Not to want her to wake her daughter up for midnight (new year's eve)

[BigBirthdayGloom]

We are having three sets of close friends over for New Year's Eve. We are doing a little party plus movie for the children, aged between 3 and 10, and then they'll go to bed between 7 and nine ish. The ten year old isn't staying up because he'll get too tired. But my friend is going to wake him up just to see in the new year. I know that things will evolve and eventually the children will either do their own thing or be with us for the evening, but while they're young enough to need their beds before midnight, I don't really get the point of him getting up. I have said yes with absolute good grace, they're our friends, so it's really Aibu to feel that way, not should I change things or say anything different.

Fair point, smartie, but it affects the flow a bit. I am I think adjusting to what will be the next stage-children at all hours! I love them, I put loads in, but I enjoy the adult time, especially straight after Christmas. Will chill out now and stop being a teeny bit melodramatic!

OP, do you have children of your own?

Yes, we have three-aged 3,6 and 9.

mine will be up at midnight. they always are. probably always will b e. doesn't matter how old they are, they've always been awake for new year. we will be out until the early hours tonight and they will be with us, so will have no option really.

they like to watch the fireworks, sing, have a toast, it's an adventure.

They have prepared all day by having late naps etc and we are going to a party at a friends, with a designated driver home and a bag packed with pjs in case anyone thinks i'm dragging my two year old to a rave or something.

I don't see anything wrong with it TBH and when DD was younger we have done something similar. There are always lots of people setting off fireworks near us at NY (us included) and DD wanted to see those. So when she was small (can't remember exact age but younger than 10) we would put her to be then get her up just before midnight to wrap up warm and see the fireworks. She always went back to bed shortly after.

I think by 10 she was staying up all evening so we started to have New Years Eve as a sort of games evening so that there was enough of interest to keep us all going

MrsTawdry we were fairly outrageous last year and the kids loved it.

ElizabethHoover it certainly wasn't. There were 30 of us here. Plus someone's spaniel. It was fab.

I was up every new year as a child as were my Db and dsis's. I love the fact I've never missed one and ds was up last year and were just about to wake him for a kiss and happy new year! I don't really care what others do but I see it as one night and hope my ds is always celebrating with us!

DS is still up. He's loving it. I didn't think he'd understand (severe SN) but he seems to. It's made it special rather than depressing

My 10 yr old is still up now and sat watching carry on camping

So-it was all fine and we had a lovely evening. I don't think the sleepy 10 year old got much out of it but there you go. Lots of fun earlier with the kids, lots of fun playing silly games with the grown ups and then a toast with bubbles. Don't think it's going to be a deep philosophical one this year! Happy new year, however you chose to spend the evening!

Both of ours (6 and 4) lasted until 11.20 tonight. Ds2 dropped to sleep first followed shortly by ds1 who was making us promise to wake him up 'for the song and fireworks' as he was falling asleep. We woke ds1 at 5 to, he sang auld Lang syne, toasted and drank a glass of lemonade and then went straight back to sleep...I think he was awake from 11.57 to 12.02.

Yabu...can't see anything wrong with waking them.

I used to drag my DC out every news year, but I decided to put a stop to it.

DC need sleep and as an adult I would hate to be woken up for something that is not important.

As a child of 10 in a very similar situation I was the only child allowed to stay up and I thought it was fab. Still remember feeling how special it was.

Two other families were friends with my parents, one family had two DD aged about 5 and 7 and the other family had a DD about 4. The family with the two DD decided to host a New Years Eve dinner party with a sleepover for the children. However, they included me as a dinner party guest rather than the sleepover.

When we arrived the young DC had had supper and were in their PJs ready to say goodnight to the adults. I remember that although I was old enough to stay up I was still young enough to feel a bit of a grown up thrill that this distinction had been made between me and the little ones.

It was my first dinner party as my parents didn't really do that sort of thing. I recall it was also the first time I had tasted prawn cocktail (well this was the early 70s!) and I loved it.

I suppose by some modern standards it would seem like a quiet affair - a nice dinner then we watched the hosts slides and cine films of their holidays; polite adult chit chat and then the midnight celebration. But I can still remember how special it felt to be included in the adult part of the celebration and I am sure I rose to the occasion.

For the last few years we've had parties with the kids up from aged 2-10, they love it, we do, it's great fun. They all dance and play and we dance and chat and eat lovely food. Perfect.

I tend to go to house parties at New Year and the kids are up with the adults, same with any social gathering tbh.

I'm in Liverpool, very usual across Liverpool and with my Irish relations.

I've been to family/friends and holiday camps "down South" and kids are round drinking adults, so it isn't a Northern thing.

No harm is done. There is a point to the drinking, it's a celebration.

As said usually a room, or two, is set up, so they can play or relax, if they need to.

Anyone who wants to be inappropriate, can congregate in the garden or kitchen, there are things you don't want to say infront of your Nan etc after all.

You all learn to muck into together and how to have a good time.

It's only on MN I've ever come across this segregation.