Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that 39mins to bedtime is a fast job?

125 replies

stealthbanana · 27/10/2020 21:56

Just had this article from the Indy pop up in my newsfeed.

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/uk-parents-bedtime-nine-days-year-compare-market-a9700981.html?fbclid=IwAR0m8p6jmMBWshyETjtbf-GmY5-92GdIHaUuDMnSU56-byO57c28SbdYMJE

Am genuinely flabbergasted that people can get their kids to bed in

OP posts:
seayork2020 · 28/10/2020 06:46

We started the bath,bottle, story, bed thing from the time he was a couple of weeks old so we just stuck to it as he grew so as he got older he stayed up longer after bath but it was not manic play time just more quiet time.

We were not messing with a routine that worked

Di11y · 28/10/2020 07:06

Typical bedtime includes a bath, so some don't have one and they contribute to the shorter average. When both of mine were going to bed at 7, 30-40 mins was average without a bath.

burglarbettybaby · 28/10/2020 07:07

stealth could you bath them earlier in the evening and let them play in it. Also I would be firm and bath them together. No way would I let them demand separate baths at that age.

Original poster
stealthbanana · 28/10/2020 07:10

@burglarbettybaby we have tried doing it earlier pre dinner but it seems to just eat into the afternoon plus then they were throwing food all over their PJs which was annoying me Grin

I know re bath and this is getting better but it’s swings and roundabouts re timing of separate baths vs timing of managing the tantrum...!

OP posts:
burritofan · 28/10/2020 07:10

18mo DD about 9,000 hours, from milk and toothbrushing downstairs around 6.15pm, bath at 6.30pm, pissing about and climbing the curtains and transmogrifying into a gremlin and rolling on the floor yawning like a tired cat yet steadfastly defusing cuddles, 6.30pm to 8pm usually. Knackered.

MinnieMountain · 28/10/2020 07:22

An hour, then DS reads by himself for anything up to an hour. He’s 6 and has never needed much sleep.

45 minutes is bath/flannel wash and being read to. 15 minutes is teeth, wee and faffing.

Henrietty · 28/10/2020 07:29

My dc go to up for bath at about 6.30 and are asleep between 7 and 7.30. I’m lucky that they’re asleep as soon as they hit the pillow. They’re 5,5,8. It used to take longer when they were younger but now they’re able to change out of the bath themselves, it’s a lot quicker.

flaviaritt · 28/10/2020 07:32

20 minutes. Bath time every 2 days but that’s not at bed time, it’s just after dinner.

Merename · 28/10/2020 07:32

We are usually around 40m for a nearly 5 and just 2 yr old, but only bathe them maybe twice a week. Don’t bath nightly for this reason, takes too long!

Nonamesavail · 28/10/2020 07:34

7yr old about 15mins and 3 yr old about 25-40mins

Benjispruce2 · 28/10/2020 07:53

20 min bath, dry and pjs, 5 mins, story 10 mins, tuck in and kiss. Done.

MynephewR · 28/10/2020 08:03

I think it varies hugely depending on routine and ages. Older kids pretty much sort themselves out, some kids don't have a bath every night, some shower in the morning so rarely have baths at bedtime.

I have a 2yo and a 5yo and 40 minutes is about right for bath, teeth, pyjamas, stories, bed. Usually put the 2yo to bed after stories then the 5yo reads to us so that takes an extra 10-20 minutes, and twice a week is hair wash night for her (she has long, thick hair) so that adds on another 10 minutes to dry it.

They take anything between 10 mins to 1 hour to actually go to sleep though but I wouldn't count that time as it has no input from me. They play with their teddies and sing/talk to themselves until they fall asleep.

KitKat1985 · 28/10/2020 08:16

We do morning baths here rather than evening baths, so our routine is:
Take upstairs.
Get into PJs.
Brush teeth.
Pre-bed wee.
Read a bedtime story, normally twice.
Say goodnight and lights off.
Normally takes about 20 minutes between me and DH (we have 2 DDs, so do one each, and alternate which DD we take to bed).
Mine are a bit older than yours though (6 and 3). It took longer when they were babies, but we worked hard to teach them to self-soothe and it was the best thing we ever did. I don't think we ever took as long as 1.5 hours though.

CSIblonde · 28/10/2020 08:25

It's do able in 40mins if the bath is practically a 'sheep dip' 5mins! I resorted to that when wrangling a 3year old who I eventually twigged got a 2nd wind after a longer 'relaxing' bath . Running downstairs in fits of giggles & putting wellies on (starkers) & trying to escape out to the garden ,was a favourite.

NatalieH2220 · 28/10/2020 08:38

I'd say this is about average for us. Maybe an hour including him actually falling asleep as sometimes DS (3) likes to 'read' extra stories to himself once in bed and we've done a story together.

Dugsbollox · 28/10/2020 08:53

I probably could've managed it with one of mine, but my older one took ages when he was around 18m-4yo. He is autistic, though. My other child has always been an angel at bedtime!

Enko · 28/10/2020 08:58

Mine are way past that time but we took half hour from saying go upstairs to them being in bed. Sleep could come a lot later but they would read or play quietly with their toys. so to me 39 mins seems pretty average.

Valkadin · 28/10/2020 09:13

Yes that was around the time it took to include around 20 mins of reading a book together after bath and teeth.

WonderMoon · 28/10/2020 09:16

I feel like this average could be true for older kids. My siblings and I would have a bath earlier in evening, usually after tea then we were free to play for a couple of hours. Bedtime was pretty quick after that.

It takes me about an hour altogether to get my 14 month DC to bed - bath is usually 25 mins, 5 mins getting dry/nappy/sleepsuit on. We then cuddle/read and play for abit, then a feed, then shes asleep less then 10 mins later.

Noitjustwontdo · 28/10/2020 09:20

My older DC go to bed independently now but back in the day when they were all young I’d guess it took me half an hour max to bath them all, brush teeth, into pjs and read a book. I did bath them all together though, there’s 14 months between them.

My toddler takes around 20 minutes to get to bed. Bath takes 10, I brush his teeth in the bath, into pjs and dry his hair takes 5 then a 5 minute read.

HavelockVetinari · 28/10/2020 09:22

I am very efficient at bedtime, it takes me under half an hour, but DH hasn't got the knack and DC runs rings around him! It can take 1-1.5h for him Grin

Hardbackwriter · 28/10/2020 09:32

I don't know if our water pressure is crap but it takes me longer to run a (very shallow!) bath and get DS undressed and in it than some people are saying the whole bath takes them!

Mia1415 · 28/10/2020 09:38

Bedtime has always been about 15-20 minutes in my house.

Toilet, brush teeth, PJ's on, story, lights out and sleep.

(we shower in the morning).

Original poster
stealthbanana · 28/10/2020 09:42

@burritofan hard relate Grin

OP posts:
DC3Dakota · 28/10/2020 11:27

@rhowton

I run the bath at 5:30, DH gets the milk. We then Bath them and get them in to bed with stories at 5:55. I always take DD1 and DH takes DD2. We are downstairs by 6am and start dinner.
You start bedtime in the afternoon?!?

When my DD was at nursery she didn't even finish until 6:30! I'm only just starting dinner at 5:30

My DD is 5 now and the suggested bedtime for a 5yr old is 8-8:30pm