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Original poster

Year 6 bedtime?!

58 replies

bumblebee1987 · 23/02/2024 23:02

Constant argument in my house about what is an appropriate bedtime for my son who has just turned 11 and is in year 6.

My son is adamant that all of his friends don't have a bedtime and can go to bed whenever they want. I am adamant this isn't true!

So I have said I will ask here for the general consensus! Hoping this will stop the arguments!

What time do your year 6 children go to bed on weekends and weekdays?

OP posts:
Himawarigirl · 23/02/2024 23:08

My dd goes upstairs at 9, probably reads until 9:30.

BakingQueen14 · 23/02/2024 23:10

I have a year 5 who says the same thing. On weekdays we come up at 9pm and lights out at 10, weekends it's nearer 11pm. I think this is too late but it's just not worth the argument trying to get him in bed before me. I know he reads/draws etc in his room long after I go to sleep usually around 10. Most of his friends also have phones which I won't allow and no parental controls on devices supposedly. Most of the time I feel like I'm the only person trying to limit anything.

FizzyWizzyBubbles · 23/02/2024 23:11

School nights 9pm
Weekends, holidays no set time. We judge on how tired they are or what our plans are the following day. Generally 10ish we say to go up.

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TCMcK · 23/02/2024 23:12

He goes to bed on a weekday at 8.30 & reads until 9. We don’t really have a set in stone routine at the weekend but I’m very interested to hear what other people do. He always complains that his friends go to bed later but he struggles to get out of bed in the morning for school so he isn’t going to bed any later!

hidethexylophone · 23/02/2024 23:16

9pm here too, but he often then reads in his room for half an hour or so. No set bedtimes on a weekend, depends what we're doing, but usually around 10ish.

I'd like him to go to bed a little earlier as he has an early start from school and is a nightmare to get up in the morning, but he is very resistant and it's not worth the battle. He does sleep in on weekend mornings unless he has an early sports fixture.

Usernamewassavedsuccessfully · 23/02/2024 23:16

When mine was y6 it was 9pm on weeknights, about 10 on weekends. We've had a huge issue in school with dreadful things on social media from y5 and 6 kids and from the time stamps on their posts I can attest to the fact some are absolutely up all hours.

Anobody1 · 23/02/2024 23:20

Same boat here. Aim for 9 but it’s usually more like 9:30. He can read or draws for a bit..but is usually asleep by 10. I’d prefer he went to sleep earlier as he’s always tired in the morning. Holidays and Saturdays he can stay up later to watch tv. Strictly no phones in room at night.

fuckityfuckityfuckfuck · 23/02/2024 23:22

8pm here but we're up very early in the mornings.

Original poster
bumblebee1987 · 23/02/2024 23:24

This is all very reassuring! It seems I am pretty much on the same page as everyone else! We try for 9:30pm on weekdays and around 11 at weekends, but we just have constant arguments about it. That and the fact that he has restrictions on his phone/tablet etc, and he says he's the only one, which just cannot be true either!

He has always had sleep issues and takes medication for it (not that it really helps unfortunately), and one night over half term we got fed up with the arguing and said he could go to sleep when he wanted. I am not exaggerating, he was awake for 28 hours straight. We thought maybe he would learn how much we actually need sleep, but it has had the opposite effect and he seems to think it has proved that he is fine without it 🤦🏻‍♀️ He didn't have access to his phone or tablet or anything, I have no idea how he stayed awake for so long!

OP posts:
ExhaustedPigeon · 23/02/2024 23:26

My daughter goes to bed 8.30-9 weekdays and weekends. If we're busy it will be later but generally she needs her sleep!

Mindovermatter247 · 23/02/2024 23:26

Dd11 goes to bed at 9 in the weekdays, probably actually falls asleep about 9.30. And the weeken it’s about 10/10.30

RomainesToBeSeen · 23/02/2024 23:31

In Y6 DC were in bed with lights out by 9pm. No phones/devices upstairs. They might go up earlier and read.

We were/are pretty consistent with bedtimes on school nights and still believe that good sleep for DC is important. Much more relaxed during holidays.

