To think that kids knocking to play out at 7-8 pm on a week night

[laptopdancer]

is a bit . Its too late isnt it? Or am I a bit PFB in having my 7 year old in bedtime mode by 7 and in bed (and mostly asleep) by 7.30??

Primary aged kids. Year 2-4.

Ours went to bed at 9pm as we get up at 8am. I just lowered it to 8pm as they mess around chatting for an hour before sleep. no way should kids that age be in the streets playing at that time imo.

we had a knocker here afer 8 one friday and DS1 (7 then) was in bed (al be it my bed watchinf the friday night film).

It was a Friday so no school the next day but I still thought ti was a touch late so YANBU

The next day I told ds that this boy had called around for him so DS went off to call on him (10.30am) on his first ever door knock to be told the boy was still in bed. Ds was as amazed as theboy had been at the bed occupation at these differing times!

He's made other friends now who seem to be in similar sleep cycles, hoever there is no door knocking they just loiter outside each others houses in the hope the other will come out

I think you all need to count yourselves lucky you didn't grow up in my town in the west of Ireland, if you think 7-8 pm is late to play out!
In summer time, there were kids as young as 3 out until 10.30-11 p.m. when it got dark . Yes, on school nights! We were allowed to stay up until then, if we wanted to, (IME Ireland doesn't go in for bedtime in the same way as the UK) but I had to be in by 8 p.m. until I was 8 and 9 p.m. when I was 9/10. (Although I think my younger sister and brother were allowed out later when they were the same ages!)
My DS is 9 and is always in by 7.30 p.m., unless it's an organised activity. He goes to bed at 8.30-9 p.m. and anywhere between 8.30 and 10 p.m. at weekends, so I'm obviously slightly stricter about bedtime than my parents were!

I am not suggesting that all children should go to bed late and sleep late, but just as some children won't sleep till 8am, has it occurred to you that some children won't sleep before 9pm?

I spent months trying to put dd to bed at 7.30pm but she simply would not sleep until 8.30-9.00. Deeply frustrating for her and for me, so eventually gave up trying. She is well rested, and always gets to school on time, so I don't see an issue.

Obviously, in areas where kids have long journeys to school, getting up at 8am wouldn't be an option, but few people round here live more than a five-minute walk from school. How long do they need in the morning, really?

And sorry, but I do think people can be very sanctimonious about this issue. So many people state in absolute terms that 8.30pm or whatever is "too late", without any consideration for different circumstances or individual needs. It may well be too late for your children, but it works very well for mine.

YANBU
My little darlings might be playing in the garden till 9 on a nice summers evening or they might be having baths and doing their reading.
What i didn't want was the girl from down the road was not appearing after 7pm and assuming it was convenient.

Whether it is to late for some children or not it is to late to be knocking for children unless parents have arranged for it.

In the same way you wouldn't let your early riser knock for a friend a 7am you shouldn't let your later bed time child knock for someone at 7pm.

Grrr even though the little darling has moved, she still gets in my brain

She didn't have much family support and was bored to tears, I felt very sorry for her, but she was always coming round at very inconvenient times.

My DS often won't get up until 8 or even 8.10 a.m. btw, but we are still out the door by 8.35 a.m. Funnily enough, he is usually a slow eater, but he has always been quick with breakfast. So for us, 20 minutes in the morning is just about enough.

We have a 5 minute journey to school and we'd be in dire straits if my kids starting getting up at 8. Breakfast + getting dressed + brushing teeth + sorting backpacks + getting shoes/coat on takes a long time here, we work best with about an hour - which is why I'm pretty strict about 7.30 bedtime.

Whether it is to late for some children or not it is to late to be knocking for children unless parents have arranged for it.

Yes, I agree with this, and already said upthread that the OP is NBU. I just get irritated by the posters who insist that all children of a certain age should be in bed by a specified time.

Fair enough, saski - my dd is quite efficient in the morning, and doesn't need more than around 25 minutes to get ready. School starts at 8.55 so we leave at 8.45 to arrive 5 minutes early. So getting up at 8am allows ample time. :)

Depends on the child - DD was still at Brownies until 8, so by the time she gets home, supper, ready for bed, then it is more like 8.30 / 8.45 before she's in bed.

My 9 year old is in bed at 7 or 7.30 but thats what he needs.

I suggest you send your kids round to knock up thiers at 6.30am!

YANBU. My two (8 and nearly 5) go up at 7pm for stories. The youngest is in bed with lights out by 7.30. The eldest is in bed reading to himself by 8pm with lights out by 9pm. The same applies at the weekend.

I am always shocked by the amount of people taking young children out to Tesco at 9 or 10pm on a school night!

I would probably have thought it was ok - particularly when the clocks have just gone forward.....my 1 year old goes to bed at 8:30.......although I guess that will get earlier in the future when his days are busier with nursery/school

DD is 10.5 and at 1930 she in her bath and by 2000hrs in bed with me or OH reading together then a dvd on til 2100hrs (or if she begs and OH relents 2130)

Any later and its not DD giving a hug good morning but the creature from the black lagoon rofl

She is in from playing 1700hrs for her tea and if she has homework its done first

Willow, have you not thought that might be the only time they can do their shopping?

I should stay out of this, anyway ... I love seeing Spanish DC in restaurants of an evening, have always been a late sleeper (both ends, unfortunately) and played out until about 9pm as a child, if it was light.

The children round here play together outside but are all indoors by half past seven :)

I think its too late to be knocking on people's doors or playing out. As I said earlier , they should be winding down at that time. My own son used to be in bed 7.30 - 8.00, but he would (and still does) read for at least an hour before going to sleep.

And I think the neighbours could do with a rest from children shouting and yelling at that time as well.

I think there is no right or wrong answer here. I prefer my children sleeping 9-7 rather than 7-5 like other families that I know. I see lots of children's activities ending at 8:00-8:30 ish on weeknights like swimming and Beavers. Those children must be in bed like at 9 or later.

I have a 11, 9 and 5 year old. The 11 and 9 year olds go to bed at 8 and read until 9, the 5 year old goes to bed at 8 and falls asleep about 20 minutes later. When dc1 was 5 he needed 11 hours so slept 8-7 but dc2 and dc3 are fine on 9-10 hours so 9-7 has become routine.

The time that my children can play out depends on what time it gets dark. It was 4:30pm a few months ago.

what time do your children head off for school? We walk out the door, well.....NOW

Blimey! There's no chance my 9 year old would be in bed by 7.30!

But she wouldn't be knocking on doors at that time, no.

We leave for school at 8.45am. Could still make it on time if we left at 8.50 as it starts at 8.55, but I like to allow plenty of time.

Mine come in At 7.30 week nights in term time, and are in bed (usually fast asleep due to all the playing) for 8. They bounce out of bed of their own accord between 6.30 and 6.45 so are clearly getting enough sleep. I am more relaxed in the holidays though and they stay out till 9Pm/till its getting dark

Mine wakes early whether or not he goes to be late.