Let’s talk about bedtime routines with Sky Broadband

[EllieMumsnet]

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The bedtime routine is one that we are constantly trying to perfect, whether it’s our own, our baby's, our partner’s or our teenagers’, it can feel like a bit of a battle of trying to wind down, relax and drift off into a deep sleep for the full 8 hours that’s recommended to us. Which is why Sky Broadband would like to know all about your family’s bedtime routine and how you all try to wind down.

Here’s what Sky Broadband have to say: “As part of our new Sky Broadband Boost pack, we have launched a brand new app called Sky Broadband Buddy, which gives parents the ultimate level of control over their family’s internet usage. Buddy takes parental controls to the next level with its market leading features such as being able to pause your internet and filter sites on devices on WiFi and mobile data You can even keep tabs on screen time by setting regular time limits and bedtimes.”

Do you have a family rule of no screen time an hour or so before bed? What are your teenager’s sleep routines? How do you battle with the late nights and early school mornings? How about yourself? What helps you get to sleep and what time do you go to sleep? Is it story time before bed that really help your children wind down? Or what about your partner, do you try to sync into each other's sleep routines?

Whatever your tips, tricks and experiences are of your family’s sleep routines, share them on the thread below and you’ll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

My kids (DS14 & DT11) don't generally have time to be on screens much on weeknights due to extra curriculars and homework, more time at weekends and on holidays. They have "teeth and tech down time" at least 45 minutes before lights out... devices are brought downstairs and charged overnight, teeth are cleaned and faces washed etc and they can read/ draw/ play quietly until lights out.

My DS is 12 months and since he was 2 months he has been in bed by 7pm. His routine before bed had altered as he has grown. He now has dinner at 6, bath at 6.30 and then watches In The Night Garden until 7 with a bottle.

For my DC the routine is usually:
Bit of TV (10 mins downstairs)
Bath
Pjs
Teeth
Books
Bed

They're usually pretty good though it can take anywhere from 30 mins to 90 mins!!

I usually wind down in.the evenings with TV or a book then head to bed not too far after the DC!

My DC are 8 and 9 and we are quite flexible with bedtimes. We have a loose routine of no screens, a book and a cuddle. Which is a far cry from when they were small and I’d unplug the phone at 7pm and tiptoe around.

After dinner there are no screens at all at the kids know that and I am always explaining why. We then do bathtime which I find is quite relaxing for them, then both boys go to their own rooms. The oldest one sits and reads or builds lego and the younger one I read to and he has a worry and happy jar which he often adds to and talks to me about things at this time - I find it great to let all the emotions out before they lie down. We really enjoy this time together, then he has lights out. I then read to my oldest son (it doesn't work to do them both together as they don't like the same stories) and again my son picks the book, we usually do a couple of chapters (sometimes more) then he has reading time as he is nine, so he quietly reads to himself, then later I come and turn his light off. The only device I permit is the kindle and its just got books on it.

Lucas is a Minecraft maniac so we have a lengthy routine to wind him down from screentime. 20 minute bath, teeth clean, then we decamp to our superking bed for a story, chat about the day and general chilling out time. It's usually about an hour after we start before he's tucked up in his own bed lol

We had a bedtime routine (bottle, In the Night Garden, bath, book and bed) for our DS (19 months) however he appears to be going through a sleep regression at the moment and so it's now a case of trying to get him to bed as soon as he shows signs of being tired. DP and I then tend to go into wind down watching a series (usually Sky Atlantic or Netflix) or browsing online.

My children are young and we have set a routine from day one where they get a bit of play time before bed. But no screen time.
A quick bath followed by a story and then to bed. Works well for us all. On the weekends and during the holidays they are allowed 30 mins screen time before a bath and it has worked so far without any issues.

I have a routine for the kids which has always been screens off an hour before bed, half an hour before bedtime is reading followed by teeth and chatting about our days before settling down to sleep. I then tend to ignore the tech rules and look at my phone/watch TV until I go to bed!

Use an app on phones which dims the screen and blocks blue light after a certain time of day. Twilight is a good one. Really useful if, like me, you read on your phone when winding down for sleep.

My daughter's are older now so they have their own routine. After homework and after school activities we usually have at least an hour of TV together before they go to bed. Often with a hot chocolate. Then they take themselves upstairs, 5 minutes in the bathroom and soon to sleep.

I have a 5 month old baby. Her bedtime routine is bath at 6.15, story, feed then hopefully asleep by 7.30pm. From 6 onwards I close the curtains and ask Alexa to play a lullaby! We keep the tone very soothing and sleepy from then on.

My own bedtime routine has been disrupted hugely since I became a mother, obviously, but the following things help me get to sleep:
A milky decaf coffee at 10ish
Breastfeeding at 10.30 (which makes me drowsy for some reason)
Not using phone just before bed, although the temptation to go on MN during the dream feed is always strong! I try and read a book instead
Gradually dimming the lights until bedtime
I use a certain hand cream at night only and find I now have a Pavlovian response to the smell - using it makes me yawn!

All our devices have screen time enabled and everything is off at eight. I think that's far too late but they do tend to use them for bedtime stories so I guess we've let that slide a little bit. We do also have a routed that can turn off the Wi-Fi but I'm not sure why we've stopped using it… Maybe I should start again!

Now I have no children at home, I find it hard to relax. I have taken to reading a book which always relaxes me & settles me down. I find this the best way to get to sleep. After that ,I'm out for the count

lavender oil in a diffuser helps!
my partner and I don't try to sync our sleep times as we have different start times at work.
i personally try to do yoga in the evenings too.
no screen time hour before bed for the kids

Eldest(11) no iPad after dinner, up to room at 7.30, reads a lot and potters in room until 8.30, sleep

Youngest (3) upstairs for toilet, cleaning teeth, sometimes a bath, naked dancing/singing and then pjs and a story in bed.

Both are now good sleepers but it took a while to get them into the routine.

At least 30 mins before going to bed I try to relax and I avoid things which get me upset etc. I also avoid horror films as these tend to give me nightmares!!

Teenagers - mine always put themselves to bed at 10pm. Sleep hygiene is something that is learned early on & regular sleep is really needed in teenage years.
Make sure that snacks at the end of the day are devoid of sugar!

Regular routine here which helps. Story etc.

Story, clean teeth and tuck them in. Then they get out for a drink. Then they get out for the toilet. Then it's a million random questions and then toilet again and finally sleep!

no screens 1-2 hours before bed, dressed and teeth done and a story before tucked in for the night.

We do baths after tea around 6ish. Stories together around 7pm , talk about the day etc... Then bed. No tv's in bedrooms so sometimes watch to the end of CBeebies bedtime hour.

For us, it's a simple bath & bed cuddled up while reading a book.

No screen 30 min before bedtime, and always finishing the day with reading together and also talk about things happened at school or outside school activities.

With 3 under 3 bedtime has been a little battle, as all were breastfed and co slept for a little bit. Now it’s teeth, bath, book and in own beds with cuddles. Seems to work