Bed Times for young children

MuPpItJoCkEy

Hello all,

I was just wondering what times you consider to be the right time for your children.

I have a 5 year old boy who on a week night, goes to bed at around 8.30 but I wouldn't say he goes straight to sleep at that time. On weekends, he may sometimes stay up later.

What times do you get your kids to bed at and what ages are they? Do you feel your children are getting enough sleep or what do you think the right amount of sleep is for a child.

I'm just trying to find out the right balance and your thoughts on this. Apologises if there is already a post on bedtimes here but I didn't seem to find one.

TequilaMockingBird

My 7 year old is brought to bed at 8, with hopes of sleep at 9. She would have a dvd on sometimes and be pottering away with a colouring book, or activity book at the same time. She gets up at 7ish and is good with that amount of sleep.

BoozyBabe

Well, I'm not a parent, but I think if I had children, ideally they'd go to bed at 8 & be sleeping by 8.30.
I wouldn't be so strict on a Fri or Sat night though

MuPpItJoCkEy

What do peopel think is the right amount of sleep for a child anyway?

It's amazing though that when your a child, you just want to stay up and then the older you get, you just want your bed!

Ludo

I am kinda curious about this myself but coming from a slightly different angle. I have two 7 month old boys and they start getting tired and cranky at about 6.20ish and go to sleep around 7/7.30 after a bath and sleep until 6.30ish the following morning. This bedtime has been steadily getting earlier and earlier for the last couple of months (was 8/8.30 about 6 weeks ago). Obviously they are getting tired earlier now the more active they get. If their current trend continues they will sleep all day (I wish) :-)

Anyway, I was wondering at what age generally do they start going back to later bed times?

Davidth88

we have a 2 year old, she goes to bed around 7:30-7:45 , often she is still awake until 8:30 telling teddy all sorts of stories about her day ..... then she wakes up around 7:45 am.

Sueme , you say your 7 year old would sometimes be watching a dvd , is that in her bedroom after she has been ' put to bed ' ?

Oryx

I used to have a good bed time routine of 8-8.30pm. With both kids hopefully asleep by 9 or so. All thats gone haywire since my youngest went into her own bed. The lastest night weve had this week was half eleven. The little beggar just wants to play. But ideally I will get it back to the nine o clock sleeps.

My son has a dvd, but he stays up far to late watching it, so Im cutting down his use and reading stories to both kids instead. Trouble is, because they compete for my attention, I have to have them both in his room, and then they play together and dont get sleepy.

Nevyn

My 8 year old daughter on a shool night is asleep by 8:30 to 9pm and sleeps until about 8 she loves her sleep and will do 10 hours easily.

My son who is ten tends to be awake a lot later, he would be in his room by 9-9:30 but would read until ten and then listen to mp3 story books after that in the dark until he falls asleep. He seems to take after me is happy to stay up late but I try to make sure he gets at least 8 hours on a school night.

pubpub

I've a seven year old bed and story at 8 - he gets to play in his room (strictly not tv allowed) and then lights out at 9. Watched child of our times last week and they mentioned, I think, children need at least 10 hours of sleep at night.

TequilaMockingBird

Davidth88 wrote: »

Sueme , you say your 7 year old would sometimes be watching a dvd , is that in her bedroom after she has been ' put to bed ' ?

I was waiting for a backlash! I bring her up around 8 and we do the pjs and teeth routine, then if she wants she can have a DVD or a story - she will usually want a DVD as they last longer , and as I say, she'll be doodling away etc and just dozes off.

It works for us.

Oryx

sueme wrote: »

I was waiting for a backlash! I bring her up around 8 and we do the pjs and teeth routine, then if she wants she can have a DVD or a story - she will usually want a DVD as they last longer , and as I say, she'll be doodling away etc and just dozes off.

It works for us.

Dont worry. I do that too. If Im honest, an early bedtime for the kids is more for my benefit than the kids. I need them in bed by nine to prevent the onset of stress induced insanity. So if theres a backlash, Im with you in it.

6th

10month old goes to bed at 7 and is asleep by 7.30. Almost 4 year old goes at 7.30 you might hear her potter around til 8 or just after. They are both usually awake by 8am.

kmick

Cant say I like the idea of DVD/Telly in childs room but whatever floats your boat. My 15 month old goes down between 7.30-8 and sleeps until 7.30-8. When he was younger he went to bed a bit later and slept longer like 9pm-8.30am. He also sleeps during the day from 1-2 hours whereas he used to sleep twice by 1 hour in morning 10am and afternoon 3pm. It changes all the time it seems. For young babies I would say they need at least 12-14 hours in a 24 hour period. Plus they sleep more soundly when they are more active.

bazwaldo

Bedtime routine starts at 7 (2,4 & 6 year olds) on school nights and maybe an hour later weekends. Takes 30 mins for teeth brushing and stories etc., and they are usually asleep by 8. Then they wake soon after 7am. Usually the first up wakes the house (despite being told not to).

