What time to do your kids go to bed?

[KristieMcNealy]

All of my kids dropped naps early (around 18mos), so aside from the baby we don't have any nappers here, and haven't for over a year. When my schedule was more varied, dd stayed up late so I could see her. Now that I am home full time, my 4yo goes to bed at 7, the 7 year old goes to bed at 7:30 and the 2.5yo goes to bed at 8-8:30. They all sleep until 7 or 8 am. We have to stagger the 4 and 7yo, otherwise they talk and keep each other up til all hours of the night. The 7yo is allowed to read quietly in bed if she isn't tired.

[smashncakes]

Both of mine (4 year old DS and 2-next-week DD) have always been natural night-owls...we've managed to get them both to a bedtime between 10:30 and 11pm each night...we used to not get to sleep until 1 or 2 am with either of them. They both nap from 1-ish to 4-ish each afternoon and are up between 8 and 8:30 almost every morning. We don't believe in forcing our children to sleep because we think they need to be in bed...we more try to follow their natural clocks & let them set their own schedules. DS did morning pre-k this year with no issues and we'll be homeschooling from now on so the whole waking/sleeping/napping thing isn't an issue for us.

[Fashionably Green Baby]

The old fuddy duddy comment is because when I was a kid all of the kids I knew (and that was ALOT since my mom ran an in home daycare) went to bed in the 7 or 8 ok area and it seems like the only people who agree with me about the kids bedtime are around my parents age. It seems as though a good number of younger parents I know just let their kids stay up until they crash. I understand there are different schedules etc but these people all have a pretty normal 9 to 5 type job so that is not it. Also a good bit of them actually just let their kids fall asleep in front of the TV (we don't even allow tv watching until 3 in our house and then it is very limited) so this is just beyond me. For me I have always let them guide me in their schedule but I am a firm believer in them getting on a schedule. Trust me I did not pick the schedule, I am pretty much stuck in the house all day because of DS napping (he doesn't nap well out and about) but that is what works for him. I just really think some parents don't want to mess with doing anything so they just let them pass out from exhaustion. It just came to my mind because we put the kids in bed last night and then I went to the store and I saw all these little kids out and one girl was rubbing her eyes and laying on her dad's shoulder and they were just wandering through wal mart just looking at stuff. I know I shouldn't care and of course it is not my place to parent their children and really shouldn't judge but I just don't know why if she is that tired she isn't in bed. NOW of course there are times when our kids are out and don't get in bed on time and they are tired etc but not because I am just wondering through the store. I actually got a lady who yelled at me because I have my kids go to bed at 7:30 I mean seriously????? YELLED.

[Sassu]

Originally Posted by Fashionably Green Baby The old fuddy duddy comment is because when I was a kid all of the kids I knew (and that was ALOT since my mom ran an in home daycare) went to bed in the 7 or 8 ok area and it seems like the only people who agree with me about the kids bedtime are around my parents age. It seems as though a good number of younger parents I know just let their kids stay up until they crash. I understand there are different schedules etc but these people all have a pretty normal 9 to 5 type job so that is not it. Also a good bit of them actually just let their kids fall asleep in front of the TV (we don't even allow tv watching until 3 in our house and then it is very limited) so this is just beyond me. For me I have always let them guide me in their schedule but I am a firm believer in them getting on a schedule. Trust me I did not pick the schedule, I am pretty much stuck in the house all day because of DS napping (he doesn't nap well out and about) but that is what works for him. I just really think some parents don't want to mess with doing anything so they just let them pass out from exhaustion. It just came to my mind because we put the kids in bed last night and then I went to the store and I saw all these little kids out and one girl was rubbing her eyes and laying on her dad's shoulder and they were just wandering through wal mart just looking at stuff. I know I shouldn't care and of course it is not my place to parent their children and really shouldn't judge but I just don't know why if she is that tired she isn't in bed. NOW of course there are times when our kids are out and don't get in bed on time and they are tired etc but not because I am just wondering through the store. I actually got a lady who yelled at me because I have my kids go to bed at 7:30 I mean seriously????? YELLED.

I agree with everything you've said. Especially the bolded area. We never forced our DD to go to sleep but were really vigilant about figuring out her cues and establishing a routine early on. It was hard work and we gave up evenings out with other couples or late play dates, etc. Once in awhile she'll be up late but it's rare. I have nieces and nephews that were allowed to stay up as late as they wanted (since they were infants) and then just crash and every time I was around them it was a disaster. It was very sad because they were absolutely exhausted but their parents just didn't want to stop "going" so the kids would fight sleep until they were on their 3rd or 4th wind. And these parents thought it was weird (and said so!) that I was putting my infant to bed at 6:30.
I remember going to bed when it was still VERY much daylight outside when I was a kiddo.
All that said, I know that early bed times don't work for everyone so to each his own. But for our family it's the best thing.

[Terra]

I can't believe you get snarky comments about the situation. So weird. Every child's internal clock is so different. Some are early to bed/early to rise, some are night owls.

For my boys personally my almost 23 month old goes to sleep by 7:30 and my 3.5 year old is about 8:30. It's their own natural schedule. We never did/do anything to mold them into one thing.

Now my husband, as my MIL has told me, was a night owl. No matter what she did, he would stay awake until about 11pm to 12am. He's still like this.

[Solomon's Mama]

My mom always tells me I keep DS up too late. He goes to bed around 8:30 or 9. But that is just his schedule that he set for himself, and it lines up perfectly with his naps, meals, and bottles. If I put him to bed any earlier he would be jumping around his crib at 6am and I'd rather him sleep til 8! I don't think there is anything wrong with anytime you put your kids to bed. Its whatever works for your family.

[Kimmyann]

My little one goes to bed at 7pm but has to get up between 4:30 and 5am to get ready and get breakfast before daycare at 6:30. At home he doesn't take a nap but daycare makes them lay quietly on their mats for 2 hours each day.

[SativaStarr]

Our almost 19 month old goes to bed between 6:30-7 pm and wakes up around 6:30-7 am has a bottle and goes back down till usually 9-9:30 am.

Our 3 and 4 yo USED to be in bed between 7-8 pm but thanks to the time change and it getting dark later, its more like between 8-9 pm on a good day.

Due to all 3 kids sharing a room, we put them down one at a time, from youngest to oldest.. our oldest (who is on the autism spectrum) does have a hard time with sleeping so some nights its nearly 10 before he FINALLY falls asleep.. not that I dont start tryiong by 8 pm.

[CharlottesMom09]

Originally Posted by Fashionably Green Baby I actually got a lady who yelled at me because I have my kids go to bed at 7:30 I mean seriously????? YELLED.

I didn't get to stay up past 8 until I was in middle school. I honestly thought that most people put their kids down around 7:30 when they're small. (Of course, I used to cashier at WalMart so you'd think I would know better).
We start our bedtime routine with our 6 month old around 6:30-7 pm, and she sleeps until 6:30 or 7 am with 3 naps throughout the day. I can't imagine how cranky she would be if we tried to keep her up late, but if it works for other people, then that's great.

(Btw, I'm 21, but definitely not the type that waits for DD to crash. DD takes after me, we all need structure. )

[ajane]

All four of them go to bed at the same time, between 8-8:30. The ages are 6, 4, 2, and 10 months.

I have a friend who puts her kids to bed before 7pm every night, usually 6:30 (sometimes even earlier) and I am like....WTH????? Seriously??? I think that is crazy early. What cracks me up is then she says how tired she is by the end of the day b/c they wake up around 5:30am every morning. Hmmm, I wonder why, lol!!!