4 YO DD awake until at least 9pm every night

[Pendulum]

Help! She is in bed by 7.30, often before, but plays, chats and calls for me at least twice an evening.

I wake her at 6.45 and run her around like a labrador all day. She just seems to be an evening person, whereas I get up at 5.30am and would love to be in bed by 9.30pm. Some night I have to wait for her to go to sleep before I can go to bed!!

Is this very unusual? All my RL mum friends have 4 YOs who conk out at 7pm on the button.

[BigBadMousey]

My three are all still awake.

I have

DS 11wo (bfing franticly)
DD1 4.4 (reading in bed)
DD2 2.4 (singing 'wind the bobbin up' very loudly in cot )

DDs were put to bed at 7pm - they'll be up by 7.30am (although DD2 wakes every 30 mins between 2.30 - 6am bless her )

[Pendulum]

crikey mousey. it's all go at yours! At least my 1 YO is asleep.

I just feel completely out of patience by this time of the evening. I want to be selfish and sit down for half an hour, not deal with phantom missing soft toys and requests for windows to be opened. I want a bit of SILENCE.

[BigBadMousey]

I know exactly how you feel. I don't think it is selfish at all - she should be in bed and surely you deserve some peace.

pmsl at phantom missing soft toys - my DD1 does this from time to time so I say I shall have to take said toy away and keep it safe so it doesn't go missing again and that usually does the trick .

DD1 also does the 'phantom wee wee' which involves coming downstairs (our bathroom is downstairs) and prancing around the house while taking the 'scenic route' to the loo. Sometimes I can take it in good humour, other time I don't she does it every evening at least once. I'm just glad she sleeps through, DD2 is a nightmare - I don't know how I'm still functioning .

[BigBadMousey]

Is your DD at school yet?

[ilovemydog]

All my RL friends also have children who also go to bed at 7:00 and wake up at 7:00.

Not that my friends are dishonest - perhaps more competitive?

[morocco]

ours are like that too, in bed technically at 7.30-8.00, asleep by 9.00 ish if lucky in the summer months
still get up at 7

they are very bright (it's a known sign you know - always make sure you tell the smug parents of good sleepers that)

[Pendulum]

riven- can I swap her for an early waker please? Do you have to stay up until your DD is asleep- you must be exhausted!

BBM- no she's not at school yet, although she does three full days at nursery while I work, which I think should be pretty tiring. I'm hoping when she starts school in Jan it will make a difference. What about yours? Love the idea re the toy- will try that one next time!

[denbury]

i've got ds whos 4 and still up but he will not wake till 8-9am tomorrow my ds whos 2 likes to be in bed by 7.30 and he'll be up by around 7-8am tomorrow. it's great as i get to spend abit of time with each of them by themselves at a time they are happy.i don't get much time by myself but i'm happy with this situation

[Pendulum]

good point morocco, maybe I will tell my concerned friends that she is writing a novella under the duvet and cannot sleep until she has got the next chapter down

interested that you mention the summer months, maybe DD's body clock has been thrown by the light. It's certainly something of a recent issue.

[nelliesmum]

Just wrenched a jigsaw from the hands of my 4yo...she is not happy. Never sleeps before 9 but seems to have little effect on her...or me as she plays happily on her bed. A little worried about when she starts school next month but at leasr it will be dark so I can always force the issue by putting the lights out...

[BigBadMousey]

Mine starts school part time in September - going FT in Jan.

Hopefully the light evenings and warm stuffy weather is making things worse for your DD. I guess that school will make a difference too. Even though she goes to nursery 3 days a week, I would think she'll find school more taxing - new routines and rules to follow etc and that might tire her out.

Have you got a black out blind? We have - it doesn't stop DD reading in bed (nothing does) but it might help things....

[GrinningGorilla]

DS1 also 4 yo and is never asleep before 9.00 unless we are driving back long distance after a day out and he falls asleep in the car. He is always awake by 7am and on the go all day. I just think this is normal!

DP starts work at 1am and is always in bed and asleep before the kiddies.

[SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore]

dd1 (4.5) sleeeping before 9!! no my dd is like the duracell bunny on speed! up at 7am and runs around like a demented terrier dog untill about 8pm then will alternate between sitting for five mins and running around. she eventually sleeps at about 10 after having put her to bed at 9pm. there is no point putting her any earlier as she wont sleep and disturbs dd2.