Anonymous
Post 02/02/2023 21:46     Subject: Birthday party 2-4pm?
Anonymous wrote:OMG I thought this was directed at ME! I just sent an invite for my daughter's 3-year old birthday party and was struggling to pick a time. Her schooldays with her friends is from noon-3:30PM so I figured the children would be accustomed to being awake and eating a sit down meal (lunch) at that age is not easy. So we just figured 2-4 and have pizza and snacks. Parents are scary lol. I don't want to anger anyone but yikes. Strong feelings about nap times.


My kids (2 and 4) have morning classes on weekends and are very take it or leave it with naps, so mid-afternoon parties happen to work best for us. We also recognize that there is a lot of variation among toddlers when it comes to sleep and there is no universally perfect time to throw a party, which is why we don’t fall to pieces or act like something is fundamentally wrong or think someone is out to get us if a party starts at a time that doesn’t perfectly conform to our schedule or preferences.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2023 15:40     Subject: Birthday party 2-4pm?
Anonymous wrote:OMG I thought this was directed at ME! I just sent an invite for my daughter's 3-year old birthday party and was struggling to pick a time. Her schooldays with her friends is from noon-3:30PM so I figured the children would be accustomed to being awake and eating a sit down meal (lunch) at that age is not easy. So we just figured 2-4 and have pizza and snacks. Parents are scary lol. I don't want to anger anyone but yikes. Strong feelings about nap times.


FWIW, I was very protective of naptime when my kids still napped, but I can't imagine being angry at you for having a party during what happens to be my kid's naptime. If your kid were a very close friend of my kid's, I might have even risked skipping naptime, but even if I wasn't going to skip naptime, I would not expect you to arrange your party around my kid's schedule.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2023 14:50     Subject: Birthday party 2-4pm?
We’re doing 2-5 for our tot but people can come early or stay late. Is that better? We figured post nap.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2023 14:39     Subject: Birthday party 2-4pm?
OMG I thought this was directed at ME! I just sent an invite for my daughter's 3-year old birthday party and was struggling to pick a time. Her schooldays with her friends is from noon-3:30PM so I figured the children would be accustomed to being awake and eating a sit down meal (lunch) at that age is not easy. So we just figured 2-4 and have pizza and snacks. Parents are scary lol. I don't want to anger anyone but yikes. Strong feelings about nap times.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2023 10:13     Subject: Birthday party 2-4pm?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Most 3 year olds don’t nap.


Never heard of a daycare that does not have naptime for 3 year olds.


Maybe at daycare as they are forced to, but kids not in daycare don’t usually nap at 3 or stop shortly thereafter.


Lots of kids not in daycare nap at 3. My kids were in half day preschool, and most of their friends napped.


Mine too, but after lunch until about 2. If my 3 year old slept until 4pm there's no way they would have gone to bed at a decent hour. 2-4 seems late for a nap at that age which is why a 2-4pm party time is appropriate. Come late if the nap runs a bit late or just pass.


I don’t think anyone’s suggesting 3yos are napping 2-4. I think people are suggesting that a lot of them are napping 1-3 or at least 1-2, and unless the party of for your next door neighbour that would make attendance pretty hard. Especially since I’d assume the invitees to a birthday party for a kid turning 3 are at least half 2yos. But tbf no time is going to work for all — morning and you’ll miss the non-morning people who struggle to get out of the house before 11 (yes I know people like this even with little kids); over lunch and the kids arrive hangry and the cleanup and prep will be terrible; afternoon and you’ll hit someone’s nap time; evening and you’ll miss the kids who’ve dropped their nap. I’m guessing this is a family where 2 is a consistently good time for their kid. It’sa terrible time for mine so I’d probably pass.


2-4 is the perfect time to not have to feed anyone lunch or dinner. I'm curious if this is the real plan.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 20:01     Subject: Birthday party 2-4pm?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Most 3 year olds don’t nap.


