DD has put forth the opinion that her bedtime is too early.

[MonkeyToesOfDoom]

She's 7 years old and has just gone up to year 3.
She said to me
"I really do think my bed time is altogether too early"
She said it in an old fashioned voice like one of the Railway Children...
She insists that 9pm would be a better bed time.
I ask MN, should anyone reply, what is her bed time?

She gets up at 8am and is no trouble in a morning at all. Her current bedtime is 8ish usually after teeth cleaning, changing PJ's, story and such it's around 8.30pm. Should i put it back to 9pm.

DS is almost 7.

He goes to bed at 8pm, but is allowed to use his kindle (no internet connection) and has access to books.

If he doesn't fall asleep reading, it's lights out at 09:30pm.

@Dutchesss

She'll be up, wee, downstairs for breakfast by 8.05. breakfast done and upstairs to do teeth and change and she's back down by 8.30. brushes her hair, puts her shoes on, wipes them if they need it. Gets her water bottle sorts and her book bag and is waiting near the front door by 8.40. Where did you get this child from and how do I buy one?

She's just incredibly independant. Once she learns to do something, she'll refuse any help offered and just tell you she can do it thank you very much.

I think it depends on the child tbh. My eldest (8) goes up at 7.30 at latest,has a read and asleep by 8.30 at latest - sleeps til after 7am.

NHS website says 10hrs 30 mins for a seven year old so that would fine for a 7year old, especially as she sleeps quite late in the morning.

I have just let my ds go to bed at 9pm & he is 12 tomorrow. Ok during lockdown it was different as we started at 10am instead of leaving for school at 8am. Personally, having been a yr3 teacher, most 7yr olds I taught didn’t go to bed at 9pm. Most went between 7 & 8:30pm. If I was having to wake my ds up for school every day I would think he was going to bed too late.

Only on MN do teenagers trot off to bed at 8.30/9! Do these teenagers get a say in this?
My DD15 is out until 9/9.30 bed by 10.30, later at weekends.

I also think the fact you have to wake her means she is going to sleep too late.

If I was having to wake my ds up for school every day I would think he was going to bed too late.

Interesting, if I wasnt waking up DD I'd think she was going to bed too early.

When was a seven year old a teenager?

@mbosnz
Not OP, other pp mentioning very early to end teens.

*bed

This is great

Perhaps you might tell her how proud of her you are, and how sensible and responsible she is to negotiate in such a grown-up way.

My 8 almost 9 year old goes up at 7/7.15 with his 3yo brother
His light is off 8.15
He’s usually up 7ish
Needs to be out of house 8.20

He has football Monday and Fridays which means often closer to 8.30 but when that happens he always says he’s tired and ready for it

Try it on Friday and Saturday nights, waking her up at her usual time. If she doesn't seem too tired/grumpy, then maybe consider putting the time back in the week. But the 9pm needs to be lights out time, not start getting ready for bed time.

@SBTLove - no, my teenager doesn't get a say in this. When he can show that a) he doesn't need the sleep and b) that he is capable of self regulating this he can have a say in it. Just like I make decisions for him about food choices/ phone use/ internet/ doing homework based on what he needs rather than wants

@easythatsfragile

This is great

Perhaps you might tell her how proud of her you are, and how sensible and responsible she is to negotiate in such a grown-up way.

I tell her that everyday, because I am immensely proud of her. Her reports are always outstanding. Her homework is always done eagerly and on time. She works so hard at maths and is amazing at English. She wants to be a teacher when she's grown up, a primary school teacher.

I may be slightly biased but she's pretty amazing..

I wouldn't have said her bed time is too early if you're having to wake her in the mornings...surely that suggests she needs more sleep, not less?

She’s only 7 needs her sleep
Plenty of time later to negotiate

@MonkeyToesOfDoom

Well shes in bed. After her dancing and pirouetting about the bedroom to show me how very not tired she is at 8.30. I've told her she can lie and read until 9pm and dig out her old camping torch..

I think that satisfies her for now. But, I also think she's starting to learn that being nice and a just a little bit cute is a way to get grown ups to do her bidding...

I think this is a good compromise TI Go to bed at 8.30pm and lights out 9pm after reading

It's good for DD to learn to polite negotiation - a useful life skill and far better than tantrums to get her own way. I'd encourage this!

If she has any problems getting up the next morning, it goes to 8.45pm and back to 8.30pm the following time & equally can go later 10 or 15mins

She'll enjoy having consequences and choices that she is in charge of

God no - in bed the earlier the better! For parents and kids.

If defintely let her up later op, some oddly early nights on here.

Compromise at 8,30 lights out at nine, sometimes you’ve got to pick your battles and sometimes they need to win,

Interesting, if I wasnt waking up DD I'd think she was going to bed too early

Me too. They wake up too early when they go to bed too early.

She sounds like a reasonable wee thing.

Offer her a trial period. One week to see how she handles it.

@CMOTDibbler
How will he ever learn if you make all his choices? he’s your child not a prisoner! You have to let them make mistakes.
What age is he?