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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that a club ending at 7.30 is too late for a seven year old?

59 replies

BoredByTheChore · 22/05/2017 13:18

My Dd is interested in playing badminton. The only kids club locally finishes at 7.30. She already does brownies which also finishes at 7.30. I think that this will be too many late nights for her as by the time she has come in, showered, had a snack etc it will probably be nearly 8.30. I think it's too much and we should wait a year or so. Dd and dh both think I'm super mean and that loads of kids her age do similar. She does NOT cope well when she's tired and can be a right madam with no sleep. What do you think?

OP posts:
TheFreaksShallInheritTheEarth · 22/05/2017 13:21

Could she forego the shower?

CinderellasBroom · 22/05/2017 13:21

Depends on the child - it would be too late for mine (certainly more than once a week) but some would be OK. Perhaps you should give her the choice between badminton and Brownies, if you think she can cope with one late night a week, but not two?

Or do tea first, and come home and straight to bed (maybe after a glass of milk) then shower in the morning, to get her to bed faster?

I'd also be tempted to agree if DH agreed to get her out of bed and to school the following morning, as that might change his view!

rightwhine · 22/05/2017 13:25

No it's not too late twice a week. Why does she need a snack? Straight in, have a quick shower (may be leave till morning if not massively sweaty - mine always used to shower in the morning despite doing PE at school) and straight into bed.

elQuintoConyo · 22/05/2017 13:27

What time does she get up? How many hours sleep does she need?

5yo DS does a swimming lesson one day a week, 6.30-7.20pm. We are home by 8. I prepare dinner at lunchtime and he has a sandwich at 5 after school, so quick dinner and relax by 8.30.

He goes to bed between 9-9.30 (9 on swim days) and gets up at 8. He isn't tired or grouchy.

The day after swimday we come straight home after school and relax with Lego and drawing.

TreeTop7 · 22/05/2017 13:27

Early dinner, and forego the shower. She'll be in bed by 8pm which is fine. Sport is important and I think it's wise to accommodate it if possible.

I loved badminton lessons as a child! I hope she has fun.

Teabagtits · 22/05/2017 13:28

Dd is 7 and her Brownies don't start until 7 finishing at 8.30. I do think that's a bit late but that's just how they do it and she gets so much from it that one late night won't hurt.

Can your child not have a shower in the morning instead of straight after playing badminton?

sirfredfredgeorge · 22/05/2017 13:28

DD is 5, has no problem with a 7:30 club, not getting home until well after 8, and a kids club ending at 7:30 shows lots of other kids don't either, so I'm sure loads of kids do.

It's individual, you certainly cannot say that it's too late for a seven year old, it might be too late for your seven year old.

Personally, I couldn't begin to guess if it was okay for your kid - however I'd say try it and see - as that appears to be your DH's attitude and he knows the kid too.

OhDearToby · 22/05/2017 13:30

It would be fine for my 7yo. I'd feed her before, take a snack for her to have on the way home and shower her in the morning. A bit of wind down time at home and bed at 8.30.

CMOTDibbler · 22/05/2017 13:31

Mine wouldn't have coped. At 7, he needed to be in bed at 7 otherwise he was really mardy.
With a less sleep needing child, I'd give them a snack in the car on the way back, and they'd have a shower in the morning so asleep by 8 latest. But ds is 11 and still needs to go to bed at 8!

FATEdestiny · 22/05/2017 13:34

I was going to say Brownies usually finish at 7.30, but I see you've already mebtion that.

My DD struggles initially with each movement up the Girlguiding stages. But then you have to remember they cater for a wider range of ages.

At 5 years old she was going to bed at 6.30pm. Rainbows finished at 6.30pm

At 7 years old she was going to bed at 7.30pm. Brownies finished at 7.30. Swimming club finished at 8pm

At 10 years old she was going to bed at 9pm. Guides finished at 9pm and so did club swimming.

What do we do? Get her in bed within 20 minutes of walking in the door. Baths/showers happen in other days. Then on evenings with no activities, she goes to bed earlier.

