Too late for five- and six-year olds?

[disykat]

. They each had a Not-So-Sleepy Pajama Party instead.
Mary

I think that sounds like a wonderful idea! A party that starts at 6 actually makes a lot of sense - the parents can go out to dinner or do something with their other kids. You made your party at an appropriate time for the ages involved - even though it was "late night".

IMO, A party that doesn't start until 8 doesn't even make sense for slightly older kids (heck, I wouldn't even want to go!). The parents probably have other kids to get in bed as well and are possibly ready to be in their pajamas themselves. If it's on a Friday, everyone was up early. I'm guessing many of the guest would have fallen asleep on the car ride there!

 

[mchames]

I think that sounds like a wonderful idea! A party that starts at 6 actually makes a lot of sense - the parents can go out to dinner or do something with their other kids. You made your party at an appropriate time for the ages involved - even though it was "late night".

IMO, A party that doesn't start until 8 doesn't even make sense for slightly older kids (heck, I wouldn't even want to go!). The parents probably have other kids to get in bed as well and are possibly ready to be in their pajamas themselves. If it's on a Friday, everyone was up early. I'm guessing many of the guest would have fallen asleep on the car ride there!

Most of the parents DID go out to dinner or a movie. We had a sheet for everyone to put their cel phone or other contact number on before they left in case there were any problems. I had also put on the invitations that kids could be picked up before we showed the movie if parents wanted to. For DD5's party a couple of parents showed up early and watched the video with their child. It was a late night and we did do them on a Saturday and not a Friday... my kids are exhausted by Friday night.

I agree with the 8:00 start. I probably wouldn't let my kids go to a party that started at that time either unless there were special circumstances.

Mary

 

[Kimberle]

Forget the kids, that's to late for me!! I'd never make to to pick her up. Brittany is invited to a pretend sleepover party in a couple of weeks. It's from 5-9. I'm wondering how I'm going to stay up that late to pick her up!

 

[JVL1018]

I wouldn't take my Kindergartener either, too late for a party.
However, my kids do not fall asleep until 9,9:30 every night(they are 4 and 6).
Bedtime is 8:30, and they go in their rooms but they don't fall asleep for at least a half an hour.
DD(6) has 1/2 day afternoon Kindergarten and DS has preschool 2 afternoons a weekthey are up every day at 7:30.
They could EASILY stay up to 11 pm if we let them, but they'd probably sleep until 8:30, 9 am.

My DD has never needed a lot of sleep, which frustrated me to no end when she was a toddler, I thought I was doing something wrong when my 13 month old wouldn't nap..but I've come to realize that some kids don't fit the exact mold that you expect.My kids thrive going to sleep at 9:30. It is not possible for them to go to sleep at 8, believe me I've tried..and tried..and tried. LOL

 

[Beth76]

I would decline as well. My almost-five-year-old goes to bed late, but bed-time is around 8:30. He could stay at a party past 8:00, but for it to start at that time is a bit silly. Like someone else said who wants their child eating cake and getting all riled up right before bedtime. I hope this mom decides to change the time. It sounds like no one will be at her kid's party.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

While it is pretty late I probably would have let my DD attend. Its a one shot deal not a weekly occurrence. My DD is 6 and does stay up later than most, 9 p.m. I have long hours so its when we get to see each other. But.....because we live so close to school and she is driven, she can sleep later and still get 10 hours of sleep. She has full day kindergarten so no nap. She is up before the alarm clock waking her father. And there have been no complaints from teachers (I do ask the teacher)
As to what the other mother is thinking I don't know. But I have a friend that lets her children decide their own bedtime. When they are tired, they are supposed to go to their own beds. The 7 year old doesn't even start getting ready for bed before 10 p.m. I don't agree with it but its her lifestyle.

 

[mom2riceboys]

I would have declined the invitation too. My 5-year-old goes to bed between 8:00 and 8:30.

 

[DisneyLovingMama]

The party is at a Chuck E Cheese, so it's not a slumber or night-themed party. I probably would have considered letting DD go if we didn't live 1/2 hour away, I had someone to watch DS, and we didn't have to be somewhere at 7:30 the next morning. I just hope the child has family members that will attend.

 

[jodifla]

It's too late for my DS, 4, on most nights. On vacations he'll occasionally stay up until 10, but that's rare. He's normally in bed by 8:30.

