Double bedtime | Mumsnet

SuzyQ88 · 2025-03-09T19:39:12+00:00

Ladies talk to me about how you juggle double bedtime! Who does what between you and your partner, what routines do you have in place? Does one solely do one and the other does the other? I have a 3 year old boy and 5 month old girl. Luckily the 3 year old likes DH doing bedtime so I think we will fall into DH doing 3 and me doing 5mo. 3's bedtime is between 7/7:30 and the little one seems to be on a schedule where she likes to go down around that time too so doing one then the other seems impossible! And pray god tell me how you manage it when a partner is out or working!

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WonderingAboutThus · 10/03/2025 00:34

Their entire life, all three of my kids have gone to bed at 8. And by that I mean I WILL be watching the 8 o'clock news. The younger ones have naps. Now that he's eight, the oldest has started asking for a later bedtime. He now has permission to read in bed after 8, which is doing wonders for his reading abilities.

So yeah, everyone is in the bathroom/laying out tomorrow's clothes/brushing hair/pulling their siblings hair at the same time and it's rather inefficient, but it's only once >< and then the night starts.

This has also worked well for the years my husband was working elsewhere.

LilacPony · 10/03/2025 00:47

WonderingAboutThus · 10/03/2025 00:34

Their entire life, all three of my kids have gone to bed at 8. And by that I mean I WILL be watching the 8 o'clock news. The younger ones have naps. Now that he's eight, the oldest has started asking for a later bedtime. He now has permission to read in bed after 8, which is doing wonders for his reading abilities.

So yeah, everyone is in the bathroom/laying out tomorrow's clothes/brushing hair/pulling their siblings hair at the same time and it's rather inefficient, but it's only once >< and then the night starts.

This has also worked well for the years my husband was working elsewhere.

Same here. Everyone gets ready at the same time with one parent helping. Everyone in bed by 730. Older ones can read in bed/write journal/very quiet play with small toys in bed and turn their lights off when ready.

Original poster

SuzyQ88 · 10/03/2025 07:04

WonderingAboutThus · 10/03/2025 00:34

Their entire life, all three of my kids have gone to bed at 8. And by that I mean I WILL be watching the 8 o'clock news. The younger ones have naps. Now that he's eight, the oldest has started asking for a later bedtime. He now has permission to read in bed after 8, which is doing wonders for his reading abilities.

So yeah, everyone is in the bathroom/laying out tomorrow's clothes/brushing hair/pulling their siblings hair at the same time and it's rather inefficient, but it's only once >< and then the night starts.

This has also worked well for the years my husband was working elsewhere.

How did you manage this when they were smaller? My 3 year old needs stories and cuddles in bed to fall asleep and the baby obviously needs holding and rocking till I can put her down!

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WonderingAboutThus · 10/03/2025 08:10

SuzyQ88 · 10/03/2025 07:04

How did you manage this when they were smaller? My 3 year old needs stories and cuddles in bed to fall asleep and the baby obviously needs holding and rocking till I can put her down!

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They get their stories one story after the other while everyone is welcome to join. They get their hugs individually once everyone is settled in bed waiting for their hugs.

I had a baby bouncer so the baby would be with us installed on the bathroom floor/brought into the bedtime story room with us and be chatted to as I was brushing teeth, or just observing the general chatter. If they cried during story time, they could sit on my lap or, if they still cried, safely cry outside the room for a few minutes while the siblings got their story. Though I think that was rare, (my) babies liked being in the middle of the ruckus not left alone, even if they are not the point of attentions.

Original poster

SuzyQ88 · 10/03/2025 08:43

This is really helpful thank you!

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