Many 3 year olds don't really nap, even if daycare still has nap time. I'd assume nothing, other than this is the time that's convenient for them. Decline if you can't go, but no need to cast aspersions on someone scheduling a party at this time. It might not be ideal, but it's also not insane.

Many people do not keep a consistent sleep schedule for their children and don't want to be inconvenienced by being home for the kid to nap weekend afternoons. So therefore their child has no routine and doesn't nap. Most (not all) 3 year olds will still nap in the afternoon if on a schedule with consistent surroundings. Ask the daycares that get them all to nap.

Most 3 year olds don’t nap.

Anonymous wrote:Not everyone naps at that time. My son naps from 12-2 so I'd totally vote for 2-4pm.

If my kid wakes up at 2pm on the dot, it would still take another 30 minutes for me to get her up, on the toilet, a snack, etc.

Not everyone naps at that time. My son naps from 12-2 so I'd totally vote for 2-4pm.

Maybe their kid has an early naptime and this is right after their naptime?

Anonymous wrote:Why would you throw a birthday party (at your house) for a 3 year old at this time? It's nap time. Is it so you don't have to serve lunch? You don't actually want people to come?

Likely both. Its either invite the whole class plus the parent possibly a sibling and family friends with kids and you can have more people but not obligated to feed them. I have a house party this weekend and we have 12 kids but 14 adults= 52 slices at 2 per slice. I need to order at least 8 pizzas to be a good host plus 2 fruit trays plus a veggie platter, drinks for kids and adults, water for kids and adult, and cake (homemade). $200 minimum right there.

If we did a whole class party plus family friends it would have been at least 6-7 kids from preschool plus 11 other kids and all of those kids' parents.

They want to be inclusive and invite the class but put it at an inconvenient time to keep the guest list small.

Anonymous wrote:We had a noon invite once and I had to scratch my head. All the kids went to the same daycare and napped at 12:30-2:30 every day.

We just declined bc nap was important for my kid at that age. If it’s not for yours, have a blast.

OP here. This is my problem. It's a daycare friend. Nap at daycare is 1-3. A 2pm start time has me baffled.

This could be right after nap time for some kids on some schedules. At the back-up care program we used naptime was from 12-2. It is later at our usual daycare (more like 12:30-2:30/3pm) but my kid already gets tired late morning so napping a bit earlier is not a problem.

We had a noon invite once and I had to scratch my head. All the kids went to the same daycare and napped at 12:30-2:30 every day.

We just declined bc nap was important for my kid at that age. If it’s not for yours, have a blast.

My kids stopped napping at age 2.

Not everyone naps then.

I assume the host's kid either doesn't nap or has a weird naptime and has not considered that most 3yos need to nap at this time. (My 3yo doesn't nap but I would never go to a party at this time because she's often overtired in the afternoon and it wouldn't be a fun time for any of us.)

Why would you throw a birthday party (at your house) for a 3 year old at this time? It's nap time. Is it so you don't have to serve lunch? You don't actually want people to come?