To keep my toddler up past bedtime every Saturday?

[DaisyChaining]

I'm a single parent. My DD is very cute around bedtime, all cuddly and giggly and constantly telling me she loves me and that I'm her best friend (I'm being manipulated I know, but she's just turned two so it's a new occurrence and I'm smitten ). We usually have to get up early on the weekdays for work and uni and nursery. On Saturdays I usually keep her up till about 9, which means she usually sleeps in till 8-9am Sunday mornings. I also like spending the extra time with her. Plus it's my only opportunity for a lie in although I would never have counted that as a lie in 2 years ago. She's fine about it, loves it - rubs her eyes a couple of times but is jovial and enjoys the extra play/ TV time with mummy.

But am I just messing up her routine or confusing her; doing something wrong or just generally being a shit mum keeping a 2 year old up till 9pm? The shoppings due in a minute and I feel I might be judged am having a glass of wine too

It's shit being a single parent sometimes. But have donned my hard hat and am ready for the flame🙈

[Brightermornings]

If it works for you then it doesn't matter what other people say. Enjoy your extra cuddles.

[shesnotme]

Go for it. Sounds lovely.

[Stopthisshemozzle]

I don't see the problem if she is happy and happy to go back to weekday routine.
We do this pretty much every Fri, Sat and holidays. It hasn't ruined her usual sleep pattern.

[beanzmeanzheinz]

Yanbu! Your weekend routine sounds lovely.. enjoy it

[harderandharder2breathe]

If she's happy and you're happy, go for it

If it starts affecting bedtimes the rest of the week, you may need to change, but at the moment it clearly suits you both

[lightcola]

If she's not showing any signs of being over tired the next day then I wouldn't worry about it. My 3 year old is a mess if he's in bed after 7.30 which makes going out to parties etc really tough. Your daughter sounds lovely and she probably really cherishes that time with you.

[OuchBollocks]

See if I kept my toddler up late she would still be up at 6 the next day and would be vile by early afternoon. Yours sleeps in and presumably goes to bed at a normal time on Sunday to be up on time on Monday so why on earth not?

[maddiemookins16mum]

It's 9pm, not 11pm. Don't all kids (and adults) stay up a bit later on a Saturday night, we do and so does DD - she always had. We eat later in a Saturday so everything is a bit later. When DD was little, she was normally in bed at 7.30 but it was probably at least an hour later at the weekend. You'll know if it start becoming too much for her.

[UnaPalomaBlanca]

Sounds lovely. I keep my DC (9) up late at the weekends for the same reasons. I sometimes regret it on a Sunday evening when he's not tired but it all comes out in the wash!

[Doje]

Sounds like it's working for you, and goodness if it's your only chance for a lie in then carry on girl!

Also, if it helps you worry less about routine, then I read that it didn't have to be one routine they follow, as long as it is a routine. So some nights bath, book, bed, other nights walk, telly, bed. Toddler is happy with both as long as they're routinely done.

[Xmasbaby11]

It sounds lovely and normal. I've always done it with my 2dc from around that age. I appreciate I'm lucky they are flexible (and will lie in) whereas not all kids are. It works for you so don't feel bad! I'm sure lots of my friends would be appalled my 3 yo stayed up til 10 to go to a wedding, but I knew she'd get back into routine quickly.

[Thebookswereherfriends]

My 4yr old is also a very cheerful girl even after her bedtime, but she does get a bit hyper. Mostly we stick to her routine, but recently on hols she didn't go to sleep before 9.30 each night and unusually for her stayed asleep until 8 or 8.30 the next day. By the end of the week she was starting to show signs of knackeredness! I think once a week being kept up a bit will do no harm and clearly is a lovely thing for you both, so crack on!

[DeathByMascara]

It sounds lovely! You're not a shit mum, you both seem to enjoy it, so carry on.

My 5 year old still tells me she loves me & im her best friend - it's still the loveliest thing to hear! (Although I've figured her out with the 'mum! Mum! Mum!' 'What????' 'Love you!' carry on - she's worried she'll get told off so forestalls it 😂)

[BitchQueen90]

I do with DS (nearly 4yo) on Saturday nights. We both lay in my bed and watch a film together. He starts school in September so it all may come to an end when he needs to start a new routine so I'm making the most of it now!

[Newtothis2017]

Sounds lovely. Enjoy your cuddles 👍

[statetrooperstacey]

I do this all the time. Sometimes later. Your dd can't tell the time yet, and when she does just tell her it's compressed hours or flexitime

[Wetcappuccino]

I totally get this and think you should enjoy it (manipulation or not!)

[BoraThirch]

A child who will actually sleep late if you keep them up late is surely the holy grail of parenting! Mine are up by 7am regardless of bedtime.

[SomewhatIdiosyncratic]

My DCs are flexible and favour a later shift to the day than average which suits us.

Sometimes DS2 who is a low sleep child looks wide awake at bedtime. We still go through the bedtime routine, but sometimes it's not worth a pointless battle in putting a happy wide awake child to bed so it makes more sense to let him tire out a bit longer.

[Thegiantofillinois]

Dd (5) barely copes after 8ish, but Dd, who's 2 years older, would stay up later than me if I let him-and still be up at 6. I have a low tolerance for chaos, so like them packed off as soon as i can get away with!

[Leonardo44]

Sounds lovely, I would do similar with my 2 year old but unfortunately he doesn't realise sleeping past 6am is a thing

[user1492970817]

Daisychaining,why ever not it's only one evening a week.As long as she has a regular routine the rest of the time as little ones do need their rest. Also a glass of wine helps you unwind,relax and don't be so hard on yourself.

[Bear2014]

This sounds amazing! Crack on, I say, if it works for you. If we did this, DD would still be up by 6 the next day and Sunday would be hellish for all involved.

[ineedwine99]

Sounds really lovely OP, enjoy