Hastalapasta · 22/05/2017 13:35

Depends, my DD is 7 and we are pulling her out of Brownies as she is shattered by 7pm and cannot cope with the late night even once a week. 5yr old DS can stay up until 8pm easily......
Do what's best for your DD.

SaucyJack · 22/05/2017 13:35

I guess it depends on your child. If she's easily tired it's also worth considering whether she'll be in any state to fully enjoy or participate in the sport if she's dead on her feet.

Isadora2007 · 22/05/2017 13:36

It's not that late. Dd is also 7 and has two nights a week (Tues and thurs) she does gymnastics from 4.30-7.30 as well as another 4 hours Saturday and 1.5 Monday...

Couldn't she shower in the morning? She isn't likely to be that sweaty from an hours badminton...

aSleepyPrincess · 22/05/2017 13:37

I would say it is not too late for most 7 year olds, you know your child best though!!

I do think we have a serious culture of early bedtimes in this country and I don't think it is always for the best. Our children (I believe) need to learn things outside of school and if that means a few days a week feeling a bit tired then so be it!

As adults we will have days when we go to work absolutely exhausted and I think staying up a little later as a child and not being put to bed at the first sign of a yawn can help prepare for the challenges we face later in life.

HardcoreLadyType · 22/05/2017 13:42

Could she not eat before the club? Could she have a quick shower in the morning?

I agree it's a bit of a late night for a 7yo, but perhaps have an agreement that if it's too much, she'll give it a break for a few months.

Original poster
BoredByTheChore · 22/05/2017 13:43

Thanks for the feedback! She normally goes to bed at 7.30-7.45 and is up at 7am. You are probably right about the shower and maybe that isn't really necessary which would save some time.

OP posts:
halcyondays · 22/05/2017 13:43

it's not late, quite normal for activities for that age.

deadringer · 22/05/2017 13:45

Meh, my dd has been doing swimming lessons until 7.30 since she was 6. She often still has some homework left to do when she gets home. If your dd is tired forget the snack and shower and get her to bed. If she really would be too knackered or it doesn't suit you just say no and mean it.

harderandharder2breathe · 22/05/2017 13:45

It's normal especially if clubs are run by volunteers who work full time themselves. My Brownies finishes at 7.30, and so do virtually all the others in the district, one is 15 or 30 minutes earlier but not a huge difference.

wickerlampshade · 22/05/2017 13:45

Mine also needs lots of sleep and has two late nights a week for activities - eats first, home, upstairs, no bath, in bed within probably half an hour of walking through the door. That's the deal if she wants to do the activities.

not looking forward to when she goes up to scouts from cubs which starts at 7.30....can't see that her bedtime will have kept up with that.

Dancergirl · 22/05/2017 13:48

Straight in, have a quick shower (may be leave till morning if not massively sweaty - mine always used to shower in the morning despite doing PE at school) and straight into bed

Yes in theory but not so easy in reality. Lots of kids can't go straight off to bed, they need a bit of time to wind down.

halcyondays · 22/05/2017 13:48

Does she need to be up at 7 a.m or does she just wake then anyway?
I'd skip the shower and have a quick snack ready for when she gets back.

rightwhine · 22/05/2017 13:50

What's with all the snacks? Mine never ate after tea.

BeyondThePage · 22/05/2017 13:50

Would try it and see. If the kids love stuff, they will make sure they manage.

My friend was so precious about her kids that they got to do nothing.

DD16 was at air cadets from 14 - shooting/flying/secure comms/"hiding" (sorry camouflage work) etc - having LOADS of fun with a great group of mates - but her DD couldn't go because they didn't finish til 9.30 twice a week - and that was past her bedtime.

Fink · 22/05/2017 13:50

DD (7) does similar. No bath. Supper before club (a little before so she's not too full to play sport), small snack in the car on the way home. Once we get home it's into pjs, brush teeth, and straight to bed. She knows in advance there's no bedtime story or reading time on those nights.