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Original poster

What time do your kids *really* go to bed?

81 replies

addicted2shopping · 21/05/2012 19:32

Its 7.30pm and im currently in Ikea with my 4 year old having some dinner in the reateraunt. Then we are going across the road to Tesco to do some shopping. Now, i thought people might look at me as if to say'shouldnt your daughter be in bed at this time?!' but i really wanted to come out as i was so bored indoors. I thought all kids (under the age of 8 anyway) went to bed at 7 because firstly, the Cbeebies bedtime hour is between 6-7 and secondly i see it on tv all the time. Anyway getting to the point... There are loads of kids here some in school uniform and some have gotten changed. Theres at least 10 kids in this resteraunt that i thought would be in bed. Wht time shoud a child be in bed by?? Is 7'oclock what everyone says to just not look bad :)

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supernannyisace · 21/05/2012 19:34

My DS really, truly, honestly Grin went to bed at 7pm- from being a few weeks old until he was oooh.. about 8?

Kids need a lot more sleep imo than many of them get! (as do I)

Gumby · 21/05/2012 19:34

Do you work?
Couldn't you ikea in the day?
The school kids probably had swimming lessons etc and were having tea afterwards
My two were always in bed at 7pm unless special occasion
I like my evenings too much aftr hectic day at work

NettoSuperstar · 21/05/2012 19:35

Whenever she wants, so long as she's not irritating me.
She will go at 8 if she's tired, she'll stay up till 2 if she's not.
It works for us.
She's 10.

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Original poster
addicted2shopping · 21/05/2012 19:37

My dd used to go to bed at 7 but from the age of about 2.5 she hasnt been tired until about 9. And thats without even having naps. I dont work but like i said i had to get out for abit. It wont do her no harm!

OP posts:
jaquelinehyde · 21/05/2012 19:38

DD2 who will be 5 next month went off at 6.40pm quite happily and will sleep until 6.30-7am.

DS (6) went off to bed at 7.20 but I know he would happily stay up until 8.30pm

and

DD1 (7) has just gone up to bed but will again happily stay up until 8.30pm without begining to flag a little.

At the weekend DD2 will go between 7.30 and 8 and the other two at about 8.30-9ish.

This obviously all depends on how fed up I am with them all Grin

EclecticShock · 21/05/2012 19:39

I'm a believer in getting a good sleep. Ds is 2.5 and goes to bed at 7, 12 hours minimum IMO.

Babylon1 · 21/05/2012 19:40

Eldest two 7 years and 2 years - 7pm every night.

Youngest is only 3 weeks and doesn't really do much other than sleep Wink

chocolateandcoffee · 21/05/2012 19:41

my Dc's are 3 and 4 they are in bed between 7.15 and 7.45 every night. they are asleep within 15mins

They are always up at 6.30-7am regardless of when they go down so and early bedtime ensures a good day tomorrow. Wink

overmydeadbody · 21/05/2012 19:41

DS is 9 and is usually in bed by 8 to 8:30 and doesn't fall asleep until 9 realistically.

Maybe you don't meqn to, but you do sound a bit like you're boasting.

MrsWembley · 21/05/2012 19:42

6.30-7pm. We're early risers in this house (DP has long commute and an early startSad) so they have to be going off to sleep around 7ish to get their allotted hours in.

DamselInDisgrace · 21/05/2012 19:43

DS1 (nearly 12) went up to bed about 15 minutes ago. He's allowed to read until 8.30 and then he'll fall asleep almost immediately.

DS2 (2.5) went to bed at 7. He's been a bit of a bugger tonight and has tried to escape a couple of times, but he's asleep now.

TheProvincialLady · 21/05/2012 19:43

My boys are 5 and 3. They go to bed between 7 and 7.30pm at the latest. DS1 may read for a while if he likes but he mostly just goes to sleep.

I wouldn't take the fact of loads of kids being up far too late as meaning that everyone does it, or that it is in any way a good idea. Most children need a good amount of sleep in the same way that they need a healthy diet, but it doesn't mean they will get it or that the effects of not having them are immediately obvious.

knackeredmother · 21/05/2012 19:46

I too wonder if a lot of the people who say their kids sleep 7-7 are embellishing! Surely it can't be true and why is the UK so obsessed with dc in bed by 7?
It doesn't happen on the continent.

TheWalkingDead · 21/05/2012 19:47

DS1 (3.5) goes to bed between 6pm and 7pm as he's usually tired after being on the go all day. He doesn't nap anymore and he and DS2 (1.3) both wake up early, usually between 6am and 6:30am. DS2 has a long nap in the morning and goes to bed at the same time.

We did try to get them to go to bed later so that they would wake up later, but that didn't happen and they were just getting more and more tired.

My brother and I were the same - early to bed and early to rise (my brother spent over a year waking up at 5am on the dot). For us, this arrangement works and DSs get 12 hours sleep and are happy.

MadameMessy · 21/05/2012 19:48

Both go at 8. They are nearly 7 and 20 months.
7 is early imo

seeingstars · 21/05/2012 19:48

3 year old 7 usually asleep by 8

7 yo 8 defintley by 9

10 yo 8.30 who knows, often tell her to stop reading when i get up for a we

DamselInDisgrace · 21/05/2012 19:50

DS2 will sleep 7-7, and sometimes 7-8. When DS1 was that age he'd regularly sleep 6.30-8.

DS1 sleeps 8.30-7 and by the weekend he's exhausted and ends up having long naps in the afternoon. DS2 usually falls asleep after him and wakes up before him. We usually have to wake him up. He'd probably benefit from going to sleep even earlier, but that seems unrealistic for a child in Y7.

LaFataTurchina · 21/05/2012 19:51

When I was a kid we were allowed to stay up until the Match of the Day theme tune.

My mother would tut at at 'The English women putting their children to bed at 7pm when it's still light out'.

jelliebelly · 21/05/2012 19:51

3 yr old asleep at 630 this eve after a full on day at nursery. 6 yr old just gone to sleep after karate class till 7pm.

jaquelinehyde · 21/05/2012 19:51

Knackeredmother why on earth would anyone make up something as stupid as how long their children sleep for!

What a silly thing to suggest.

Some children do and some children don't it's not something I would say reflects on a parent's ability. Although I may pull on my judgy pants sometimes depending on the circumstances.

tittytittyhanghang · 21/05/2012 19:51

17 month old - usually around half eightish

11 year old - about 9ish, watches telly till about 10 then goes to sleep, weekends he gets to please himself.

seeingstars · 21/05/2012 19:52

Anyway, its whatever works for you. Smile

planetpotty · 21/05/2012 19:53

7 - 7 here age 1 and 3 - and definitely not making it up Smile

Adoptionrulesok · 21/05/2012 19:57

Both my DS's are in bed by 6:30 at the latest and won't be up until 6:30-7 in the morning. I'm not exagerating (sp?). They are such whirlwinds during the day though that they are exhausted by that time, and are quite happy to go to bed.

LittleMissFlustered · 21/05/2012 19:58

My two go between 7-8 most nights. The night my eldest (9) is out at a club they go as soon as we get back in the door, usually between 8:15-8:45.

Speaking of which, I need to chase them up the stairs now:o