Lighter evenings, later bedtime......

[SPARKLER1]

It's really wonderful to have these light evenings back again and the wonderful weather to go with it too. Only thing is, it is throwing out my evening routines completely. Normally dds have had their tea about 5.30pm, had a bath and are in bed by 7.30pm. This week they have been out in the garden until about 7.30pm playing (which is good as they are having lots of fun and fresh air) and then aren't eating their tea until 8pm. By the time they get to sleep it's about 9pm at the earliest. This doesn't help when it's a school night as they wake up later and then it's even more of a rush than it normally is.
Is anyone else having this problem.

I'm finding that although I put the kids to bed at normal time (7.15ish) they muck about until it goes dark so they are not going to sleep till 9ish. They are only 4 and 2 so they are shattered after nursery (which is only 9-1pm).

Good to be able to let them run outside after tea though I must admit.

I have blackout blinds AND baclkout fabric that I velcro to dd's window so that there isn't a crack of sunlight coming through. Does the trick (but she is only 2!).

Oh I like the velcro idea! Much better than my 'sellotaping black card' idea!!

No. I'm still in denial about the light, and am still putting them to bed at 7pm. (I'm a bitch.)

But when it's a really lovely day, I just feed them outside, so they have their tea slightly later than usual, but at least they've had it when the sun is going down and it's just a question of getting them from the garden to the bathroom. (It also has the advantage of not having to clear up after them!)

I'm gonna have to get another black out blind.

DD went to bed at 7 and she's still awake now. I can hear her chatting to postman pat.

Mine are going at 7.30pm as usual (7yo and 18mo)

I'm lucky - DD is like her mummy and will sleep any time, any place, any light (as long as she is planning on it anyway )

She's going to bed at the same time as normal (7.30) with no problems.

I'd be a mean mummy though - if she was school age then bedtime would come before playing in the garden til late on school nights... she can play at weekends and in holidays.

She's gonna hate me!

Ds1 (nearly 4) keeps saying "there's no moon Mummy, so it's not bedtime yet".

It is difficult, though I have stuck to the usual 7.15 bedtime. No point in blackout blind etc for him because he's too old to fool now!

Newbarnsleygirl: You need to ask Postman Pat to leave after 7pm.

Mine got to bed normal time. I have blackout blinds to.

my kids must thing I'm a soft touch when it comes to bedtime then. You lot are so good sticking to the normal times.