How much sleep does (or did) your 4 or 5 year old get?

[ThisCat]

I ask because I think my 4 and 1/2 year old might be getting shortchanged on sleep because she seems tired a lot, but I'm curious where she is in relation to others her age.

I know being tired sometimes is pretty normal for kids this age especially late in the day, but this seems like it could be more than that. I think she would gladly sleep more given the opportunity, but things just get crazy around here sometimes, and she ends up getting the short end of the stick.

My toddler wakes her up earlier than I think she would wake on her own (small house and no way around it really), and I can't seem to manage to get her to bed as early as I think she needs to because I'm alone here at bedtime (husband works late) and trying to juggle two kids and bedtime by myself. By the time I get them dinner, bathe them, brush teeth, get them in their jammies, nurse the toddler, and so on, it's always later than I expect.

Anyway, sorry to be so longwinded. I think on a good night she gets 11 hours, on a bad night 10, and most nights maybe 10 1/2ish. She doesn't nap, and hasn't in a couple years.

[fritz]

Standard disclaimer: every kid is different; they need different amounts of sleep.

My 5yo DS routinely gets 9 1/2 hours of sleep. Sometimes he manages 10 hours, which makes me happy, as that seems optimal for him. Rarely, he only gets 9. Even as a baby, he'd only get 11 1/2 hours at most (and DS didn't sleep more than 5 hours at a stretch until he was about 3 1/2 years old).

Could you move bath time to morning or afternoon to free up more time at night?

[ThisCat]

Originally Posted by fritz

Could you move bath time to morning or afternoon to free up more time at night?

On days when I know we won't be going back out to play in the afternoon, sometimes I do afternoon baths. But I haven't been consistent at all. The days just sort of get away from me. We get to going here or there or doing stuff around the house, and then it's time to make dinner, and there goes the afternoon bath.

It'd be easier to be consistent in the morning, but then they'd just get all hot and sweaty and dirty when we go outside, and I can't seem to be able to put a dirty kid to bed.

I think I should try harder for the afternoon baths. It's been so hot lately that we haven't been going out much later in the day so it should be doable.

Thanks for the help.

[greenmamapagan]

My just turned 4 year old hasn't had more than 11 hours sleep for over a year. She averages about 10 and does just fine (and is also often woken by a toddler but thankfully it just means she'll got to bed earlier that night)

[sewchris2642]

At that age, all mine had between 10-12 hours of sleep out of 24. About 10 hours at night and 1-3 hour nap/quiet time in the afternoon. My 5 yo grandson gets about 10 hours at night with a 2 hour quiet time in the afternoon. His 3 yo sister gets the same 10 hours at night with a 2 hour nap in the afternoon. I found this chart through Google: http://www.babycenter.com/0_how-much...-need_64915.bc

[wookie]

My 4.3yo usually sleeps from 8ish to 7ish, give or take an hour both ends (I say -ish because lots of factors like early summer light, toddler jumping on him etc, play a role). He seems to do fine on it, however, I've noticed if he's consistently getting less sleep for say, a week, one day he'll just sleep in for a couple extra hours through all the toddler antics, noises etc. I figure when his body can't cope it modifies.

[ramama]

My 4yo gets about 9 1/2 hours a night. My 6yo does as well and has gotten that much since she was about 4yo. Occasionally she'll fall asleep in the car or take a nap on the couch if we did something completely exhausting, but that's not often. DH insists that she needs a nap, but what can I do? If she naps, she'll stay up until 1am!

[4Marmalade]

My just turned 5 year old dd gets about 11 hours of sleep on average. Some days it includes a 1-2 hour nap, other days she just goes to bed early.

[MJB]

My 4.5 yr. old sleeps anywhere from 8.5 to 11 hours a night. We shoot for 10 and I think that's plenty for him; my 7 yr. old needs more than that though so we try to organize their sleep schedule based on his needs.

[Starry-eyedMom]

My 4.10 yo gets around 10 hours. Occassionally he'll take a nap and then he gets to bed after 10!

[lyterae]

DD gets between 9-10 hours of sleep at night, she still naps for about 1 - 2 hours on average as well.

[Sharlla]

10-11 hours sometimes with a 1-2 hour nap but usually not
Posted via Mobile Device

[broodymama]

My 5.5 year old DS usually gets about 10.5 hours and sometimes less and is fine with that. My DD1, 4 next month, gets about 11 and seems happiest when she gets around 12 or a little more.

DS goes to bed early and quickly falls asleep, he is also a morning child who loves to wake up (waaaaaaaay too ) early. He then wakes up his sisters, who are most definitely not morning children and they end up a bit shortchanged on sleep. I've told him that when he wakes up he can quietly go downstairs and turn on PBS, but just walking by his sisters' room wakes up DD1 (who then complains that DS woke her up).

[Drummer's Wife]

My 5 yo sleeps between 10-12 hours a night. It's typical for him to go to bed around 10 pm or so, and wake up at 10 am.

[Ornery]

My 4 yo sleeps between 11 and 12 hours a night and then twice a week he usually falls asleep really early or takes a 2 hour nap.

My 6 yo sleeps around 11 hours a night.

We really like our sleep!

[ThisCat]

Thanks for all the replies so far. At least she seems to be within the range of normal, but I guess sort of on the low end. Since she seems tired, I'm going to try to make sure she has a chance to consistently get at least 11 hours of sleep before she gets rudely awoken her rambunctious early bird brother and see if that helps.

[KCMichigan]

I have two 4.75 yr olds.

They sleep

DD1- 11 to11.5 hours most nights (range 10.5-12) . She gets up at the same time every morning so I make sure to get her in bed early if she needs it. Naps a few times a week for an hour or so.

DD2- 10.5 hours (10-11.5 range). She takes longer to fall asleep and DD1 usually wakes her in the am. Never naps unless sick.

They both have an hour rest time in the afternoon, I have found with less sleep they are way more crabby and their attention spans suffer.

[ewe+lamb]

Our nearly 5 year old has about 10 hours sleep, but less if he hasn't had about 2 or 3 hours exercise in the afternoon!!!

[sewchris2642]

Originally Posted by ThisCat

Thanks for all the replies so far. At least she seems to be within the range of normal, but I guess sort of on the low end. Since she seems tired, I'm going to try to make sure she has a chance to consistently get at least 11 hours of sleep before she gets rudely awoken her rambunctious early bird brother and see if that helps.

Try for some down time in the afternoon. Not a nap but a quiet time where she can play quietly on her bed or read books. If she naps, great. If not, at least she'll be rested and you will get some recharging time as well. In fact you could take that time for some quality one-on-one cuddling without her brother.

[Alyantavid]

Mine just turned 4 and gets between 10-12 depending on the day. I know he's tired by the evening because he'll fall asleep right away if we drive anywhere but he also doesn't need the nap because even 10 minutes will make him have trouble sleeping at night.

We do quiet time during the day where he can rest even if he doesn't fall asleep.