To think that children as young as five

[MammaTJ]

should not be running around the streets at this time of night!!

That is all really. Load of kids making a racket outside my house. DD age 6 and DS age 5 in bed, sound asleep. Why are the running around?

If the weather is nice and kids are out playing I don't keep my eye on the clock. It's the holidays. Plus it means (in my case) they sleep longer in the morning.....

My children used to play out until late on summer nights, there was many a game of rounders on the green until it got dark.

Aint that the truth English

That was in the middle of a council estate too.

I have to go to bed at 9pm whether its sunny or not or I won't get up for work at 5am!!! Nothing miserable about it just common sense

MammaTJ, YADNBU. I have a five year old, and he's safely tucked up in bed by 7.30pm, not 9.30 going on 10.
Just because it's the school holidays and light, what difference does that make? He'll still need his sleep regardless of whether he's at school or not.
Then people wonder why they have restless kids who won't settle when it's bedtime. Probably because they don't have a rigid bedtime set in place, and can go whenever, that's why....

Fred- yep but in my memory it is long summer days, fitting so much in by simply exploring etc that a day stretched for hours! by the time my dc come in theyre usually shattered anyway.

Luckily most of my neighbours seem to do similar with their dc so not a problem for me (although the bastard and his drill next door are). My dc are happy so I'm happy.

Couthy some kids don't want to be forced to 'spend' all their free time with their parents.

Some kids enjoy an independent social life as well as family time.

CouthyMow, whatever makes you think they want me around to spoil their fun? When you were a kid would you rather have played with a bunch of mates or your Mum?

I'm here, always, when they need me. They'll run in for a drink or a plaster or a long bendy stick (an earlier request ) but they don't want me to play with them.

Oh, and I told him where to find his own long bendy stick.

MammaTJ my dd (5) was out till 9 tonight! She was having a ball with her friend in the garden whilst I was chilling with a glass of wine.

I love the holidays.

And she went to bed without brushing her teeth

Some people on here need to read the helicopter parenting thread.They might recognise themselves

No, it is absolutely not too late for young children to be up and about if that is what parents choose for them. It is the school holidays so they can sleep in late tomorrow. My children went to bed at nearly 10 tonight.

However, they sure as hell weren't playing out and making a racket to disturb the neighbours and their kids.

CouthyMow there is a middle ground, exactly, but just because people don't identify it exactly the say you do doesn't make them wrong - in at 6.30pm sounds fine, in bed at 6.30pm sounds very early to me, unless your DD is up at 5am every day or is 2, or you are thinking more about having a nice long evening (which is fine but not truthful to dress it up as being for the child's benefit)? Many people spend tons of pleasant time with their children, and let them play out, equally many people spend every waking hour in the same room as their DC and moan about it non stop and sound as if they are both unable to take their eyes off their children without said children exploding, and bitter about the fact said children have the cheek to exist, rather than enjoying the time together - and just as many fall into neither group!

Anyway I am going to bed now, in the vain hope I'll get a block of sleep before teething toddler wakes again.

Nope, first time I stayed outside after 9pm was when I was 16. And it was only 9pm when I had an activity, that I was picked up from.

I see nothing wrong with looking after your DC's properly. And not letting them disturb your neighbours.

I might have a BBQ where they are allowed IN MY OWN GARDEN until their bedtimes, but with the proviso that after 8pm, they are quiet and not disruptive to the neighbours. And if they were, then they would be inside to play till bed.

It is considerate to your neighbours, to keep the noise down after 8pm. Doesn't mean you can't have fun. It doesn't have to be all shouting and noise to have fun.

"Rigid bedtime"

Bleurgh. Poor little buggers.

See all the people here with unbreakable routines?

Can you not just accept that parents who do have breakable routines aren't being unreasonable and nor are you?

Kids and families are individuals...there's no right or wrong in how people choose to treat holidays.

usual, I thought that some way up

Nope, first time I stayed outside after 9pm was when I was 16. And it was only 9pm when I had an activity, that I was picked up from

And are you happy to restrict your childrens lives in the same way?

Some people are legally married with children at 16...not picked up by Mum and Dad at 9pm after an activity.

OP, why do you spend most of the day entertaining your kids? Can't they entertain themselves? They will need to one day you know, or will you pop 'round with a Scrabble board when your 42-year-old has a bored moment?

I was out clubbing at 16

No, it's in the HOUSE at 6.30pm, I'd never get 14yo DD to go to BED then!

We spend our evenings as a family, playing board games, having a film night, watching sports, or playing computer games together.

I'm actually giggling at the thought of trying to get a 14yo to go to BED at 6.30pm!

I just like to teach my DC's that you need to be considerate towards your neighbours, and to show them that I care enough about them to want to spend time with them in the evenings.

Couthymow - god forbid you upset the neighbours!!

I just invite my neighbours (and their DDs) in to my garden to avoid that problem. Get your neighbours pissed and they won't give a shit

You make your 14 year old be in by 6.30?

I was out working at 16 - do I win?

I was at work at 16 too.