 

[Divamomto3]

My DD's kindergarten teacher stressed to all the parents on the first day about how important it is for the kids to get a good night sleep and that they really should be in bed every night before 8.

I love when teachers give these helpful "suggestions." Half of them don't have kids themselves. All of the best intentions go out the window by the 3rd or 4th kid. When you're husband is travelling and your oldest son has soccer until 8pm, there's no way you're getting the 5 year old in bed before 8. And they actually live through it!

 

[jenks0718]

I would have allowed my ds to go. It is a one time deal and to be honest we sometimes allow the kids to stay up on Friday and Saturday night when we watch a movie or have card nights with friends. Kids have so much energy and being around other kids playing at Chuck E Cheese they are bound to be having a ball running around. Then they will fall asleep in the car! Then its adult time!

 

[momof2inPA]

Unless my son had a very early morning serious commitment (like Reconciliation or First Communion practice) I would take him to the party and let him fall asleep in the car on the way home. Like others have said, it's not a school night, it's a one time occurrence, etc. My kids don't have a set bedtime on the weekends; they fall asleep when they fall asleep. As I found out last week, if their cousins are in town it's usually about 1 a.m.

 

[FreshTressa]

I love when teachers give these helpful "suggestions." Half of them don't have kids themselves. All of the best intentions go out the window by the 3rd or 4th kid. When you're husband is travelling and your oldest son has soccer until 8pm, there's no way you're getting the 5 year old in bed before 8. And they actually live through it!

And then there are kids like mine that just don't need that much sleep. They are aren't crabby just as long as they get their 9 hours!

 

[mommyintn]

The party is at a Chuck E Cheese

Ok that right there is enough to send shivers down my spine My ds who is 6 wants to have a birthday there and I said, it will never happen. I may take you and friend but being responsible for a big group of young kids and rushing through everything is not fun. We just did Chuck E Cheese last weekend (before that it was last June) to celebrate DS who is 3 being potty trained. Anyway I'm of no help but I agree with you.

 

[CEDmom]

I wouldn't have my DD go to this party more for the fact that it's at CEC at night and I don't need her getting wound up like that before bed. She does go to bed at 8pm but for a calm house party I'd probably make an exception. I know some people that have had mock sleepovers for the younger set - come in pj's, have milk and cookies and a few stories and then go home.

I do have to ask a question of those who's kids stay up late. How do you do it? I love my DD but by 8pm I need time to myself so it's off to bed for her.

 

[MoniqueU]

It's a little late, but lord knows people make exceptions all the time. I can't count the number of 5 year olds and younger I see up after 10 at Disneyland and Disneyworld. One night for a special occasion isn't going to kill a kid. I would have attended.

Edited to add, oh its at CEC? Oh I would of looked for any excuse to get out of a CEC party CEC is evil.

 

[momof2inPA]

I do have to ask a question of those who's kids stay up late. How do you do it? I love my DD but by 8pm I need time to myself so it's off to bed for her.

I think bedtime comes around way too quickly on school nights. It's homework, play a little, dinner, play a little, bath, and bed. There's not enough family time. But since you have an only child, I bet she wants you to play with her all the time. My kids are often playing with each other, so they don't get under my feet as much. Plus, I'm not an early bedtime person myself. Eleven o'clock is plenty early for me.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I have a kindergartener myself and I think that 8PM is too late to start a party and 10pm is very late to return home from a party. I don't blame you from turning down the invite since you have something early the next day.

Even though I think it's late and my son is normally in bed at around 8PM (9PM tonight since it's his late night--Survivor), I would allow my son to go unless he had something very early the next morning or something very important.

We do allow our kids to stay awake late for events. A couple weeks ago we had bingo night a our congregation and probably didn't get home until 11pm. We were having too much fun to leave early. And the kids had religious school the next morning. Every couple of months we have dinner group and usually get home at around 10pm. One son plays baseball and sometimes has late games. We make all kinds of exceptions, especially on the weekends.

 

[bigbabyblues]

The getting home at 10 would be too late for my 5-yo too. He goes to bed at 8:30 at the latest and probably wouldn't even be awake by the end of the party.

 

[Disney Doll]

Well, if my child didn't have something to do the next morning, I might consider it because of it being a special occasion.

But they probably wouldn't be up that lateon a school night.