Does it make me a neglectful mother that I...

[emkana]

...routinely let my dd's, age nearly eight and five and a half, stay up till 9 pm? That's every night including school nights?

IMO it makes you mad. I pack mine off by 8 before I bury them at the end of the garden.

Yes if they need more sleep

No if they don't

My 13 year old gets packed off at 9pm.

She doesn't go to sleep mind you, but she's up those stairs...

I think you get to decide being their mummy don't you??

I think it's later than I was allowed to stay up when i was that age. I have every intention of getting my kids in to bed as early as I can get away with for as long as I can .

I let them stay up so late so that I can get time alone with them without their brother getting in the way! It's the only time of the day when we can play a board game together or I read to them undisturbed. I don't do this every night mind, but even when I don't they like pottering while I'm on the computer upstairs and it's nice.

My friend used to do this when her dh worked away, she did it for company for herself. I thought it was selfish on her part, they used to be tired and fall asleep on a bean bag most nights before she took them up to bed at 10pm. I don't think you are being neglectful but maybe slightly selfish if they need to be up for school. How are they in the mornings?

not neglectful but crazy!

my nine year olds bedtime is 7.30pm on a school night recently changed when she turned nine from 7pm
I couldn't cope with her up any longer tbh
the little ones (4 and 2) go at 7 and will be till they are nine

and if they are too tired then you should change it

They seem okay!

My dd is 6 and goes to sleep sometime between 9 and 11 pm most nights. She could be in her room any time from 7 to 10 and it doesnt seem to make a difference. She doesnt get things like tv or computer games past 7.30/8pm as they seem to stimulate her mind too much.

Some kids just need less sleep than others (and my dd appears to need less than me!)

My 5yo DD1 goes to bed 1.5 hours later than her best friend - they just need different amounts of sleep.

Whatever suits your kids is fine.
My GP told me that children, even very young, children take whatever sleep they need.
I could never get my DS (and he's only 2) into bed before 8; it's 8.30 most nights. And even then he usually doesn't go to sleep straightaway. When I asked the GP about this, she said it was absolutely fine; he obviously gets what he needs or he'd be grisly and grouchy the next day; which he isn't.
Don't worry about it; every child is different. And if that suits your lifestyle, so be it.

No, that's fine emkana, just as long as they are rested enough for school.

My DD goes to bed quite late because she doesn't need much sleep! On the rare occasions she crashes early she wakes up far too early too!

My dcs (4 and nearly 6) go to bed at 7/7.30. However I do let them read in bed and I find that ds can cheerfully read until 8.30. On the odd occassion when I won't let him, I find him up and reading at 5am when I am getting ready for work. So, if you think they are getting enough sleep then, as others have said, its fine.

Goosey, that's great your DS reads so much!
I hope mine does - when he can! I read avidly as a child and LOVE books, even children's.
I'm plying him with books at the mo in the hope that it pays off, but they often say boys generally don't read as much as girls (massive generalisation, I know).

Basically you can tell if a kid isn't getting enough sleep; they'll be grumpy, grouchy, unco-operative and more likely to burst into tears or have a tantrum.

If they're not doingany of that, you're OK