fading sugar high and a party bag. I'm sure the lad will get invited to a few more parties if his gauche, awkward mum and dad are not actually expected to come as well.
In the meantime it's not exactly a social whirlwind for the boy.
I knew even back then
that my parent's loserdom
would rub off on me.