5 month old has no routine other than waking up a lot but there you go.

littlebug

My two are 6 and 3 1/2. They usually go up the stairs at 8pm and after wash, teeth and story are asleep any time between 8.15 and 9pm. Rarely later. They're usually awake anytime between 6 and 7am though the eldest would sleep later if the youngest wasn't up making noise.

Quality

My dd 9 goes to bed for 9 wakes at 8am.

My ds 2 is put to bed around 8.30 - 9.30 he wakes about 8am as well. But is still up and down during the night. I would love to get him up to bed earlier, but he still has a nap during the day.

My kids usually need 10 to 11 hours sleep... We dont like going to bed in my house and we dont like getting out of bed either..

TequilaMockingBird

Quality wrote: »

My kids usually need 10 to 11 hours sleep... We dont like going to bed in my house and we dont like getting out of bed either..

+1

I'd like to say with regards the DVD, I am pottering away upstairs while shes getting settled. If I've loads of washing to put away, tidy up etc, I do it then. I remember when I was her age (and we were sent up to bed with a warning, never mind a DVD or story!) I found the sound of my Mum doing the dishes downstairs really soothing, it made me feel really secure and safe.

I understand why people don't have TVs in bedrooms, but for me and my girl it works, and probably stops us both killing each other.

nesf

Our 22 month old goes to bed at 9ish, is usually asleep by 10 and gets up sometime between 10 and 11 the next morning. He seems happy enough with his routine.

Davidth88

I was waiting for a backlash!

Sorry that wasn't a ' backlash ' I was purely interested thats all.

Whatever works.

Loopy

Both my girls (6 and almost 2) are in bed at 8.30 on week nights.

On Week ends, Like Sueme the 6 yr old watches a DVD.

They both wake about 730 in the morning. If they dont get 10 hours they are wagons come tea time..

TequilaMockingBird

looptheloop wrote: »

Both my girls (6 and almost 2) are in bed at 8.30 on week nights.

On Week ends, Like Sueme the 6 yr old watches a DVD.

They both wake about 730 in the morning. If they dont get 10 hours they are wagons come tea time..

LOL.



I now have little Miss above, with her plus one (cousin) just starting to watch a DVD now. Its gonna be a long night...

10 O'Flippin clock. I changed my mind - TVs out of bedrooms.

Fiona24

My dd is almost 4 and goes to bed at 6.30 on weeknights and is up again between 6.15 and 6.45 next morning. Weekends she stays up late as we have a dvd night together so she's usually in bed between 8 and 9 and is up at 8 next morning. Works well for me

littlebug

Fiona24 wrote: »

My dd is almost 4 and goes to bed at 6.30 on weeknights and is up again between 6.15 and 6.45 next morning. Weekends she stays up late as we have a dvd night together so she's usually in bed between 8 and 9 and is up at 8 next morning. Works well for me

Not fair.

They were in bed late- ish last night.... asleep by 9 and still the younger was up at quarter to bloody 6... "oh mammy... it's morning time". Must remember to pull down the blackout blinds tonight.

Lurvely

My daughter is 2 next month and usually goes to bed around 9 ish and gets up between 9.30 and 10. She falls asleep nearly straight away and sleeps sound most of the night...we had to stop letting her have an afternoon nap because we found she didnt sleep as well at night, but so far this routine is working well.

Ickle Magoo

I have a 3.5 & 2yr old & they both get a bath at 6.40 & bed at 7, stories read for 15-20mins & then sleep...they wake at any time between 6 & 9 the next morning - if not wake to come in with us, so my two probably aren't the best example to follow!

foxy06

I have 2 boys aged 6 and 4 and they are in bed at 7 asleep hopefully at 7.30. The youngest sleeps til 7.30 and the eldest gets up at 6 or so and sneeks downstairs to watch telly. Brings his blankie with him too! Well trained...for the moment!

Gabsdot

My 4 year old is a early riser, usually awake and up by 7 and somes it's earlier so he needs to be in bed between 7.30 and 8. If he stays up later he still wakes up at the same time and is very ratty all day.
When I was a child we were always in bed by 7.30. I remember the TV presenter used to come on after the news at about 7 and say 'now children time for bed'
I had a bed time, 9.30, when I was 17 doing my leaving cert and it was enforced!!!
I'm a big fan of fixed bedtimes, parents really need them even if the kids don't

littlebug

littlebug wrote: »

Not fair.

They were in bed late- ish last night.... asleep by 9 and still the younger was up at quarter to bloody 6... "oh mammy... it's morning time". Must remember to pull down the blackout blinds tonight.

how sad... quoting myself
I did indeed remember to pull the blackout blinds down last night and at 5.48 this morning I was awoken by a little voice saying "mammy I'm scared of the dark". I wonder will I make it to 5.55 tomorrow morning. I seem to remember writing a post almost identical to this one last summer:cool: