Dear Abby: Should parents be allowed to send birthday invitations to school if only select students are the recipients of the invitation? I’m the parent of a (very) special needs pre-k child. Daily, I feel the heartache of her challenges and her desire for connection with others. On the parent FB group, someone recently posted about their daughter’s birthday. It said those who received an invite should text the cellphone number listed for a change of plans. We never received an invite.

Were we the only ones excluded? If I’m honest, my emotions may be particularly fragile when it comes to my daughter and inclusion. I do think people should be able to invite only their friends. However, it seems to me that discretion on the part of the parent who is hosting would be more polite and kind. Parents should make a point to know their child’s friends’ parents’ contact information. Do you have an opinion?

— Uninvited in the East

Dear Uninvited,

I’m with you 100%, speaking for myself as an adult who was once a child who was excluded. For many reasons, parents should make a point of having their child’s friends’ parents’ contact information. That information could be crucial in case of an emergency.

Read more Dear Abby and other advice columns.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.