DelurkingAJ · 23/02/2024 23:33

In bed for 8 unless he has activities. Dead to the world by 8:30. I’d probably tell him to turn off his light by 9. (Up before 6…always been a lark).

farfallarocks · 23/02/2024 23:37

8-830 here , lots of complaints but she needs down time! Staggered by 930/10 aren’t they exhausted?

3WildOnes · 23/02/2024 23:38

Devices off at 7.30, upstairs by 8. Can read until 8.30. Half an hour later on weekends. Can stay up til 10 if friends staying over.

terriblyangryattimes · 23/02/2024 23:41

Gosh - 7pm weekdays here unless one of the kids has a club (scouts etc) that finishes at or after that time. They can read for an hour in their room once they're in bed (kids are yr 6 and yr 4)

I do realise now 7pm is incredibly early... But one of them is up at the crack of dawn regardless of when they go to bed so might as well get the sleep in.

DiscoBeat · 23/02/2024 23:41

Ours were off to bed at 9 but would read for a bit before lights out. DS16 now does his own thing but he's pretty good about getting sleep. Just needs a gentle reminder sometimes.

terriblyangryattimes · 23/02/2024 23:43

Also we have screen time limits too.
1 hour a day on phone a tablet weekdays for yr6 child. Self limited at weekends around chores and other activities

terriblyangryattimes · 23/02/2024 23:43

And only WhatsApp so we can check it each day. No Snapchat, tiktok etc

FlamingoYellow · 23/02/2024 23:46

farfallarocks · 23/02/2024 23:37

8-830 here , lots of complaints but she needs down time! Staggered by 930/10 aren’t they exhausted?

It probably depends on what time they get up in the morning (and how much sleep they need!) My 10 year old usually falls asleep at around 9.30pm but he's not up until 7.

NuttyGinge · 23/02/2024 23:47

I have the same issue for year 6.
school nights in bed for 9.15 read for 15-30 mins. Weekends tend to be between 10-11 and this is later than I would like, but it tends to be her friends all stay up much later, so there is plenty of comments that she has to go to bed too early compared to her friends.

Monkeybutt1 · 23/02/2024 23:47

DS is year 6 bit one of the older ones, he's 12 in September.
He goes up at 8.30, reads until 9 and is usually asleep by 9.15. Same on a weekend as he has football both mornings.
School holidays he is up until 9 then goes to bed and no reading

Sleepovers all bets are off
All kids are different same as all adults are, some need more sleep.

Original poster
bumblebee1987 · 23/02/2024 23:54

farfallarocks · 23/02/2024 23:37

8-830 here , lots of complaints but she needs down time! Staggered by 930/10 aren’t they exhausted?

ADHD means that I don't think we have ever seen a sniff of exhaustion in our son, he's like a Duracell bunny 🤦🏻‍♀️😂 We have to work so hard to force sleep because regardless of him not feeling tired, he needs sleep even if he thinks he doesn't! He doesn't usually get up until 8am though, which I think is probably a late start compared to many.

OP posts:
hawtrain · 23/02/2024 23:57

10pm here. She doesn't even get home until 9pm on some nights with extracurriculars.

Impatientwino · 23/02/2024 23:57

DS who has DCD (formally known as dyspraxia) and some ASD traits (under assessment) is 11 nearly 12 and is in y7 now. When he was in y6 it was 8.30 ish for teeth, toilet and into bed and it takes him a while to wind down, toss and turn etc and now it's 9pm same routine. Weekends about an hour later usually. He protests a little because friends have no bedtime blah blah but he does. Not. Sleep. In. Ever.

He is up without fail every day 6.50-7.05 with no alarm irrespective of what time he's gone to bed. Very occasionally he'll sleep until 7.30 on the weekend if he's had a later night and thinks that is a massive lie in that should be rewarded by a medal or something! He needs at least 9 hours sleep at that age so I won't allow him to 'bully' us with this.

I do point out that his mates who have no bedtime and can do what they like are also finding it much harder to get up for school and be there on time consistently now they are more responsible for their own morning routine/journey at secondary school and maybe being in bed at a time that is right for him might help with being ready for school and avoiding detentions. We also say to him that he will find this the whole way through his teens, our 'rules' or way of doing things and way of life are going to be different to another family and thats ok!
!