Parents, do you want your child to be happy for the first birthday? Then, you have to ensure they nap before the party.
I can see the look in the parent’s eyes as I walk through the door. They are stressed, and it doesn’t take long to figure out why. The birthday child has an expression as if they are sucking on sour patch kids candy. This child is having no part of their 1st birthday party. They are tired and need a nap.
The stress of planning the perfect 1st birthday party has parents out of sink with the child’s daily routine.
The stress of planning the perfect 1st birthday party has parents out of sink with the child’s daily routine. Mom is running around getting food and decorations up at the last minute. Dad is making sure there are enough tables and chairs for everyone to be comfortable. Meanwhile, the child runs around the house and plays.
In the blink of an eye, the one-year-old who was running and playing goes from happy to cranky because the important naptime was missed. You can feel your stress level rising just by looking at the toys lying on the ground. Yelling and social pleasantry are gone. Sargent’s Mom is now giving orders.
A study conducted at the University of Colorado, Boulder, examined children as they were completing puzzles. When they missed their regular 90-minute nap, the children showed a 31% increase in negative emotional responses when they weren’t able to complete a challenging puzzle.
I doubt your 1-year old will be putting together a puzzle, but sharing toys with other kids is a given? Sharing is frustrating to children and raises emotional outbursts that typically would not happen if the child was playing alone or well-rested.
Parents Get the Nap In
I have worked with many moms who have scheduled their child’s 1st birthday around nap time. No rule book says a party must start at a specific time.
Do your best to keep the child’s routine consistent. This may require parents to organize the party better. No one will fault you for starting your party later in the afternoon.
It takes a village to organize the 1st birthday party. Relying on friends and family to help with errands will ensure the guest of honor gets their nap and is happy and rested on their special day.
