Do you wake sleeping teens or leave them be?

[ChandlerIsTheBestFriend]

Should they be up because it’s day time and everyone else is up or should they be left to suit themselves as there is literally nothing for them to do, nowhere for them to go and no-one to see?

YANBU= wake them
YABU= leave them be

I used to sleep in as a teen until early afternoon, and can still do it now, early 40s...I love my sleep, same goes for my now grown up son. I think generally some people just need more sleep and particularly teens.

Given that I haven't been getting up until 11am some days they've been sleeping in.

Midday is when I'll start checking in on them but that's only because I know their mental health seems to go downhill if they are awake all night and sleep all day. Of course there are times when they sleep later, and thats fine too. They do generally tend to be up before midday but can be in their beds in their phones for hours before they emerge for food.

Oh nooo. Waking teens is like waking babies. I am pretty sure it is against the law?

There is also less synchronous teaching currently happening in the UK @PeytonManning because unions/teachers/parents are quite rightly concerned about safeguarding.

My DS18 has taken self isolation to a new level and only seems to leave his bed when asked, but to be fair there's nothing for him to get up for, he shops for my parents when asked, does any chores I ask of him and we have a family what's app hour with quizzes, challenges etc which he joins in with. It's only me and him here and I think he is really struggling with the lack of socialising my house is the one where all the friends seem to end up at usually, I'm actually really missing having at least 3 teens here most evenings.

mine generally emerge at lunch time. I was up in the night with the dog and could hear dd4 (15) on houseparty. They are becoming nocturnal!

Mind you, she is begging me to let her go back to school (I am technically a keyworker) - she's pretty bored.

Let them lie in.

They have a shift in their circadian rhythm at puberty. I think it’s important to let them sleep for growth and development. Plus, it’s the only time you get to be a complete lazy arse.

Wow I never realised people slept so late! As a teen I never slept in past 8am (and all my family were the same). My dp, my son and I are now always up by 7am ish.
I just can't imagine waking up at 2 or 3pm! Doesn't it mess with your body clock? What about getting a lack of daylight?

So chuffed to read this. I was feeling guilty that ds is sleeping til noon every day!

My youngest is 13 so a younger teen. I'd wake him by around 10am or 10.30 latest if still asleep. He's usually asleep at 10pm but it's later at the moment - 10.45pm.

My eldest is 21 and last year of uni. I let her do as she pleases and wouldn't wake her

School holidays hereso I've been leaving 14 year old dd until noon. However I've warned her that normal schedules will resume with with term as they need to be logged on for 8.45am registration and classtime

If they're becoming nocturnal, so long as they get the sleep afterwards and they do any work or chores asked of them when they ARE awake, I don't think it would matter to me.

Our DGPs who lived through WW2 had stories about being teens in the blitz. Our teens will be telling their DC and DGC about the time when nearly all teens lived on The Night Shift during the Covid Crisis

I normally give my 16 DS a nudge around lunchtime to make sure he's ok. Being a keyworker with a very strange shift pattern myself it really doesn't bother me too much when he sleeps. As long as he's happy and showering unprompted then I'm happy. If I want him to do any chores I will let him know the day before so he can be up and about when needed, I do get a bit cross with him if he doesn't do what's asked of him then.

mine will be up next week when school resumes - they all have zoom meetings in the mornings.

Mine are generally being very lovely, I'm ok about them lying in until 11.

I’m leaving DS(13) to it, he only broke up from “school” on Thursday (Catholic school) so he can sleep as long as he likes.

"Who are these experts that keep spouting that staying up all night and sleeping all day is bad for your mental health
Not mental health practitioners I suspect. Away you go and read up on teenage brains.
Let them sleep"

• Dr. Satchin Panda is a leading expert in the field of circadian rhythm research. He is a Professor at the Salk Institute
• Matthew Paul Walker is a British scientist and professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on the impact of sleep on human health and disease.

These are just the two I've read regarding the importance of sleep and keeping a sensible sleep/wake cycle.

Their work is based on and includes the work of hundreds of other scientists, including psychiatric and psychological/mental health specialists, and together includes hundreds or thousands of participants/volunteers.

But I expect you know better.

I'm firmly in the "let them sleep" camp.
I loved my late night - sleep throughout the day teenage years.

If it’s a school night (that includes online lessons), I expect DD to wake up and be showered and dressed in time for lessons. On Saturday she has scouts and is out of the house by 09:30 and on Sunday, she must be up before Sunday lunch.

We drew up a contract incorporating my and school’s expectations (we both signed it) during Carona .

DD is 13 and needs routine and in the first week she stayed in bed until noon and I was so over that.

I leave them till 1.30/2pm then go in and gently make a bit of noise picking up washing etc so they are not sleeping all day. DD has a horse so she has to go and attend to her about 4pm so she is usually up first. DS would sleep till 3-4pm no problem at all but then he'd be up all night. They are usually really busy in normal life with school & sports and DD can get quite tired normally so I am happy for them to have this time to get some long lies and still holiday time in Scotland. DS goes out running in the evening so they are still being semi active. Pick your battles I would agree with but am going to try and get them organised with some school work next week even if its just an hour or so a day xx

I don't have teens myself, but I voted to leave teens be, just mainly from remembering my teenage years which intact wasn't that long ago ( I'm 27 years old) and my mum used to leave me to sleep in till about 3 pm, I know it's different times now with the pandemic but I did work and go college as a teen and when I had days off I would sleep in. My DS1 will be a teen in about 6 years time and if this is what it's like to have a teen then wow, I'll actually have time to myself lol

Through the holidays we tend to leave 15 year old DS to it until about 10.30/11 and then I'll go in and just open the curtains a touch and crack the window to let some air in. His stomach usually tells him to get out of bed by 11.30 latest.
Next week when the holiday are over he'll be expected to be up, showered and dressed by 9.30 latest ready for online work. He's Year 10 so needs to keep up with any work set.

Teenage girl seems to emerge at about 13:00. Teenage boy slightly earlier. Both want to then spend the remainder of the day in a dark bedroom. Little 5 year old on the other hand is up before 6:30 some mornings and is ready for activities!!

Wow I didn't realise sleeping so late was an actual thing on a regular basis.
Dh and I are always up and about before 9 no matter what time we go to bed. Ds is nearly 15. He needs his sleep but will generally be asleep by half nine and up before 9. Dd is 12 and goes to sleep later (about half 10) but will sleep until 10 at a push. It's just never occurred to me that theey wouldn't be up as that isn't our lifestyle.

I was the same as a teen! I'd feel bad if I slept until 2 or so but it was entirely possible.

I 33 now and on a bit of a bad schedule of 2/3am - up between 10-11am

But what harm is it doing really. And if I had teens I'd definitely let them be during this crazy time!