Time Jumps in odd places

It's a little awkward, but often worth it. You wouldn't do it just for the helluvit, but presumably, you have a reason--something that works better if you do it that way. I just read a Jan Burke book that had times (like "ten years later") at the beginnings of the chapters. Worked quite well for her purposes.

Anything can be done if done well, but the thing that raises a red flag for me is how quickly you jump in your story. This could indicate that the early chapters are set up, and the real story begins after the time jumps.

Are the early chapters back story or do they show "how the hero got to point X" which is when the jump occurs? Are they to show some critical piece of history that the reader "needs to know" to get the story? If so, you might reconsider them, as they could be working as prologues-type scenes. In most cases, you're better off working that information into the story in some way, since the problem of the story is what the readers are interested in, not so much the back story. (At some point they'll probably be interested after they care about the character, and that's a good place to slip in back story)

If the time jumps are a necessary piece of the story and the story flat out will not work without them, leave them. Just make sure it's clear that time has passed, and make sure it's clear why the reader needed that bit of info at the start. It should help move the story along, not tease or set up anything.

Oh, good example...

I was just watching a Doctor Who episode last night, and the Doctor meets a seven year old good through a time window. He meets her again when she's older, and keeps meeting her at various points of her life. If you told that story from the girl's POV, then the "story" was the times she met the Doctor, so the time jumps would make sense and move the story along.

Without knowing what's in your first 3 chapters, I'm only guessing, but it sounds like they might be set-up for the rest of the story. Remember, the reader wants to read about the story, not what led to the story. You can always slide in bits of your characters' history through flashbacks or even dialog, as long as you stay away from the "As you know, Bob" stuff.

I have a time jump of 18 years after the first 100 pages or so - but everything that comes after - how characters respond, interract and conduct themselves - relates directly to events of those first 100 pages. I say it's OK as long as those first chapters have a solid relationship to how characters react and perform in the rest of the book and aren't merely being used as back story.

If it's only three chapters, sounds like back story. But if the story does genuinely take place over many years then that isn't a problem- although don't skip too quickly.