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AIBU?

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Young kids out late

94 replies

Mamabear04 · 19/06/2024 20:37

To be honest I'm just wondering how it's possible for young kids under 5 to stay out late. Every time I go out to a restaurant or even just on the bus I think to myself, "how do OP do it?" I have a 4 year old and a 2 year old and don't think they could handle being out past 6.30pm, I think they would just have a meltdown out of tiredness. Is it a cultural thing? Am I missing something?

OP posts:
DinaofCloud9 · 19/06/2024 23:15

DrCoconut · 19/06/2024 22:38

It's the early starts some people have that get me. I can't imagine having a child up at 5 or 6 in the morning every day. It would destroy me and the kids. None of us are morning people at our house.

Same. I'd be a wreck getting up early every morning.

bananaphon · 19/06/2024 23:14

I get home at about 6pm most nights. DS (4) isn't in bed until 8, he sleeps through until the morning and doesn't have a meltdown if we are up a bit later. We stay up a little later at weekends. I'd hate to be awake at the crack of dawn and we have work every day.

JurassicClark · 19/06/2024 23:11

Before 8pm and I’d be facing a very bouncy small person at 4:30am. No thanks!

OnAndOnAndonAgain · 19/06/2024 23:11

Oh and all my 4 were up at 5 at that age, it wasn't until teen years that they started to sleep in. My youngest is 11 and is still up before 6

Dramatic · 19/06/2024 23:09

DrCoconut · 19/06/2024 22:38

It's the early starts some people have that get me. I can't imagine having a child up at 5 or 6 in the morning every day. It would destroy me and the kids. None of us are morning people at our house.

Yeah same, anything before 7am on a weekday or 8 on a weekend is a no go in our house.

OnAndOnAndonAgain · 19/06/2024 23:09

Children are all different obviously, I did 12 hour shifts as a single parent from when my 2nd was 2 , obviously we weren't going out for late meals but I didn't finish until 7.30 so he didn't get home until nearly 8

I've never had really good sleepers though so that might have something to do with it

We are all night owls

Dramatic · 19/06/2024 23:07

All 4 of my kids take after me and are night owls. From a very young age they could easily stay up a few hours after bedtime. In fact I don't think any of them have missed seeing the new year in since they were about 2.

TwattyMcFuckFace · 19/06/2024 23:03

Mamabear04 · 19/06/2024 23:00

Not 6.30pm bedtime but by that time they are both tired and prone to big emotions!

Some kids don't get home from the childminder until that time.

My 3 used to go to bed about 8pm and fall asleep about 8.30 from toddler to about year 6.

Mamabear04 · 19/06/2024 23:00

Not 6.30pm bedtime but by that time they are both tired and prone to big emotions!

OP posts:
JingsMahBucket · 19/06/2024 22:42

6:30pm is barely dinner time. That’s really early for a bedtime.

saoirse31 · 19/06/2024 22:39

6.30 for a four year old??? Serms crazily early for any and every four year old ive known

DrCoconut · 19/06/2024 22:38

It's the early starts some people have that get me. I can't imagine having a child up at 5 or 6 in the morning every day. It would destroy me and the kids. None of us are morning people at our house.

whoateallthecookies · 19/06/2024 22:36

At 2 DD slept for 9 hours at night and 2 hours in the day, which is within the realms of normal for that age according to the NHS. I preferred to sleep 11-8, so she did too - if I'd put her to bed at 7, she'd have been up at 4, which would have been awful for all of us

Posithor · 19/06/2024 22:24

We go out for meals regularly with my 2&4 year old. On the whole they go to bed between 7-7.30pm but if we go out it might be 8-8.30 🤷🏼‍♀️
...if they're at my in-laws it might be 11pm but we'll gloss over that 😂

purpleme12 · 19/06/2024 20:49

I didn't let mine stay up on a regular basis or anything but yes she'd be fine if we were out late for some reason

Somerandomgirl · 19/06/2024 20:47

Some people just never change even after having kids i guess, they were always out before so they do it now with the kids cause noone to watch them... up all night sleep all day... but poor kids when they start school...

Vettrianofan · 19/06/2024 20:41

I have neighbours who have their 3yo up till after 10pm regularly. I have also wondered why. You can hear her whining away. Needs her bed.

Eileen101 · 19/06/2024 20:41

YANBU. Mine are 6 and 4 and I take the same approach - my eldest has a body clock that is 'early to bed, early to rise'. He sticks to that religiously, even if I keep them up late on a family holiday.
I can't imagine having mine out late on a regular basis. The tiredness and grumps just wouldn't make it worth it.

Marblessolveeverything · 19/06/2024 20:40

Mine never went to bed that early I do be surprised at the bed times wrote on here a lot of times in UK.