To expect my DD nearly 7, to sleep 11 hours per night?

[karise]

DD's sleeping habits have been getting shorter and shorter. They always do over the summer (presumably light issues but she already has blinds & blackout curtains!). She is sent to bed at 7.30 but hasn't been to sleep before 9 for weeks & is still up at 7 (sometimes 6) in the morning!
AIBU expecting her to sleep for longer or have I been lulled into a false sense of security that up until recently she always slept longer than her peers?

[bigTillyMint]

I think they all sleep less in the summer, unfortunately!

Mine vary between 10 and 11 hours generally, but we have a routine that includes at least half an hour reading alone after bath and story, which gives us longer in the evening in peace

[Reallytired]

I think you are being unrealistic. I would encourage her to play in her own room. My son is seven years old and he falls asleep about 9.30pm and is awake about 7am.

Some people just need less sleep. Provided she is alert and awake for school then she is probably getting enough sleep.

[Mintyy]

Mine does 8.30pm to 7.30am. So 10 hours. I think 7.30pm is quite early for a 7 year old to go to bed tbh.

[Buda]

DS has never needed the same amount of sleep as his peers. He is also 7 and goes to sleep around 9/9.30 and is awake around 7.

So yes YABU! She obv doesn't need as much sleep right now.

[GreenMonkies]

Neither of mine sleep for longer than 10 hours in a stretch, summer or winter. They are nearly 3 and nearly 6, never have slept 12 hours and I doubt they will until they are teenagers and then I'll be shouting at them to get up!!!

[bigTillyMint]

Mintyy, it depends what time you have to be up in the morning - mine want to see DH before he goes to work, so they get up between 6.30 and 7. So lights out is generally at 8, unless they are at their clubs or we're out.

[OrangeFish]

Sigh of relief at reading this thread. It seems all my friends' children (6-9 years old) are happily snoring in their beds at 7:15. Mine won't even if I put him in bed at 7:00 he will be doing things in his room until 9:30.

Sometimes I wonder if we are trying to impose baby sleeping habits in children who no longer need that much sleep.

[ThePellyandMe]

DS1 is nearly 7 and although he goes upstairs to read at 7.30 he doesn't go to bed until at least 8.30 and is often not asleep until 9pm.

He normally is woken up at 7am, although on the weekend he will sleep later.

I've given up trying to get him to sleep earlier, he just can't.

[karise]

Thanks all- I never have been very good at working these things out for myself! Always relied on Gina Ford TBH
There is such a wealth of information out there for the younger kids. Shame there is so little for us mums of older ones too

[mankyscotslass]

DS1 is 7. He is usually in bed by 8, lights out 8.30. He gets up at 6 usually.

My friends Ds of same age need to be dragged out of bed at 8.15 to get ready for school.

[katiestar]

My DD is 7 and normally needs 9.5 hours sleep.

[audreyraines]

my 2 year old goes to bed around 8pm, but lately not falling asleep until 9pm. i do think it might be this summery weather. he sleeps about 10 hours until 7am. i too am envious of those '12 hour' kids.

[nessus]

YANBU but you need to chill and not stress yourself (and your little madam out)

DD is 8.5 and will happily snooze for 11hrs if left alone. When she was 7 she was going to bed an hour earlier so getting 12+hrs

Whereas a school friend doesn't go to bed until 9.30 (which I admit I did find shocking but hey I don't get out much as you can tell ) but the child in question is fine with this so obviously just needs less sleep than my child. Different kids, different body-clocks!

[Hulababy]

Is she tired and grumpy during the day?

She may simply not need 11 hours sleep. Many people don;t need as mcuch sleep.

My DD (7y1m) rarely has 11 hours. She just doesn't need it. She goes up to bed around 8 o'clock and she will read or listen to a story CD in her bed. They has a nihtloght thing by her bed and simply turns it ff when she is tired. Every so often DD will then have an etra long sleep of about 12 hours.

My little sister was always dreadful for it. She probably slept for about 8-9 hours a night at that age. She simply did not need anymore. Her behaviour, etc were not affected.

[Buda]

Hulababy - I posted on your Disney hotel thread.

Sorry for hijack Karise!

[GentlyDidIt]

Have just had this conversation with my DD's educational psychologist this morning! She is 6.5 and we put her to bed around 7:30pm - 8pm. This summer she has farted about (quietly!) in her room until 9-10pm most nights, and right up to midnight a couple of times over half term. She still wakes up between 6 and 6:30am regardless.

Ed psych said that 9 hours' sleep at this stage is plenty, some kids just need more than others. She's not tired or grumpy in the daytime.

I think I have just got to accept that the days of a still, quiet house from 8pm are drawing to a close for our family! It's hard to let go of that when the battle to get bedtime & sleeping through sorted was so hard-won 5 short years ago...

[TrinityRhino]

dd1 is 9 and goes to bed at 7.30 and wakes at 7am

she seems to need it

sounds like your dd doesn't

[bruffin]

My DS has only just managed sleeping 11 hours at a stretch since he hit puberty

[karise]

Must get into a different mindset me thinks!
nessuus- you are a mindreader! I will begrudgingly accept that you are right about my stress levels- I just need to accept it don't I

[listenglisten]

My dc are usually asleep by 8pm and always awake by 6-6.30 at the latest. My ds who is 7 has always been like this and I just think he needs less sleep than other children.

[BonsoirAnna]

I think you are probably being unrealistic. 7.30 is a very early bed time for a 7 year old!

[bigTillyMint]

I agree that children need different amounts of sleep, but they all do benefit from some quiet time on their own (and so do we!) Reading in bed is great for that, and it's educational!

Mine can manage for some nights on 10 hours max, but then DD gets totally knackered and grumpy and needs an earlier night at least once a week.

[Othersideofthechannel]

Do 7 yr olds need less sleep than teenagers?

I used to go to bed at 7.30 or 8 pm and sleep 11 and a half to 12 hours when I was 14.

I can't remember my sleeping habits when I was 7.

[loobylu3]

My daughter on nearly 7 has always needed less sleep than average. I settle her in her bed/ bedroom around 8pm but she usually reads/ plays quietly until 9pm or so. Recently, she hasn't actually gone to sleep until 10p. She is up at 7-7.30am is is perfectly happy and has more energy than I do! So, as long as she is happy and not tire, definitely YABU.