[HappilyEvrAfter]

For those of you that need your kids (4/5yo) to be up by 7 or 8ish...what time do you require them to be in bed?

And, if they go to bed past 9, how are they (typically) in the morning?

I'm wondering if some of our bedtime problems are from me holding on to the idea that we must be in the bed (not necessarily eyes shut, but laying down in dark) between 8 and 830.
Maybe at this age he just doesn't need as much sleep anymore???

Thanks!

 

[AllisonR]

I have a 4.5 yo and a 2.5 yo. They are in bed at 7:15-7:45 and asleep about 15 minutes later. They get up at 6:30 am. If they get to bed later than 8 pm, then they are cross as two sticks the next morning! No way, it is h*ll.

FYI: on weekends, they generally sleep in an extra half hour.

 

[pomplemoose]

mine are a bit older 5 and 7. we get up by 7 every morning because 7yo needs to get going to school. our bed time is about 8-830 and the kids are generally still sleeping by 7. our 5 yo also still likes to take an afternoon nap most days so he gets quite a bit of sleep, but man does he need it. they are allowed to lay in bed and read for a bit before having lights out, usually they are asleep by 9pm if they read.

 

[anj7]

My older two are 4 and 6.5 years old and they go to bed at 7:30 (or 7:15 if I'm/they're tired), asleep by 8:00 (or earlier). They are awake between 7 and 7:30 am. Sometimes (growth spurt?) they sleep in until 8:00.

 

[mistymama]

My 6 year old goes to bed at 8pm and wakes up at 6:30am - he'd sleep longer if he could. On the weekends he sleeps until 7 or 7:30.

 

[anj7]

Second part of your question, if mine go to bed past nine (very very rare, maybe a couple times a year or when travelling). It's totally hit and miss. They might sleep in a bit later, but usually they still get up at their regular time. My older daughter (6.5) is the more sleep sensitive one and she'll be grumbly in the afternoon and it takes her a few days of her regular bedtime to recover. My 4 yr old will be grumbly in the afternoon and might fall asleep in the car. But she'll be fine the next day if her regular (7:30 pm) bedtime is maintained.

 

[LittleBlessings]

9pm

 

[Ceili]

We aim for 8pm, but most of the time it's actually 8:30 and ds wakes up on his own around 7:00am. He's 4.5. On weekends our schedule varies and he could be up as late as 10pm. Sometimes the next day he'll wake up at 7 the next morning be a bit crabby much of the day and then crash around 3 or 4pm and some days he'll sleep until 9am and be fine. He seems to need about 11 hours sleep in order to be happy and alert.

 

[Heavenly]

My kids need to be up by 8am for school. All 3 kids go to bed between 7:30-8:15pm. I won't discuss my 3 year old because she has major sleep problems and gets up at odd times but my 6 year old wakes on her own between 7:00am-7:30am and I have to wake my 8 year old at 8am. He would sleep until 9am if I let him. I think it depends on the kid. My 8 year old needs more sleep than my 6 year old.

 

[Peony]

Right now 6y DD1 goes to bed between 8-9pm. Most nights it's closer to 9pm and as summer comes then it will definitely be 9 or later. She wakes up between 6:30-7:30am by herself. This is a good amount of sleep for her, there is no way she'd sleep anymore.

 

[sagewinna]

Most of the time, when we are home in the evening, my 5 year old comes to me about 7:15 and wants to start the bedtime routine. (My other two were NOT like this, btw) She is out by 8. She gets up on her own between 6:45-7:30 am.

 

[AAK]

My kids wake by 7 of their own accord. Regardless of when I put them to bed. I found that at 4 & 5 that MY kids needed roughly 10-11 hours of sleep for us to be happy. So, bedtime was 8PM. So nice. Now, however, I have a 9, 6, & 3 yr old. I put the two older ones to bed at 8:30-9PM. My oldest sometimes takes a while to fall asleep, whereas my 6 yr old is asleep within minutes. The nine year old is allowed to read on the rare occasions that she doesn't fall asleep within 30 minutes. My 3 year old is currently a disaster in regards to bedtime. I won't elaborate right now, she will have her own thread if I don't figure out a solution soon.

Amy

 

[AmandaClare]

My 4 year old goes to bed between 8:30 and 9 and wakes up at 7 or 7:30 in the mornings.

 

[HappilyEvrAfter]

Thanks for all the replies.

We went to bed a tiny bit later last night to get up by 0630 and this morning was a DISASTER! Lol. He was still trying to fall back asleep when I pulled up at daycare.

I was thinking 8ish was too early to be going to bed for him since he was keeping himself awake until almost 845-9, but I guess I was wrong.
It seems to be the same with you guys too.

We stay up pretty late on Fri/Sat though, and he just gets up whenever he gets up...usually by 730-8. No naps ever, but sometimes we have 30min "quiet" time while mom "rests her vision". Lol

Thanks!!

 

[snapper mamma]

Quote:

We stay up pretty late on Fri/Sat though, and he just gets up whenever he gets up...usually by 730-8. No naps ever, but sometimes we have 30min "quiet" time while mom "rests her vision". Lol

I know this sucks but if I were you I would try to stick to the early bedtime, early waketime even during the weekend. At least while you are trying to establish a new routine.

Good Luck!

 

[octobermom]

my DD is 6 we have to leave for school by 7:20 in order for her to be at school with enough time to play outside before first bell at 7:50 (gates open at 7:30) which she likes. In order for that to happen I need her up and going by 6:45.
I need her to be asleep by 9pm if not the morning don't go well at all.

Deanna

 

[annethcz]

My 5yo gets up around 7am- we need to leave the house by 8:10am each morning to take the big kids to school. Bedtime is 8:00-8:30pm. For us, bedtime means PJs on, teeth brushed, laying in bed with a book or playing quietly, with only a small lamp on instead of the overhead light. I don't require my kids to go to sleep immediately, but they do need to be quiet in their rooms and winding down.

 

[tjjazzy]

my 3 yo has a nap every day at 3 p.m. (sometimes 2) until 5 or 6 p.m. goes to bed at about 8:30 p.m. he does well with that. at preschool, their nap is earlier but he doesn't seem to mind the switch. we try to make sure he's in bed no later than 8 or 8:30 on school nights (tues. and thurs.) if my husband gets him up before 7 though, he's a bear.