Mumsnet Talk

thebody that's lovely and the same as what I did! My stepdad learnt me how to play chess at the age of 8 from my little 'late night stop ups' too

If children are tired, they fall asleep. My DC have always gone to bed later than most, because I work and would never see them in the evenings otherwise, but even so at age 8 probably wouldn't have stayed awake much beyond 12.30am at weekends, and indeed often would have nodded off a lot earlier than that.

Having said all that, we were usually back home and off to bed around 11ish, maybe midnight at the latest....I think half past one is too late.

I have a friend who keeps her 3 year old up until 11 every night to allow her to have a lay in the next morning (they get up at midday). She starts school next September, her mum is going to have to change the whole sleeping pattern by then!

I can see 1:30 might be a bit on the late side but if parent and child aren't tired, haven't got anything to do the next day where is the harm? Its a tad judgemental to say its as bad or worse as junk food, everything in moderation isn't it?

Like I said I used to stay up late with my mum, brothers had gone to bed and I loved and cherish that time with her. I'm now 21 and haven't got any problems stemming from this so let's take a step back and take our judgey pants off!

No for us Friday night was family fun night.

Dh usually away all week so time to catch up with us all.

Pizza, crisps, sweets, wine for grown ups,DVD and usually ended up carrying younger ones up to bed as fallen asleep on sofa with blankets.

Bloody lovely.

sure Goldship, but starting another film at midnight, so we are talking a 1:30 bed time, which is just excessive and unnecessary, isn't it? For a young child?

I have that one on one time with my 10 year old when the younger ones are in bed at 8, and we stay up another hour.

Kids need their sleep for growth and well being. It is not some random "punishment". letting them stay up very late, regularly, is as bad (or worse) as feeding them junk, letting them drink lots of fizzy drinks etc. It is a bit rubbish.

(what is happening, next I'll be ranting about fruit shoots and gregg's sausage rolls!)

anyway, I think a 1:30 bed time for an 8 year old is too much, and I'd be
about it, but in real life (not MN) I'd keep that to myself.

Oh and not spend all night doing shows if we have visitors/go to someones's house <wicked mother>

Bigfatlegs It was always just lovely and relaxed! In the summer we'd sit in the garden and the kids would be on the trampoline, or just running round, and my two friends and I would sit and put the world to rights! One had lost her dh like I did, and the others dh worked shifts and was usually out on Friday evening, but if he was home he'd join in.
Maybe we were all just lucky, but we all have 2 dcs each, and they all seemed unaffected the next day....but probably did sleep in a bit longer. I never did the Saturday morning sports/activities thing - I scheduled that for Sundays or after school, and Saturday mornings were our lazy morning when I made pancakes or bacon rolls and we didn't get out of our pjs til gone 12.
We actually still do that on a Saturday

Sometimes I would like to send DDs to bed earlier as they are getting on my nerves but DH works long hours so generally don't. However, we must sit quietly a watch the programme

In fact my 3 year old was up until 11 last night as we were at a neighbours house. She will be tired later although she has had 9 hours sleep.

Same here Ragwort I like horror and thrillers...not blinking Victorious and Spongebob!

'Slack parenting' oh please do pull the other one. Sometimes it's nice to have some one on one time, after the youngest have gone to bed, after chores are done, a time for you and your child to relax and bond.

I agree with Proud and to be honest I can't think of one thing on TV/film that I would choose to watch with my 11 year old DS; I have no interest in the crap stuff he watches and on the few occasions I have suggested we watch something together (ie: my choice although I try to find something that would interest him) he is bored stiff. So no, I send him to bed at 9pm ish. Or I go to bed on my own first with a good book .

My 8 and 11 year old stay up pretty much every non school night. Its fun for them

OP, for what it's worth, I think letting a young child stay up that late is a bit slack parenting.

Kids need their sleep. Why not watch that film the next day?

If it's a one-off, fine I guess.

Don't know why everyone came piling in here, bit of a bullying attitude imo

I'm Victorian about bedtimes - mine are 10 and 8 and go to bed 8.30/9pm on weekends unless we have people over or it's a special occasion.

Obvs it's up to individual parents - and my dc can't hack late nights at all as they never sleep in later - but it does annoy me when we have friends with kids over and they assume they can stay til 11pm+.

I don't say nuffink though, I just roll my eyes at my dh and pour another glass of vino collapso.

*2blessed that does sound fun. I might chill and suggest to my friend that we do it once or twice.

I think there's a lot of difference between sitting cuddled up,relaxing,than there is with being over stimulated i.e.playing computer games, or being out at a pub/restaurant/social club/family gathering, where there is likely noise,music and other general raucousness going on. The former is less likely to have a negative impact on general behaviour on Monday morning at school.

I think it depends on the child, but it sounds a bit bonkers to keep them up unless it's a special party or wedding or something.

Up to the parents. My eldest stays up a little later on Fridays. She gets plenty of sleep other wise, so I don't see the harm.

I used to love staying up late with my own mum watching the late night horrors. It was our special time & meant so much to me.

Mine were up later than me last night....however they are nearly 12 and 15, so it's not quite the same!
We used to do the Friday night thing too though when they were younger - I have a couple of good friends who lived very close by and we used to take it in turns to go to each others houses. Mums would have Chinese takeaway and wine in the kitchen, and kids would hang out, play, or watch DVDs in living room.
I look back now and think what a great time we always used to have.

hmmm, I allowed 7 year old DD to stay up until 11pm last night. Her ASD brother was asleep. All the time he's awake, she behaves in exactly the same way he does - running around, jumping, screaming, play-fighting, wrestling...you get the picture.

Last night she sat nicely with me on the sofa, I was stroking her hair, we were chatting. That never ever happens when her brother's awake. It was bliss.

I agree. I said under 12's because it gets so much harder to "make" them go after that age. I "suggest" that my 12 year old DS2 is in bed by 9.00, but he usually sits reading till gone 10pm! My 15 year old DD self regulates, but is usually asleep by 1030. My 20 year old...well...let's just sayI couldn't fuction on the hours he keeps

And I must have been a mature 8 year old coz I didn't cause any bother, just sat reading a book or writing alternate endings to films I'd just watched with mum! (Yes I was a bright and geeky child)