Am I setting too early a bedtime?

[LionsnTigersnBears]

Our 18 month old dd has been 'singing' herself to sleep (mainly a 'mash up' of Twinkle twinkle and Baa Baa black sheep ) for some months now. She's seemed quite happy so we have left her to it- just popping in to reassure if needed i.e if singing turned to crying or to check on her. Usually she'd sing for about 20-40 minutes and then doze off. The last week or so she's been up for hours though! Tonight she's just gone to sleep at 8.45 and we put her to bed as usual at 7pm. Last night she was still up singing at 10pm. Is 7 pm too early do you think? or is this just a phase? Its absolutely shredding me as I have to use the evenings to work from home and I can never relax until she is definitely asleep!

Ours have always had a 7pm bedtime. Most young children I know go to bed between 7 and 8pm. Does she still have a daytime nap? Maybe you need to make this shorter?

7pm sounds like a reasonable bedtime for an 18 month old. How much/when is sleeping during the day? It may be time to cut down on her nap or make sure it's not too late.

We have a 3.10 and a 15 month old. In the ideal setting we start bedtime routine at 7. They are in bed etc by 8. The older one now goes to bed by 8/8.30. The little one is still up (it's 8.55). She's had a one hr nap. Those are my children and their habits though. They both go to nursery and have active lives. I've accepted that that's my lot. We have friends whose children go to bed by 7 or start to meltdown by 6/7. My kids are still going at 8!!

Sorry just to add maybe you can delay her sleep time but if depends on what you are comfortable with (how your lifestyle is). We work ft so only see the children from pickup at 5.40 onwards so them staying up isn't too much of a problem.

7pm sounds fine to me but agreed she doesn't sound tired so would be looking at cutting down the day time nap or making it earlier?

Ds2 just turned 18 months is going through this just now. I am hoping it's just a phase. I do remember dd going through phases Luke this too. I have noticed that it usually is followed by a developmental leap of some sort as their minds are so active. This time ds2 has had a massive leap in his speech. If he is happy playing away and singing I would just leave him be and it'll pass.

Mine goes at 8:30 but start bedtime routine at 7:30 which includes bath, story etc. I just find for him 8:30 works better as he sleeps through, having hopefully cone out of a torrid two month phase of screaming at bedtime and in the night.

thanks everyone! She has always been a bit of a horror with the day time naps. Over the last few month or so she usually has an hour or so nap just after lunch (1-2) but otherwise doesn't sleep during the day anymore. Before this she used to sleep for 40 mins in the morning and then maybe another half hour in the afternoon. She likes a lie in - takes after her dad !- and often doesn't her up until after 8 but I worry. Plus, I know it sounds selfish, but I really do need to work in the evening, hence the panic. We have the same routine we always have, tea, play, story, bath, milk, cuddle, bed but lately it just seems to have gone west! Thanks for all the replies, its much reassuring!

Yeah I'd say less sleep in the day maybe.

I have a toddler with a naturally 'late' cycle. He is happy and active with no signs of tiredness until at least 8.30 and has never so much as yawned before 8.45. Even as a tiny baby he showed no interest in sleeping in the early evening.

A while back I posted a thread to see if anyone else had the same situation and got quite a few replies:

thread

Thanks all! I'll try getting her out of her pit earlier and see where we get! All good prep for the teenage years I guess