Bedtime routine and/or what do you do in the evening?

[LadyInDisguise]

I was wondering what is your bedtime routine with your school age children.
dc1 is 9yo and dc2 is 7yo. Atm they go to bed between 8.30 and 9.00pm for the oldest. Sometimes a bit earlier. They are up between 6.30 and 7.00am.

Now I have no issue with them going to bed at that time, that seems to be what they need sleep wise. But it means that we, as parents, get about 1h00 in evening before we go to bed at about 10.00pm.

A friend of mine is sending her 9yo to bed at 7.00pm at the same time than his much younger sibling but he is allowed to read until 8.30pm. Another has her dcs with her as they all watch TV until bedtime.

And you, what do you do?

bump for the afternoon

Mine;s only still a baby so I can't really tell you what I do, but if you want more time to yourselves in the evening, you could send them up a bit earlier.

I would have thought 8.30 is a bit too late for a 7yo but that is just my opinion. I would have thought 7.30 with you going up to check lights out at 8. 9yo bed at 8 with you going up to check lights out at 8.30.

Only worth chinging if you are bothered by it though - each to their own I say!

Thank you both.

I suppose my issue is that we are in some ways still looking forward our time 'alone' and it has reduced to nothing now that they are older.

So I am trying to see if my expectations are actually out of place and the reality is just that we will not get a free evening until they both have left for Uni. Or if there is a nee to have some time off wo children (and that's OK).