Appropriate bedtime for 8 and 10 year olds in the holidays

[morebubblyplease]

I'm wondering what other parents do in the school holidays. I usually have a battle to get DS1 (nearly 10) and DS2 (nearly 8) to go to bed at 8.30pm, which doesn't seem that early, but they play football in the street outside and don't want to stop. In the holidays we'll probably let them stay up, and play outside until 9 pm, or even later because it is so light. But I can't help but feel that it is very late. What do others do?

[GreenSand]

Holidays here. Just turned 7 yr old DS1 will probably drop off somewhere between 8.30 and 9.
He'll be up again shortly after 6 😥
So, if your get yo at a more reasonable 7 am, after 9 sounds more than reasonable if they don't need masses of sleep.
Fwiw, he has actually started taking himself to bed, where as term time, when we take him to bed at 7.45, he fights it (leave for school at 7.05).

[FeckinCrutches]

www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Childrenssleep/Pages/Howmuchsleep.aspx
What time do they get up? I don't think 9 is late at all in the holidays unless they need to be up for other things.
My children go to bed when they are ready, but I know a lot of my friends are wrangling children into bed at 7pm in still blazing sunshine!

[DubiousCredentials]

9pm is late enough imo. They can read for a while then surely. My two are 7 and 9 and bedtime in term time is 730 and 830 respectively and 8pm and 9pm in the holidays.

If they are outside playing I would get them in at 815 for showers/food/bit of tv then in bed at 9pm.

[uhoh2016]

Mine are similar age during the holidays I'd have them ready for bed by 9 bit of TV or reading lights out latest 10, and that's only on nights when they don't need to be up early the day after.

[redhat]

I think that's late. Mine are 9 and 11 and go up to bed at about 7.30 (and then read for about an hour with lights out at 8.30).

[uhoh2016]

red I think 7.30 is really early for an 11yo especially in the holidays unless they still need to be up early due to your work commitments as mine sometimes need to be.
Out of interest do you get much resistance from them going to bed so early? I can imagine especially during the holidays their peers would still be playing out until near this time

[Artandco]

Mine are a bit younger. They go 9pm school nights. In school holidays and weekends they go when tired. Ds1 (6) went to bed with a book at 9pm today and was asleep by 9.15pm. Ds2 (5) is still drawing at the dining table, says he is going to bed once his elephant is finished!

[MrsPnut]

Wow 7:30 for a 9 and 11 year old. My 10 year old doesn't get home from most of her activities during the week until around 8pm.

If we don't have to be anywhere the next day then we let her decide her own bedtime, otherwise by about 9:30 then she needs to be in bed, sometimes earlier but it depends on what we want to watch.
We are lucky that Dd sleeps late, no getting up at 6am for her,

[Artandco]

At 7.30pm we were just having dinner

[IlPorcupinoNilSodomyEst]

For holidays, I aim for 9 ish or 9.30 for 7 nearly 8 yo dd, and 9.30 or 10 for 11.5 yo DS, though I work in a school so have holidays off and no commitments during hols. They can read for a bit after that if they want.

[FeckinCrutches]

An 11yo in bed at 7.30? Even in the holidays? What time is dinner?

[sunnydayinmay]

Still term time here, so 8-8.30pm and 9-930pm for my 9 year old and 12 year old, but holidays will be 9pm and 10pm at the latest. Unless we are all out with friends, when anything goes.

[NickiFury]

Mine go whenever they want - they are 9 and 13, though I start making hints at about ten for the 9 year old. They are pretty sensible to be fair and when they are tired will just come and say good night and go to bed.

[FeckinCrutches]

Same here Nicki

[eyebrowsonfleek]

My nearly 10 year old has lights out at 9pm (term time) and 10pm (holidays).

Whether or not playing out until 9pm is reasonable depends on where you live and how much playing noise they make. There is a childminder on our road (cul de sac) and her charges play out but they are not very loud.

[user1468439722]

My two oldest boys are 9 and 12

In the holidays the 9yo goes to bed about 9.30, 12 yo in his bed watching tv by about 10ish..I don't mind so much in the hols if we don't have to get up early next day..

[morebubblyplease]

Wow, quite late bedtimes out there! Except for the 7.30 one, don't know how that works... I know letting them make their own decision won't work as they would still be out there kicking a ball now, but I might be a bit more relaxed now. It feels like our evening doesn't start until they're in bed though, so some selfishness playing a part here... Thanks for sharing everyone.

[Bryna]

Another early one here (10 and 12), 730 lights out unless it's a club night, no change in the hols. The oldest one is a nightmare if she doesn't get a good nights sleep, no problem with them going to bed, they go at 7 and read for 1/2 an hour. We have tea about 430, they are starving when they get home from school!

[EmpressOfTheVaginaDentata]

Just curious, in general... do the older ones really not object to going to bed at the same time as their younger siblings? I remember that as one of the perks of being oldest when I was a kid.

[Titsywoo]

I have an 11 year old and a 9.5 year old. Bedtime is 9pm during term time and 10pm in the hols. Since they get up at 7.30 during the week and 9.5-10 hours is apparently the sleep needed for that age I think 7.30 is very early! It's nice to take advantage of the lighter hours in the summer hols especially.

[ChoudeBruxelles]

Ds is 10 and he's usually in bed for 8.30 then can read til 9.15. Find reading helps him wind down

[Lilacpink40]

My DD (10) is 9.30-7/7.30am in week and 10-10 weekends. Always been a night owl and I hear her taking frequent loo trips so think she's a light sleeper until early hours.

She doesn't go to bed tired, but then I don't usually sleep until midnight so the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

[bostonkremekrazy]

9 yr old and 11 yr old - both go to bed at 7pm in term time! they listen to a story on tape though - 9 yr old is usually asleep within 5-10 minutes, 11 yr old anything from 10 minutes to 1 hour to go to sleep - but mostly asleep before 8pm.

in holidays most nights the same routine so 7pm with story tape on, unless we are out or on holiday.

our 1 yr old also goes at 7pm

our 3 yr old however is a different story and most nights is up down till around 9pm :( she just needs less sleep

[FeckinCrutches]

7pm for an 11yo in the holidays? Do they not want to be out enjoying the sunshine?

[OneArt]

My DC are 6, 8 and 10. In term time they go to bed at 8, 8.30 and 9 respectively. In the holidays it will probably be similar. Just because it's the holidays doesn't mean DH and I don't appreciate an hour or two to ourselves after they're in bed!