Children get themselves to bed

[BatheInTheLight]

What time do children on average start to get themselves to bed... You know, say goodnight and off they go?

My eldest is 6 and co-sleeps and often likes a 'warm hug' before they fall asleep, pretty quickly, I then exit the bed for some me time!! don't get me wrong, I love this and I know it won't last forever, just wondering when it might finish!?

Mine were 15 & 13.

Up until then they waited to be told it was bedtime.

Not saying they were difficult about bedtime, they just didn't volunteer.

My dd was prob about 13. She then started to go to bed around the same time as me

Dd is 10 and because she now wants to read in bed a bit before sleep, we do our stories and then ‘tuck her in’ and say goodnight. Sometimes there’ll be a few minutes of chat then, but quite often she’s happy for us to just go.
I can’t see her just taking herself off to bed for a few years as she really enjoys the routine and last hugs.

Since they were about 10ish I think.

Thanks for replies! I suppose I hadn't considered the part about where you tell them it's bed time and they go up. I probably should have worded my question, what age are they happy to go to bed unaccompanied! :-) not necessarily when they are old enough to decide, it's time I hit the hay.

My twins are 11 soon and I still have to supervise bedtime or they mess around and wind each other up. It’s quick and painless though.

My 4yo needs tucking in but doesn't need me to be with him while he falls asleep.

Or do you mean old enough for you to say "goodnight" and they go upstairs themselves, change, brush teeth and get themselves into bed?

DD is 6 and gets herself ready for bed while I clear up after dinner but I then go up and we read to each other. Then I say goodnight and she carries on reading to herself before she goes to sleep.

I hope the bedtime stories continue for another few years!

I still take my 10 year old to bed, because they ask me to.
Mostly happy to but sometimes I wish they would just go up on their own. We read earlier in the evening, they would rather to a word search than me read to them in bed!
But I'm still 'needed' to physically take them to bed. Sigh.

Coslept with mine til they were 3ish, and they went to sleep alone in own room by 4. I love the bedtime routine of stories and then wee chats in the dark. I can't imagine not doing it! Just a nice closing to the day. One child can sometimes get up quite a few times, so we have an extra snuggle and she toddles back off.

Since about 9/10

Say goodnight and off they go?
Late teens.

Needing to be prompted to go to bed, but went up by themselves, clean teeth etc, probably last year of primary/first secondary year.

Going upstairs by themselves and settling down to sleep can be any age. The trick is for them to incorporate clean teeth, washing, putting pj's on, putting dirty clothes in basket, last wee, not reading that last page, turning the lights off, not pestering other sibling...that's the hardest part.

About 9 although at 10 she needs reminding 🤣

Mine had 7-7 days so bed was pretty much after supper. To be honest I checked out of bedtime when they were about 10 max. Might have been a couple of years earlier!

DS1 about 10, DS2 more like 13. I don’t know if it’s character or because he has ASD or maybe just because he’s the youngest but he like to be tucked in till then.
I could have pushed independence but I didn’t want to.

I tell my 7 year old to go to bed and he goes to bed.

I go in to check on him and tuck him in and then I leave him to it. It's been like that since he was 4/5 though.

Mine were read a story, say goodnight and leave around 2.5 to 3

We stopped having bedtime story at about 11.

Mine are 10 and 13 and it hasn't actually occurred to me to stop 'doing' bedtime! Food for thought, I'm sure they can put themselves to bed perfectly well. They both still have a (separate) story or chat time before bed at the mo - it's useful quiet 1-1 time with each of them. Can be a pest when it's 10pm though.

Secondary age.

My son is just finishing y6. We've just changed from my reading him a story and turning his light off to my kissing goodnight and he reads awhile and turns his own light off.

DD is 14 and she says goodnight and goes off to her room - no tucking in any more.

Mine are 10 & 12 now and have been taking themselves off to bed for several years now. I can't remember when that started or why.

My 6yo is similar to yours I think. I ask her to go up and clean teeth/get dresssed/have a wee. She calls down when she's ready and I tell her how long she can have to read. But I still go up for a quick cuddle and a lullaby. If DH is home he reads to her instead of her reading to herself (I can't easily do that without her brothers going in her room and climbing all over her, which spoils the calm a bit!!!). I'm only with her for the last 5 minutes of bedtime, so its no fuss compares to her siblings.... one of my boys talks LOUDLY to himself until he falls asleep, so I can't take them up until I'm sure eldest is asleep and he annoys his brother

9/10ish

My 9 year old we send up to shower and get ready for bed but then normally go up and check he's actually brushed his teeth, sometimes he wants to be 'tucked in'.

Dd is 10 and has done so in the last 6 months or so. (Before that she mostly slept in my bed but did still take herself there, but knowing I'd be in soon)

I put my 6 year old to bed. I go up and float around on the stairs to check my 8 year old has done teeth but don’t put him to bed. I tell my 11 year old to go up and he sorts himself out! So I’m my experience there’s a transition at about 9