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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to let my children stay up until they fall asleep on their own?

50 replies

PavlovtheCat · 19/07/2012 21:05

Aged just 6 and 2.5. They are currently playing dressing up/make beleive and have just been to India and now are off to Paris. DS has their baby in the pushchair and DD is the mum, with the hat and scarf, and is reading the 'map' as they want to see some sights. They are loving their adventure.

If I put them to bed, it will be tears and crying and it will take ages. If I wait til they ask for bed, it will probably be around the same time.

DD has school tomorrow but it is the last day. DS has no nursery and I am not at work. DH is working for the millionth night in a row tonight and again at 8am tomorrow and we have to all get up and take him to work.

I always put them to bed and it is always a battle. I am tired from tramadol taken for my back problem, have been on the go all day and am quite enjoying them playing with no tv or films or noise.

AIBU to keep them up so late and have intention of putting them to bed until they either start getting grumpy or fall asleep themselves?

OP posts:

nethunsreject · 19/07/2012 21:07

Yanbu. Souns sensible to me.

JennerOSity · 19/07/2012 21:07

Sounds fine to me. Wouldn't want to make a habit of it as routine is good for you and your ability to get an evening to yourself, but once in a blue moon won't hurt. You can always pop them in the car in their jammies with a slice of toast while they wake up in the morning when you take DH to work.

Hope your back gets better soon. :)

JennerOSity · 19/07/2012 21:08

Don't think I could resist the map and seeing the sights myself either.

OhDoAdmitMrsDeVere · 19/07/2012 21:08

Your kids, its up to you.
If you do want a bedtime routine and you have been struggling, it will probably set you back a bit though.

If you are feeling rubbish it might be easier to put them to bed now rather than wait until they are really ratty and you are feeling even worse.

I dont think there is anything wrong in letting them stay up. Personally when I am feeling crap I bite the bullet and get them settled. I cant relax otherwise.

EdithWeston · 19/07/2012 21:08

One day, if they recognise it as a treat, will do no harm.

But are you really up for this every night?

K999 · 19/07/2012 21:08

Leave them to it....they sound like they're having great fun! I do this quite a lot tbh. Dd2 (5) is still up playing with her dolls house.

Meglet · 19/07/2012 21:09

Let themselves play themselves out. I'm a meanie routine queen most of the time but on high days and holidays I don't stop them playing if they are being lovely and having fun.

thistlemuncher · 19/07/2012 21:10

Yanbu. Same here. DS is 2.5 too. Have given up battles, so long as he plays quietly in his room. What else am I supposed to do? Drug him? Hope they sleep late tomorrow!

WestYorkshirePudding · 19/07/2012 21:10

Definitely leave them to it - for the odd night.

Every night? No way.

Handsfullandinamuckingfuddle · 19/07/2012 21:11

If it works for you it is not a problem

Handsfullandinamuckingfuddle · 19/07/2012 21:13

Your dc sound like great fun btw

Needstotidyup · 19/07/2012 21:13

Let them play. They can't tell the time yet anyway so unless you highlight the fact it's later than usual they won't know.

MorrisZapp · 19/07/2012 21:14

Tell us more about the tramadol?

Sirzy · 19/07/2012 21:14

What mrsdevere said - I value having some of the evening to relax too, especially if I am feeling bad if I don't get that I tend to feel worse the next day.

I would be more inclined to leave them to it if you didn't all have to be up and out for school/work drop off in the morning.

littlemisssarcastic · 19/07/2012 21:14

Once in a blue moon - yes
Every night - No

Is this a one off OP? Or something that happens regularly?

Noqontrol · 19/07/2012 21:15

Oh I do this sometimes, well not so much with my 2 yr. old but occasionally with my 4 yr. old. Don't think it matters the odd time. Bonus is my dd sleeps in late when she goes to bed later.

Sirzy · 19/07/2012 21:15

Morris tramadol is great but I haven't been able to take it since having DS as it has a tendancy to knock me out which isn't good with a toddler around!

drcrab · 19/07/2012 21:16

Maybe you can tell them '5 more minutes! Then teeth and bed!' and set your clock timer for that time and let it ring? Or say that it's time to land the plane so they need to stop?!

My kids ordinarily don't sleep till late and I've had this for 4 years. They now sleep pretty early (for various reasons) and its brilliant! I now know what my other friends enjoy!!!

But no it's fine if you are fine with it.

Original poster

PavlovtheCat · 19/07/2012 21:17

mrsDevere normally I am keen to get them into bed no matter how tough I find it. They are usually good, but DS has just started to drop his naps, but not always so he often falls asleep in the car home from the school run and then wont sleep for ages. Then DD gets upset that he stays up and she doesn't as she is older and although I don't give in, its all a bit fractious. I can't fight DS into bed easily at the moment on my own. And DH has had an abnormally long run of evenings so we would give each other a break and now he cant do that, so I am worn out, tired and in pain, and they feed off it.

Normally I quite like some peace and quiet to myself, but tonight they are not melting down, they are being so lovely (now going to the Queen's Party, and DD has dressed DS up as a 'prince') and it actually nice and relaxed. I am quite loath to disturb them! And they must quite like not having a stressy mum!

Oh I wont do it every night. Some nights I simply cannot wait for them to be asleep much as I love them!

OP posts:

Original poster

PavlovtheCat · 19/07/2012 21:18

littlemiss oh a one off! normally bed time is meant to be 7:30pm-8pm. Although DS was in bed at 7:10pm last night due to no nap. That made a change, I had them both asleep by 7:30pm, unheard of

OP posts:

ThePigOnTheWall · 19/07/2012 21:21

I think you're just storing a problem up for yourself in the morning / tomorrow to be honest

Original poster

PavlovtheCat · 19/07/2012 21:22

morris it is a strong synthetic opiate based painkiller along the lines of codeine. Not sure if it is stronger than codeine or not, but I have always been under the impression it is, however it seems not as I have just swapped from one to the other a few days ago so not on a stupidly high dose. It is nice like diazepam but leaves me sleepy, although weirdly I can't sleep well in it!

OP posts:

MammaTJ · 19/07/2012 21:23

I would want to be included in the adventure. I love adventures. Once, when I thought we were in an ordinary taxi, my DS corrected me and told me how lovely it was flying above the trees. He told me in great detail what we could see through the windows.

I am a -complete and utter bitch bit strict about bed times, but should my little darlings ever decide to play nicely like that, I would let them stay up!!

NoComet · 19/07/2012 21:23

YANBU
I never worried about bed time on nice summer evenings, we get so few.

MammaTJ · 19/07/2012 21:24

Tramadol is stronger than codeine! I can't take it

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