What bedtime 2yo & 5yo

[Indecisivelurcher]

Hi mnetters, could really do with a quick whip round survey on this! What time do / did your kids go to bed lights out, age 2yr 9m and 5yr 4m. Thank you...

My 2yr old went to bed at 7:30pm (she still does now she's three).

If I had a 2yo and 5yo and it was easier to put them both to bed at the same time I'd go for 7:30. If it was easier to stagger the bedtimes I'd go for 7:30 and 8ish, respectively.

Mine are the same age. I try to out them both to bed for 7, but it’s often not until 7.30 that they both fall asleep. My five year old seems to need an early bedtime more than the two year old!

5 yo bedtime routine starts at 7. If he falls asleep before 8.30 I class it as a win

3 and 5 year old go to bed at 7pm and wake up about 6-7am

Should of said they share a room so bedtime is quite easy, pJ , Teeth , story then both in bed by 7.20/7.30 normally asleep by about 8pm

My 2 year old goes to bed between 7.30 and 8, one story then lights out. If I had a 5 year old as well I'd probably do bedtime at the same time if I could manage it!

Mine are 3 and 6, but my 3yo starts bedtime routine at 6.30/7 and is always asleep by 7.30. Same this time last year she stopped napping around 2. My 6yo reads in bed at 7 and lights out at 7.30, or 8 at the weekend. She's sometimes not asleep til 9 but usually by 8/8.30. This time last year she was still waking up at 6ish every day (now 7), so it was lights out strictly at 7.30.

Watching with interest as mine are the same age and bedtimes are a constant battle. When you say ‘bedtime’ do you mean the time you start the process or the ‘lights out and walk away’ time?

@puddle, I mean lights out.

We had been doing 2yo 6:30 up to bed lights out by 7. 5yo up to bed at 7:20 lights out 7:40ish. But the 2yo wakes up at 5am and the 5yo normally wakes up twice during the night and to be honest I'm getting to the end of my tether with just feeling knackered all the sodding time.

So at the weekend we pushed bedtime lights out back to 7:30 for the 2yo and 8pm for the 5yo. It worked for a coupe of nights, 5yo slept through, 2yo got up after 6. But last night was back to old tricks, plus they're now both tired today. I was having a wobble whether to stick with the new plan or abandon ship.

Most of my friends put their kids the same ages to bed at around 7pm so I wanted to gauge whether the new plan at least sounded reasonable!

From feedback on here, the new lights out times of 7:30 and 8pm don't sound crazy. So I think I'll stick with the change for a fortnight and see what it does.

Just thinking as well, what will the clock change do to all this...

At almost 3 we aimed for in bed at 7 ready for story then sleep but my one is a handful at bedtime so often one of us will sit on the floor for 20 mins so he doesnt get up. In reception I used to send my 5 yearold to

Sorry pressed post too soon. In reception 4/5 yearold had same bedtime as he was always worn out but then we moved it to in bed for 7:30 lights out 8 ish.

I have a 2 and 7 year old, but they both go to bed around 7:30-8:30, depending on the night and how late dinner is. 2 year old usually asleep anywhere between 7:30-9pm and 7 year old asleep by 9:30pm. They get up between 6-7am. I couldn’t do it earlier and they aren’t that tired anyway.

At that age mine went at 7pm, at their current ages (6, 4 and 1) they still all go to bed at 7. 6 and 4 year olds sleep until 7 the next day, 1 year old up multiple times a night then up at 5.15am!

I have 3.6 DD and 5.10 DS. It's a good day if either is asleep by 8.30. DS is usually closer to 9. If we turn the lights out at 7...all that means is 90+ mins of chasing them back to bed/sitting in their rooms which is soul destroying especially with baby DC3. We usually aim for lights out 7.45 for DD, 8.15 for DS. Both are awake 6.30 am usually.

My 5yo and 7.5yo both we aim for 7pm, although it tends to be 7:15. Lights off for the small one (they share a room) and the eldest reads with a light for half an hour. So turn her light off at 7:45. Awake about 6am.

Really interesting amount of variation in responses

My two year old depends entirely on his day time nap (if he has one) if he doesn't have a nap he's in bed at 6.30pm and fast asleep by 7. If he has a 1-3 nap though I will put him to bed at half 7 and he's asleep by 8.

My 5 year old is in bed at 7.15 and we do stories until 8pm latest. Usually about 7.50. He sleeps through to 6.30ish. At 2 we did bath time around 6pm with cuddling to sleep after. Lights went off at 6.45 asleep by 7.30 but he would then get up twice in the night for further cuddles.

I have the same age kids as you OP, almost exactly. I start saying that it's bedtime soon at 6:30pm, ask for games to wind down, check if either of them want any supper, have some tidy up time. We go upstairs just before 7, they brush their teeth and get into their pyjamas. As soon as this is done youngest has their milk and goes in their cot, light out. Then into the oldest's room, a chapter or two of their storybook, light out by 7:30pm. The oldest takes longer to settle, wants company, drinks, usually asleep by 8pm.

5.4 and 2.4 here. We go up for bath at 6.15, in bed and lights out at seven. The older one in particular needs it, long day at school and wraparound care and he’s asleep in seconds. Younger one mucks about a bit going to sleep. They usually both wake around 6.30 but the older one has a gro clock so he can’t get up till 7.

Getting ready for bed around 7.00 lights out by 7.30. I always found it a bit weird when friends were starting bedtime at 6.00 or 6.30 as it's not long after tea.
On the other hand my nephew was up til 10pm at that age which was extremely irritating at family get togethers when the rest of us wanted some child-free down time in the evening.

4.5 and 2.3. usually 2 year old goes to bed around 7 and then 4 year old straight after. 4 year old falls straight asleep so is usually asleep by 7.30 at the very latest. 2 year old still naps so she rolls about in her cot and talks to her teddies until 8 or 8.30 most nights. They both wake up around 7ish.

Once 2 year old drops her nap then I’ll probably put her to bed around 6/6.30 until she adjusts