What is the right time for bed?

[Chiccadum]

I would like to know what other mums deem a suitable bedtime for a 10month old. It doesn't matter whether my dd2 has 1/2 hr or 4 1/2 hours sleep a day she always wants to go to bed about 6pm. Now I'm not complaining as it gives me time to catch up on housework but she wakes during the night, albeit a few times less since she has been in the grobag. I have tried to get her to go to bed later but by 6.30 she is distraught and sobbing. Would any of you say this is a suitable time or too early? My dd1 who is 4 goes to bed at 6pm also and sleeps till 7am.

Chiccadum, we had/have exactly the same problem and rarely come across others who also have a little one that needs to go to bed early. my DS is 16 months and he is normaly in bed/asleep by 6pm - 6.30 at the latest. We've tried everything - keeping him up 5 mins later every night, getting him to nap later in the day etc etc. Nothing worked he just gets to about 6ish and becomes really really upset because he's so tired.
We came to the conclusion that if that was when he needed to go to bed we'd go with it. He's an extremely active child and never ever sits still for even 30 secs, which I'm sure is a lot to do with it.
he does wake early between 5.30-6.30 but as I say - I've tried loads of different things to try and push his bedtime forward and nothing worked.
I wouldn't worry about it. they are all different after all.

I think the right time for bed is wahat suits you and if 6pm is it then don't worry too much. We have 7pm bedtime thanks to Gina Ford and it works well as once dd has gone to bed I cook supper and we eat by 8pm. She wakes up at about 7.30am so I guess we are lucky! I have to say my preference is for an early bedtime myself so that dh & I can have our evenings together, also if we have guests round for dinner dd is already settled by the time they arrive so there is no excitement (spelling?) to delay bedtime.

I think whatever works for you is best. Sorry, I know that doesn't help but it is true. Every child is different so it's a difficult one to call.

DD is 10 months old and goes to bed between 7pm and 8pm, usually at 7:30pm. She then sleeps through 'till between 6:30am-8am. As you say, the amount and length of daytime napes makes absolutely no difference to her at all.

My 16 month old has a long sleep in the morning (normally about 2 - 2/5 hours) and then has another sleep in the afternoon, anything from 1/2 hour to 2 hours. She likes to be in her cot by 7:15 and normally wakes about 7:30 am, which suits me fine - not too early, but early enough.

Those times sound about right to me in terms of amout of sleep anyway. My 9 month old is very similar apart from the fact that we've made the whole day later so she goes to bed at 8.30 - 9 and wakes up between 9 and 10.

If you did want to make her go to bed later then you need to move her whole day (not just bedtime), and it is easier to do it by 15 minutes a day. But on the whole I wouldn't worry.

My 2 (ds is 4 and dd is 13 months) are both in bed by about 6.30pm, so very similar to your 2, Chiccadum. They both sleep through until about 7am and both seem happy enough. I enjoy getting the evening to myself!

Right time for bed = as early as humanly possible. Tempted to put mine to bed NOW...

Mine (age just 1 and just 3) go to bed at the same time - 7.30pm It works well - as they are both sleeping by about 7.45 and we thn have a few hours to ourselves before bed. But for us this works as dh gets home at 5.30 every night and so has plenty time to eat with them, baths/playing/stories etc. I think I would keep them up later (maybe have an afternoon nap later etc) if he wasn't home before bedtime. Dd who is 3 wakes every morning at 6.30 no matte when she goes to bed, ds always sleeps now until 7.15

Chiccadum, I'm not sure you have an option on this one. It sounds as though your dd2 knows when she's tired. Our nearly 10 month old dd is very like that too but her time is 6.30pm. This is a weird experience for us because ds has hardly ever fallen asleep before 8pm! I'd say go with it and enjoy your long evenings!

My dd is 8 months old, and her bedtimes vary quite a bit - normally due to a very disorganised mummy! I work 3 days per week, and on work days we are up at 6am, out of the house by 7.30am and when I get home at 6pm she is ready for a cuddle, bath and bed - usually by 7.30pm. Mum makes sure she sleeps in morning and afternoon, as it is such a long day for her. On non - work days she still wakes early, but I feed her and play, then we 'try' to have a lie-in until 9am (she is in my bed by then). She goes to bed a bit later on my days off, but still has a nap during the day.