Do your kids have a bedtime?

[workinggal]

My DD9 has never had a bed time. Sometimes she conks out early other times she's up until 10:30 or 11:00. I've never had a problem getting her up for school.

 

[TalkisCheap]

I'm 13 and I don't have a bedtime any time of the year. I go to bed when I'm tired, and If I go to bed to late, I know when I have to get up and it's my own fault if I'm tired....11-11:30 is usually when I go to bed...and then I read for a while. My parents don't really care, they go to bed about the same time.

 

[mickeyboat]

Bedtime for DD3 and DD4 is 8:00 unless we are out. DD3 fights us about going to bed so often times she isn't asleep until 9.

They used to get up really early, but they have taken to sleeping until 7:30 or 8:00 on the weekends. I usually let them do that, even though they have to get up by 6:30 during the week.

Denae

 

[Lezah]

During the school year my DS9 goes to bed at 8:30 (this year we're going to move it to 9 pm as he turns 10 this year). During the summer, he goes to bed when he feels like it, or when I do whichever comes first. He never stays up too late. Only on Tuesdays when the Amazing Race is on he has to stay up to 11 because he loves that show!

 

[Nutsy]

My kids do have a bedtime, but in school holidays they don't, unless we have an early start the next morning

 

[Karel]

My kids are 10,12,13. Bedtime during the school year is 9:00.

In the summer, it depends what they are doing and what's going on the next day. I try to get them up around 9 am or nothing gets accomplished in the morning, like chores and school work. At night, if they are just sitting around watching tv, bedtime is 9:30 or 10. There's not much on at that time that they need to be watching. My teenager will stretch it occasionally to 11 if he's on the computer or out with friends.

I know they haven't had enough sleep the next day when they constantly whine, moan or pick on each other. Or if they lay around the house like lumps. That earns a 9 oclock bedtime. I find that everyone gets along much better when there is an actual bedtime.

 

[robsmom]

We try to put DS in bed at 9pm and I allow him 1 hr of TV set on a timer. During the 9-10 hr he tends to be up in down. I am usually in my room getting ready for bed, getting my clothes ready for the next day, and then in bed myself.

It is getting harder and harder though. we get up by about 6 so I am usually tired and ready to sleep by 10. Sometimes DS is wide awake. On the flip side he is often awake when I go to get him the morning or wakes up when I open his door. I spoke to the doctor about it at his checkup and for a 5 yr old he should be getting between 8-10hrs of sleep a day. Since he gets a nap a daycare (at least 2 hours) this means that he only needs 6-8 hours at night! Since I don't get a nap at work, I actually need more than he does!!

In septemeber he will be in kindergarten with no nap. I hope then that we can get him to bed much earlier.

 

[aprilgail2]

My daughter is 4 and has never had a bedtime..when she is tired she goes to bed. Last night it was around 11:00 or so. We actually ARE outside until 10pm many nights with neighbors LOL....the kids play and catch lightning bugs or we go in the pool or kick a ball around. My daughter is allergic to mosquitos so she gets sprayed up good, puts her bug bracelets on and goes out. In Sept when school starts she still doesn't have to be up all that early, school is from 930-4 so she could get up at 830 which is later than she ever sleeps anyway and takes no naps.
We have a very friendly block, even the couples with no children or old children come outside in the evenings. The couple next door has come over every single night since my daughter was born to visit with her for a short while every night.

 

[PattnFmly]

My boys 5 & 3 have a bedtime of 8:00. We start getting ready by 7:30 with toothbrushing, potty and stories. I try not vary it unless we're out at the grandparents or on vacation, as I think it's important to keep to a schedule. But on non-school nights I often read them a few stories instead of just two, and they're almost always happy and ready for bed.

 

[CourtasanSatine]

no curfew,just have to be home at a semi cilvized hour

 

[Cinderellafifi]

For DD4, it is 7:30 sharp during the week, and 8:00 on weekends, unless she is tired. For DS19months, I'd like him to go at that time, too, but for now it is when he decides.

 

[N.Bailey]

My kids are 12 & 13, and they have to be in bed by 10 on school nights. I'll let them slide on the weedends, but not by a lot because they need to keep to that schedule and if they can't sleep Sunday night, Monday mornings are a real pain.

In the summer though, I let them go to bed whenever they want. They must be inside by dark though. If they have kids around that are allowed out after it's dark, I'll let them go out on the patio, but they have to remain on our property and they're not allowed on the trampoline. I get fearful someone will get hurt!

 

[sm4987]

yes, it's 8:30 during school and 9-10 during the summer

 

[Planogirl]

Our 11 year old is being allowed to call his own bedtime for the first time this summer. He's really pushing it though.

He decided that he would stay up as late as he wanted and even overnight. I told him that he could but that he would not be allowed to go to bed when it was daylight but had to stay up all day. He stayed up all night and into the afternoon but suddenly fell asleep sitting down on the couch. It was instantaneous! I kept him going though until he just couldn't take any more.

Now it's a lot easier to get him to go to bed.