Are you strict about bedtimes?

[Bomper]

I have always been on the 'Yes' side of the arguement, mainly because if my children don't get a good nights sleep they are good for nothing the next day and also, let's face it, as much as I love the little buggars, it's nice to have a few hours 'adult' time with just me and dh, to have a glass of wine, watch a dvd etc. However, it seems to me that I am in the minority, I have just seen my neighbours three year old out in her front garden with her mum, whilst my eight year old has been in bed since 8 o'clock!!! Just wondered what the mumsnet mums (and dads) thought!!

Yes very - both children in bed by 1800 and normally asleep by 5 past!!

My children get up at 7am.

I'm really strict on bedtimes.

7 yr old - 7pm
10 & 11 year old - 8pm
13 & 14 year old - 9pm

DS1 (2.8) and DS2 (16mths) both go to bed between 7pm and 8pm absolute latest!!!

ds1 was begging to go to bed at 5.30 yesterday. I DONT THINK SO. Too early. He was waking at 6.30am which was a shock to myself and DH. He has a lot going on at the moment plus the humidity doesn't help.

Sticking to the usual bed times. It makes them happier kids during the day and we get or break in the evenings. And boy don't we need our breaks!!!

Ds (21 months) goes to bed at...wait for it...5.30pm. I get a whole evening free. We used a cross between cc and the pick up put down method. Rarely do we hear a peep out of him after he goes down. Yesterday he was really tired and went to bed at 3pm. I was expecting him to get up when OH got home have some dinner and go back, but no he slept through. Wakes up about 6.30am and comes into our bed till 7.30/8ish when he decides its breakfast time. He's ready to go to bed by then and I can't keep him up any later (have tried as OH now working later, but ds just falls asleep on sofa instead after trying to take himself upstairs).

On the other hand he didn't sleep till he was about 7 months old as had terrible colic that would keep us up all night.

Yes I am strict. I insist they are in bed by 10pm

I am, but so are the boys! They were getting to sleep about 7p.m., but since ds2 (14 months) dropped his morning nap and ds1 (3 1/2) started nursery school we've gone back to 6:30. In the really hot weather they were so desperately tired that ds1 was begging me to go to sleep from 4:30 onwards!

Someone asked whether this just happened naturally or whether we used controlled crying. With ds1 we always had to fight him to stay up as late as 6p.m. - even with all the sleeps throughout the day. Ds2 would have stayed up all evening if he wanted, so I surrendered my evenings for the first 6 weeks of his life, as I invented a rule that between 6p.m. and 7a.m. no-one leaves their bedroom. So I'd be in there with the curtains shut cuddling him, feeding him, singing to him, getting him used to the idea that this was quiet time. Even now at 14 months he will sometimes play or chat to his doggy in his cot for half an hour or so - but he knows that bedtime is bedtime. Cos mummy needs a glass of wine!

Oh Kama you poor thing. Sounds like you really have your work cut out.
We also have a very active toddler but no matter what he has done in the day he does look forward to going to bed at 7/8 and conks out most of the time for the entire night.

Have you tried taking her out for half an hour walk and play before bedtime? We do this quite often around 6ish. The fresh air really helps to tire ds out.

I also simply read ds1 story for about 10 minutes after his bath/wash etc, quick cuddle and kiss and in the cot he goes. Ds2
barely makes it through a story so most of the time we put him straight to bed after bath/wash with just a little cuddle and a kiss. We really don't give out kids much fuss at all at bedtime because they just would just play on the attention and would want to play etc, hence not settling down for the night.

I really don't know what to say kama. its a tough one as you don't want to upset your normal routine but you may have to try something even if its to give yourself a break.