Crowdsourcing: At What Age Do You Drop Your Kids at Birthday Parties and Leave?

As I navigate my way through my daughter's early grade school years, I'm oftentimes a little lost about the 'how to's and 'am I doing this right' questions of first-time parenting.  My daughter is just about done with first grade and so there's been quite a few firsts over the past year and a half, especially in the past few months as we emerge from the weird COVID era of figuring things out.

Let's jump into today's topic of discussion - kids' birthday parties.

The Great Debate: Do You Invite The Whole Class

This is a conversation (read: battle) we've had many times over the past couple of years - when having a kids party, do you invite the entire class or only the children your kid is friendly with?  My take is a little outside the norm. Because my daughter's birthday is at the beginning of the school year in September, I feel like it's a little weird to send an invite home with every kid in the class after only knowing them a few days, inviting them to a party.  Am I wrong?

Kids Birthday Parties Every Weekend

It seems like a lot of the kids in my daughter's class have spring birthdays, as the invitations have been coming home in her backpack on a weekly basis.  That's not the problem at all, there are so many fun local options for parties that it's something new every weekend. But, that's 2-3 hours of prime getting stuff done time in my world that I would really love to take advantage of, especially kid-free.

So, I feel like this is a topic that will strike a chord with many parents - when is it appropriate to drop your kid off at a birthday party and leave?

Birthday Party Drop Off vs. Stay and Supervise

If the party is at someone's home, do the parents really want you to stay there and watch your kid at their house?  At the bowling alley, is it ok for me to go have a drink and a few minutes of peace and quiet at the bar after my kid gets situated?  When it's at the trampoline park or roller skating rink, am I responsible for following my kid from one area to the next?  Please don't tell me I have to stay at the local spot with the mouse and arcade games for 3 hours on a Saturday afternoon...

Is there a particular magic age that you just know you'll be able to drop the kid at the party (after wrapping the present in the car on the way over) and then run your errands, grab a quick mani pedi, or even take a nap, before picking up your full of pizza and cake kid?

Please, help a struggling mom out.