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Parenting

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Original poster

6.30 a realistic bedtime?

33 replies

ClarasMummy · 04/02/2011 16:51

Trying to get my 2 year old to drop her nap but she's usually very tired by 5 if she doesn't nap so I'm thinking of changing her routine to dinner at 5 bath and bed by 6.30, is that a realistic bedtime for a nearly 3 year old?

Thanks in advance for any help.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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gegs73 · 04/02/2011 16:54

DS1 used to go to bed at 6 for a similar reason at that sort of age. Only bad thing about that is that he did wake up earlier about 5.30am.

psiloveyou · 04/02/2011 16:56

My 3 and 5 year old both go to bed at 6.30. Up at 8ish.
Works for us.

aPixie · 04/02/2011 17:06

My 21 month old goes to bed around 7ish by choice. Sometimes he takes himself off to bed at 6.30 if he's tired.

If your dd is tired by 6.30 there's No point in keeping her up later.

Is there a reason you're trying to get her to drop her nap? (just curious by the way, no other reason for asking)

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loler · 04/02/2011 17:16

ds2 (3.5) - has story at 6.30, sleep at 6.45. Wakes up 7ish (not a problem as we have to get up at this time anyway).

ds1 (5) in bed at 7ish

dd (7) in bed at 7.15ish.

I love my evenings and am very strict over bedtimes - I'm not looking forward to the times creeping later!

Original poster

ClarasMummy · 04/02/2011 17:23

I'm trying to get her to drop her nap more for me really, if I let her sleep at all during the day she will literally not sleep until 10/11 at night. I also have a five week old and need some semblance of adult time in the evening.

Her sleep issues (I still have to cuddle her to sleep) are driving me round the bend if I'm honest.

OP posts:

aPixie · 04/02/2011 17:36

Ah I see, hard isn't it.

I was lucky that when ds2 was born ds1 was still having 2 hour long afternoon naps so I or ds2 to go down for his nap at the same time which meant I had 2 hours of peace and quiet in the day even if the baby didn't go down until 10pm.

Both down by 7.30pm though now, thank-god.

Firawla · 04/02/2011 19:27

mine sometimes goes @ 6.30, he is 2. i think its an okay time if they have had no nap.

skybluepearl · 04/02/2011 21:25

mine are 2 and 7. they are both in bed with lights out by 6.45 or sometimes 6.30 if extra exhausted. they wake after 7am. both really need their sleep to function well.

tassisssss · 04/02/2011 21:27

On the days my 2.5 year old doesn't nap she'll happily go to bed at 6.30pm and is out like a light. if she's in the room by herself she'll sleep until 8ish but generally her big sister'll wake her at 7am-ish.

AngelDog · 04/02/2011 21:37

Definitely fine - you could even try 6pm. She should sleep longer & better at night with an early bedtime than she does with a nap + late bedtime.

TomlinTowers · 04/02/2011 21:41

Should be fine - my DS (3.5) goes to bed 6.30pm and sleep by 6.45. He dropped his daytime nap at 2 as he would not sleep at night when he had a sleep in the day. He hasn't ever needed much sleep and was always difficult to get to sleep even as a baby. DD (8 months) is totally different and loves her sleep.

simpson · 04/02/2011 21:54

my 3yr old DD goes to bed at 6pm and my 5yr old is normally in bed by 7ish.

It works well for us

rara67 · 04/02/2011 22:06

DS2 is 2.5 and dropped afternoon nap at beginning of December (just as I was about to write xmas cards) Went up stairs at 6.40 tonight and by the time we faffed about he must have been in bed by 7pm and asleep minutes after. I dont expect to hear him before 7am and I definitely wont see him as he's in a bed with stair gate on his room. By complete contrast DS1 never had a bed time routine. He's 7.5, like Tigger on speed from 8am til 9pm at the earliest (last Friday still awake at 10.20). Please do whatever is best for you and your family. However, DS2 doesnt see DH from Monday to Friday as he leaves at 6.30am and gets back 7.10pm earliest.

DanFmDorking · 04/02/2011 22:50

6:30 ??
For parents - yes.
For children - not always.

Foreverondiet · 05/02/2011 20:16

I think thats fine at 2 if you drop the daytime nap. We cut it down to 0.5 hour, and then to 5 times a week, 3 times a week etc.

But if you drop it completely then I think 6.30pm ok.

cat64 · 05/02/2011 20:18

This reply has been deleted

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oooggs · 05/02/2011 20:19

ds3 (just 2) and dd (nearly 4 both go to bed at 6.30pm, ds2 (nearly 4) goes up straight after them at 6.45pm.

All 4 of mine are early risers but I would rather have them early to bed and early up as with 4 of them if they were up late the rush too school would be too much!!!

oooggs · 05/02/2011 20:19

and ds3 still naps for an hour mid afternoon

cupofteaplease · 05/02/2011 20:24

My dds are 5 and 3 and they both go to bed at 6pm, and are asleep by 6.30pm. Apart from Tuesdays when dd1 has Rainbows so she doesn't go to sleep until just after 7. She feels very grown up (and exhausted) on Tuesdays!

varyingdegreesofdeafness · 05/02/2011 20:39

dcs 4 and 2, in bed between 6.30 and 7.00pm, and always asleep within 5 minutes of closing their bedroom door! Religiously stick to the same bedtime routine, which, as far as my dcs are concerned, although I appreciate it's different for everyone, really helps as they seem to feel very 'secure' knowing what's happening at bedtime and having teh familiarity of routine. And it means I have a manic half hour tidying up, getting washing sorted out and tea on so by time dh gets home about half seven the house is mildly less chaotic rather organised and we get to relax!

needsatrim · 05/02/2011 20:40

Hi, my dd was 2 today and is in the process of dropping her daytime sleeps most days. Her brother was over 3 before he dropped his but we are led by her. Anyway she is often now falling asleep by 6.30 and even if she not we aim for in bed by 6.30 most days as this seems to work. Up about 7.30 most mornings.
I would try it and just see how it pans out.

undercovamutha · 05/02/2011 21:22

My DD (4) and DS (nearly 2) regularly go to sleep at 6.30 and get up at 7am.
They both really need their sleep.

pointythings · 05/02/2011 21:52

I went back to work at 6 months with both of mine, so 6.30 not an option - I wouldn't have seen enough of them. However, all children are different, and you know best how much sleep your DC needs! At 2 mine were in bed asleep by 7.15 so still pretty early.

I am in favour of bedtime routines. Mine are now 8 and 10 (Eeek! How did that happen!) We atarted a routine by the age of about 4 months and adjusted it led by their needs - they now go up at 7.30, have tooth brushing and get read to (every night without fail, how middle class is that???) and then are allowed to read for themselves for 15 minutes so down to sleep at about 8.15.

On weekdays they are up at about 6.20 am so they need the sleep. On weekends they have a lie-in, which means that they wake at about 7.30, read for half an hour, go downstairs at 8 am and turn on the TV (low sound) - I put a snack out for them.

It just works. BTW, there is a strong correlation between DCs getting enough sleep and how well they do at school...

AngelDog · 05/02/2011 23:38

Following pointythings, there's also a correlation between an early bedtime and doing well at school, even if it doesn't mean getting any more sleep. I can't remember how early early was though IYSWIM.

hellymelly · 05/02/2011 23:39

My 3 and six year old go to bed at 6.30-7.We do aim for them to be asleep by seven,but its usually nearer to seven thirty.

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