Never heard of a daycare that does not have naptime for 3 year olds.


Maybe at daycare as they are forced to, but kids not in daycare don’t usually nap at 3 or stop shortly thereafter.


Lots of kids not in daycare nap at 3. My kids were in half day preschool, and most of their friends napped.


Mine too, but after lunch until about 2. If my 3 year old slept until 4pm there's no way they would have gone to bed at a decent hour. 2-4 seems late for a nap at that age which is why a 2-4pm party time is appropriate. Come late if the nap runs a bit late or just pass.


I don’t think anyone’s suggesting 3yos are napping 2-4. I think people are suggesting that a lot of them are napping 1-3 or at least 1-2, and unless the party of for your next door neighbour that would make attendance pretty hard. Especially since I’d assume the invitees to a birthday party for a kid turning 3 are at least half 2yos. But tbf no time is going to work for all — morning and you’ll miss the non-morning people who struggle to get out of the house before 11 (yes I know people like this even with little kids); over lunch and the kids arrive hangry and the cleanup and prep will be terrible; afternoon and you’ll hit someone’s nap time; evening and you’ll miss the kids who’ve dropped their nap. I’m guessing this is a family where 2 is a consistently good time for their kid. It’sa terrible time for mine so I’d probably pass.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 18:17     Subject: Re:Birthday party 2-4pm?
My kid napped until the first day of kindergarten. 😄 But of course I knew many kids who stopped much earlier. Everyone is different!

I would graciously decline the invitation.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 18:13     Subject: Birthday party 2-4pm?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Most 3 year olds don’t nap.


Never heard of a daycare that does not have naptime for 3 year olds.


Maybe at daycare as they are forced to, but kids not in daycare don’t usually nap at 3 or stop shortly thereafter.


Lots of kids not in daycare nap at 3. My kids were in half day preschool, and most of their friends napped.


Mine too, but after lunch until about 2. If my 3 year old slept until 4pm there's no way they would have gone to bed at a decent hour. 2-4 seems late for a nap at that age which is why a 2-4pm party time is appropriate. Come late if the nap runs a bit late or just pass.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 18:10     Subject: Birthday party 2-4pm?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Most 3 year olds don’t nap.


Never heard of a daycare that does not have naptime for 3 year olds.


Maybe at daycare as they are forced to, but kids not in daycare don’t usually nap at 3 or stop shortly thereafter.


Lots of kids not in daycare nap at 3. My kids were in half day preschool, and most of their friends napped.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 18:06     Subject: Birthday party 2-4pm?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Most 3 year olds don’t nap.


Never heard of a daycare that does not have naptime for 3 year olds.


Maybe at daycare as they are forced to, but kids not in daycare don’t usually nap at 3 or stop shortly thereafter.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 17:58     Subject: Birthday party 2-4pm?
A lot of 3 year olds don’t nap and for many who do it’s not a big deal to skip a nap. Just don’t go if you have an issue with it.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 17:46     Subject: Birthday party 2-4pm?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Most 3 year olds don’t nap.


Never heard of a daycare that does not have naptime for 3 year olds.


Until 4pm? That's pretty late and a lot of kids are looking at books or doing other things quietly. A few people might not make it if they are nap sticklers, but then again you can't please anyone no matter what the time. 2-4 seems safe for most.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 17:42     Subject: Re:Birthday party 2-4pm?
My kids napped at 3, but wouldn't have had trouble going down early and taking a somewhat shorter nap to get to a party. At 1 or young 2, that would have been hard, but at 3 it would have been fine. Playground in the morning, lunch at 11:30, asleep by noon and wake up at 1:30.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 17:41     Subject: Birthday party 2-4pm?
Anonymous wrote:Most 3 year olds don’t nap.


Never heard of a daycare that does not have naptime for 3 year olds.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 17:39     Subject: Birthday party 2-4pm?
Anonymous wrote:Most 3 year olds don’t nap.


Maybe. Both mine napped well into 4.