To put my DC to bed at 6pm?

[MightTinge]

My 6yo DC does football after school on Mondays and swimming after school on fridays.

When he is tired he kicks off at bedtime (which is currently 6.30pm on the aforementioned days and 6.45pm on other days), he'll make ridiculous requests "I want a carrot" (we have no carrots) for example. He'll scream and cry and tantrum for up to an hour.

He is a very good boy. He only tantrums when tired, he's always needed an early bedtime, always needed lots of sleep.

DH and I are torn between keeping the activities but putting him to bed at 6pm on those days, or stopping the activities until after the winter because perhaps he is too young to handle it?

Dd can be like this, she needs her sleep. We do swimming at 8am Saturday mornings (yawn) as a result.

I think you are fine to put him to bed early. But allow him a later bedtime, perhaps at weekends, to tell his friends and preserve his street cred.

We cant ever give him a late bedtime. Any minutes past 7pm and thats it, all hell breaks loose.

Im glad Im not the only with a child who creates when tired.

the only time mine ever need sleep that early is if they're incredibly ill. Dd quite often chats out her door at me if I pop upstairs at 10/11pm!

Jealousy aside, I think this is one of those situations where every child is different and you have to let them lead you... If he's obviously tired then put him to bed earlier. I wouldn't stop the activities though, it would be a shame for him to miss out.

Out of curiosity, does he wake very early?

6 has to be my DC bedtime else I live in tantrum central and they get way too overtired and get to the point where they won't sleep. My DC love bed! Always have done, i'm not complaining. My DS used to sleep in until midday until DD came along, she now wakes him up at 8.30 which is still reasonable!

Could you put him to bed at 6pm but as a treat - let him read until 6.30pm?

BTW, what time does he wake up?

Football and swimming are both very healthy hobbies and being tired after them is quite healthy. I'd put him to bed whenever he needs to go but try to keep the spots going if at all possible.

Mine went to bed at 6 till they were 5 and 4. keep up the sports and put him to bed at 6. Whats the worst that can happen one day he wakes up a hour earlier so you know it won't work?

Life is better it was 'light off' at 6.30 tonight and he kicked off. It would have to be lights off at 6pm.

Oh yes he wakes up very early. 5-6am

Its worth it though for peace in the evening. I have no problem with starting the day early Im good in the morning.

My dd couldn't stay awake past 6pm until she was turned 7.It used to be a battle to keep her awake for bath etc-we started bedtime at 5.30 in Winter and she was asleep by 6.She never woke before 7am.
She gave up daytime naps at 18 months though and was very very active.

He'll scream and cry and tantrum for up to an hour

He is a very good boy. He only tantrums when tired

Why are you asking what bed time he needs? you know hat he needs, his bed.

Frankly I dont stand tantrums, but if you feel the need to keep him up past 7 and have a melt down, then that is your poor parenting. You know when he needs bed.

Ophelia you must not be reading any of this correctly.

I was asking if IWBU to put his bedtime at 6, should I consider stopping his activities all together, for now.

And no where did I say we keep him up past 7pm. Quite the opposite. We avoid it at all costs, to prevent tantrums. I clearly stated above that he was in bed, lights out by 6.30pm tonight.

Sometimes id put mine up at 6 if i wanted a bit of peace,only thing now ds3 got smart and isnt easily fooled but teh others sometimes go this early.
I dont mind the early starts if it means i get a couple hours peace in the evening

My two go to bed at 6pm, anything else causes foul moods and tantrums the next morning and usually before bed too. Its ridiculous. I get suck greif from friends and family saying 6pm is too early but they go to bed and go to sleep, no fuss, and wake up 7.30/8pm. They're 4 and 5 and a half btw.

"we cant ever give him a late bed time any minutes past 7 and all hell breaks loose."

"it was light off at 6.30 tonight and he still kicked off."

"Im torn between putting him to bed at 6.30, and stopping his activities."

You must have been getting my thread mixed with another Ophelia.

*putting him to bed at 6pm

I think this is a little early. I also think he is getting up too early.
Could you try telling him that he can stay up until ??? but on the condition that he does everything he must do.If he tantrums he must go to bed earlier the next night. He sounds like he could do with a little control.
(I would tantrum if I was put to bed too early every night!)

"Can you tell him he can stay up until ???."

We've tried this, it swears he'll be good. It ends up in a melt down.

I need to make this bit clear, he is a good boy. He has boundaries and he knows them. He goes to bed at 6.45pm like a good boy and wakes 5-6am, it works, everyone is happy. He doesnt need control .

Now, hes started two activities and they knacker him out when he is tired he tantrums so I was asking WIBU to put him to bed at 6pm on those days or waiting until hes a bit older to do the activities

Sorry for all the bold but some posters seem to be reading stuff that isnt there.

Mumsnet cracks me up, I said DC goes to bed at 6.30-45pm and I get told im a bad parent for letting him go to bed after 7pm. (WTF?)

I said on non activity days he goes to bed early, he wakes up early but it works for all of us and I get told he needs control, and go to bed later - despite me clearly saying later bed time = hideous tantrums.

Thanks for the advice, its been pricless

Mine (age 5 and 6) have been known to be asleep by 6pm - they almost always wake by 530-630am regardless of when they go to sleep

Keep the sport and bring forward bed

Thank you (and to others who read and understood my post). Its good to hear my child isnt the only one who needs early bed times.

I'll give it a few more weeks with early bed time on those days and see if it oans out.

It may be fine in a few weeks op, as he gets used to it, my dcs had 7pm bedtimes but starting school and nursery had them on there knees and 6pm really works for them. Late nights do occur visiting family etc and fortunatly them enjoying being out seems to prevent the melt downs, although we suffer the next morning ha! but the second they get in the car they're sound.

I think Ophelia's been on the sauce early tonight!

Really interesting to read OP - I have your problem and yes I understand it!

My problem is if the activities continue with the early bedtimes there are barely enough hours in the day to do other essentials like eat a decent meal.
I'm finding it particularly hard at this time of year.

Good to hear there are others like this though.

DS2 is exactly the same. If I put him to bed at 8pm he would have major tantrums first and wake up at 6am. He could go to bed between 630 and 730 without tantrums and he will still wake up at 6am so we do tend to go for as early as possible!

I don't stand for tantrums either but unfortunately DS2 doesn't care whether I like it or not as he doesn't actually conciously do it - it is a tiredness thing!

Sorry for the delay OP...it sounds like you may have to drop the swimming as he's so tired on a Friday, could you go on a Saturday or Sunday?
I know what you mean about early bedtimes and early starts, my DS is the same and I don't mind early starts either.