If you go to bed early, how do you cope with having a short evening?

[jassixa]

Let’s say by the time you’ve got home, had dinner and finally sat down it’s half 7. How do you manage only have 2.5 hours to unwind before getting ready for bed at say 10, to fall asleep by 10:30?! Especially if you might have a job to do such as an online shop, doing some washing, replying to emails, writing some Christmas cards etc.

I’m currently getting to sleep at about 1. I know it needs to be sooner due to the horrific correlation statistics but I like my evenings!

I am interested in all ideas!

I just fall asleep when I fall asleep. Usually Kate when I have to get up really early. My body clock makes up for it on days off or ridiculously early nights when my body just collapses with exhaustion

Well, WFH helped. I have over one hour between pushing DD out of the door to go to school and me logging in.

I put on the washing no. 2, put dry washing away, put washing no. 1 either on the clothes airer or into the dryer (machine run directly after getting up).

I sometimes go shopping if I don't have a 9am meeting.

Lunchbreaks are for me. I make myself a sandwich, get the book out, surf the internet or even have a nap.

When I finish at 5, I give myself 1/2 hour unless DD needs a lift once a week directly at 5pm. I read, potter around.

Then it's life admin, making shopping lists, talk to my mum and start dinner.

So by 8pm I am doing nothing than relax. There is the odd day I will do something but otherwise you find me with a book and a glass of wine, watching TV, chatting to DH and/or DD.

I have a DH who sorts out practical stuff for the house, does the washing up, brings out the rubbish, takes turns in ferrying DD around.

I normally go to bed around 10pm with my book for another hour.

[quote Thethingswedidanddidntdo]@Nidan2Sandan did you not stay with your kids as they went to sleep?[/quote]
Haha, what?

No, why would I? I think my teenager would look at me like if I tried that.

But even as little kids, kiss, cuddle, quick story. "Night kids, see you tomorrow"
I pop off downstairs and they go to sleep.

Stay with them 🤣🤣🤣🤣

I love getting up before everyone in the mornings to have coffee alone. This means I am exhausted early, I work nights so if I’m not asleep by 10/10:30 I get my second wind and am awake all night. I’m not a tv watcher though so there’s that.

Do the wash while the food is cooking, do the shop once your sat down at 7.30. I sit down way later than that as I'm usually running dc about and I'm in bed by 10. Don't normally have 'an evening.'

Get up at 5.30, start work at 7.30 finish work at 8pm,
Get home for 9 pm. Immediately shower, have a sandwich do the washing up, watch mindless shit on tv go to bed

@Nidan2Sandan I'm glad that worked for you. Many many people do stay with their young children whilst they fall asleep so maybe that helps explain why you are done at 7 ish and others aren't..

Since being single I've started to disappear to bed by 6pm. It's rare for me to be downstairs till 8!
I finish work at 5. Dish up tea. Then it's a quick tidy round and wash up and up to bed to watch tv.
Hate being downstairs.

OP, if I'm lucky, I finally get to 'start unwinding' at around 9.30 after the dinner is made and eaten, DD put to bed, dogs fed and walked, kitchen tidied, other jobs done. By that time I'm pretty bloody knackered tbh and don't really want to stay up until midnight. I usually end up flaked out on the sofa for an hour before dragging myself upstairs so I can some sleep before it all starts all over again at 6.45am. There is always so much to do that I treasure my time in bed when I don't have to be thinking about anyone else's needs. 2.5 hours an evening to relax sounds lovely!

But even as little kids, kiss, cuddle, quick story. "Night kids, see you tomorrow" I pop off downstairs and they go to sleep.

Every night without fail? Mine often want a ton of books read to them or sometimes need to talk through things.

[quote Thethingswedidanddidntdo]@Nidan2Sandan I'm glad that worked for you. Many many people do stay with their young children whilst they fall asleep so maybe that helps explain why you are done at 7 ish and others aren't..[/quote]
Maybe that explains why they need to get bedtimes more organised and their children into a better routine.

@ginnig

But even as little kids, kiss, cuddle, quick story. "Night kids, see you tomorrow" I pop off downstairs and they go to sleep.

Every night without fail? Mine often want a ton of books read to them or sometimes need to talk through things.

No, not without fail. But the vast majority of times for sure.

I worked on a good bedtime routine from when my kids were 10 weeks old and it paid off, although my youngest did breastfeed every 2 hours for 14 months but even so, I was still relaxing between feeds.

They have been great sleepers, early risers, but great sleepers.

I cant imagine why anyone would put a kid upstairs at 7PM and still be up there at 9PM. Young children, babies, SEN understandable but thay isnt what people are saying. They're saying from finishing work in the early evening their jobs and bedtimes are taking HOURS, its madness and martyrdom..

Horses for courses. I am happy to be there for my kids, since they need me. It sounds like yours didn't need you, children are different just like adults are.

I wish I knew. Finish work 6pm and DC home from after-school club at 6.15, make DC dinner and feed DC, chat about the day etc, then 7/7.30pm reading to DC / play a game and then bedtime routine, then tuck in 8.30/9, then make our dinner, eat dinner, then it's already 9.30/10pm. Plus then need to do basic chores like laundry, dishes, sweep, tidy, prepare for next day etc - and any extra chores like an online shop. By then it's coming up for 11pm or later and I'm exhausted and I try to head to bed. Wish I had time to unwind. I really wish I knew where to fit that time in.

I cant imagine why anyone would put a kid upstairs at 7PM and still be up there at 9PM. Young children, babies, SEN understandable but thay isnt what people are saying. They're saying from finishing work in the early evening their jobs and bedtimes are taking HOURS, its madness and martyrdom..

My kids are good sleepers but it was rare for me to put them into bed & be able to walk away a minute later but each to their own.

I dont even do much in the way of cooking and cleaning & I still struggle to fit everything in. I always have stuff I want to do & need to do.

@ginnig

But even as little kids, kiss, cuddle, quick story. "Night kids, see you tomorrow" I pop off downstairs and they go to sleep.

Every night without fail? Mine often want a ton of books read to them or sometimes need to talk through things.

Same here. I read at least two stories to my younger two DC.... often they drift off within five minutes. But sometimes it takes longer so I sing to them as I lie beside them. I cherish this quiet time with them.

Kids in bed at 7 and I'm in bed by 8 and asleep at 9.

Up at 6..

I like my sleep and have no life 😂