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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Don't listen to anyone.  You are blessed with a child who is a sound sleeper.  My DS is 4.5, still naps for 3+ hrs and I cannot tell you the amount of dirty looks and irritation poorly disguised as concern from other moms: "Oh, are you sure he's OK?" "Oh! What time does he go to bed at night??"  Gives me very special pleasure to say, "well, by 9 pm, of course!"

You know what that is? It's freaking jealousy. Parents LOVE a child who gives them a 3-hr break in the middle of the day.  It's super convenient, you can get a lot done and take a very nice nap yourself.  This is what I did today between 2 and 5.30 pm: took a 90-minute nap, cooked three major dishes and watched half a movie.

There is nothing wrong with your child.  Inlaws have long forgotten what children's schedules are like.  They are pissed their grandchild isn't available for whatever occasions, but they will get over it, and your child is not a circus monkey to entertain them when they feel like it.  He won't nap like this forever.  I would refuse to mess with his nap in any way other than perhaps shifting it by 30 mins or however long it takes before your child starts getting cranky.  His need for sleep is more important than your inlaws' need for his company. [/quote]

This isn't necessarily jealousy.  I would poke my eyes out if my 5 year old still took a 3 hour nap that tied us to the house.  And 9 pm is a very late bedtime in my books and would make me feel like I had no down time in the evening..... A more normal bedtime is more like 7:30.  There is half your nap.  From 7:30 to 9 last night I fed my horses, put up a Christmas tree and read 40 pages of a novel. During the afternoon we have "quiet time" so I got stuff done then too.  I am not a circus monkey here to entertain my child during every waking moment....now, it is great if you like your naps, keep them as long as you can!  But not everyone wants what you've got.[/quote]
Every child is different.  If your 5-year old still NEEDED his 3-hr nap, you should give it to him.  Of course, if not, you shouldn't!

Also, everyone's schedule is different. I don't get home till 6.30 pm.  If my son went to be at 7.30, I'd barely see him. If he needed to be in bed by 7.30, that would be different, and I would of course send him to bed.  But partly because of his nap, he isn't ready to go by 7.30, and therefore we have that time with him. It works.  But I would go by the needs of a particular child.   If your inlaws insisted you keep your 5-year old up until 10 pm for a family dinner, I would think you'd consider them selfish.[/quote]

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