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

we have a routine down to a tee

Do you have a family rule of no screen time an hour or so before bed?
No, we don’t

What are your teenager’s sleep routines?
DC tried to avoid going to bed even when tired, but we do have a set time. If he is late going to bed it is very difficult to get him up in the morning.

How do you battle with the late nights and early school mornings?
It’s a battle and I usually help as much as possible by checking school bag the night before, and putting out clean uniform etc

How about yourself? What helps you get to sleep and what time do you go to sleep?
Reading is relaxing for me, or just some me time in the bath before bed.

Is it story time before bed that really help your children wind down?
No, it’s bath time and pjs on that do the trick.

Or what about your partner, do you try to sync into each other's sleep routines?
Yes if possible but it isn’t always practical or possible.

A bath a snuggle and a book.

We don't really have screentime issues yet as DS is too young but I'm sure it will come.

We try to do a calming bath before bed, it used to work with a nice massage of baby lotion afterwards but these days we get a crazy, naked toddler leaping around the landing after bath which isn't so relaxing.

We do the usual pyjamas, teeth, story routine, I'm trying to break the feed before sleep link but it's not going well so far....

Two of our children are now teenagers. Both are home educated. They don't have a bedtime routine as such they just go to sleep when tired. However screens do get turned off by 11pm.
Our youngest child is 6.Her bedtime routine consists of a bubble bath, pj's, a glass of warm milk, cuddles in bed and a story.
Sometimes she will sleep in our bed all snuggled up

Teeth, PJs, Book

When mine were little I always kept to the same routine - bath, milk, teeth, story time and bed. Have to say, lucky or not, it worked for both of them and I have never been troubled with them going to bed.

Now they are a little older, I can't enforce that - although I do enforce the no gadget rule once they are sent up to shower. It's trickier now than when they were little, I think - as I send them to bed at a time I think is acceptable to get a decent amount of sleep before school - but both of them find it hard to get to sleep quickly. My teenager finds it even harder to get up in the morning!

For me, the trick is get up to bed and to sleep way before my hubby comes up - otherwise, once he starts snoring, there's no way I get off to sleep!!

My little boy will be 1 next week, he likes to watch a lovely cartoon called "Moon and Me" before bed, he actually asks for "Nanna" the main character is called Pepi Nanna, this has greatly annoyed my mum as you can imagine as she thought he was asking for her at first 😂😂

We go upstairs around 6.50 where he gets a bath then a nice massage (loves having his tummy rubbed" pjs and a bottle of milk. Then we brush our teeth and read a story then into sleeping bag, kiss our toys goodnight, goodnight kisses for Mummy and Daddy and then he lies in his cot while I sing his favourite song to him, Ben E Kings stand by me, he is usually asleep before I've finished singing but if not we just leave the room and he's usually asleep after 5 minutes

For the kids it has always been no screens an hour before bed, bath, quiet time and let them drift off to sleep which has always worked pretty well for us (I know we are quite lucky in that respect) For myself and my husband, we have embraced going to sleep when you are tired, even if its 8.30pm. For years after having the kids we fought it but more recently, with life getting more not less hectic, we have found it makes a huge difference to our mental and physical wellbeing.

We have a rigid bedtime regime, bath, PJs, story, bed, and have since birth, in expectation this would lead to calm bedtimes at a reasonable time. And we still stick to this. It has had no effect. They have both (now 3 and 6) always gone mad at bedtime, like a huge energy burst, and don't got to sleep till 9 or 10!

We come up for bath then whilst I put our little one to bed my 4yr old has a few cartoons then teeth, books and bed. Both asleep by 7.30pm.

We have a clear routine so that it's obvious to body and mind what is coming next and that we are winding down ready for sleep

We have an hour of no screen time before bed, and before then it's TV rather than close up screens. They can play quiet games, draw etc then it's bath, teeth, pyjamas and stories

We did try letting them stay up later / break routine as a treat over school holidays/christmas etc but found that it really didn't work well and they are better sticking to routine as much as possible for us all to be happier going to bed and the following day

My DD is 10 and we've had the same routine always. Milk, PJS, teeth and story

My DD is 10 and we've had the same routine always. Milk, PJS, teeth and story

We used to have a routine and a lack of screen time. Alas now there is too much screen time and not enough routine. We have had final times to turn off screens but now the children are 10 and 12 it seems hard to control without walking around with a stopwatch. Sorry, no tips to share with others but looking forward to reading others'.

We tried to start a firm routine from them being babies although babies do`nt always conform.
Now it is homework an hour after school. Time in the hour to play and
have some free time. They are only 6 and ten but still usually have some form of homework. Tea time, play a game or outside in summer ,bath drink story and bed.
Usually Works.

Bath every other night, teeth, PJs, story, cuddles, songs, sleep (hopefully!)

no iphones/ipads in bed

No phones, tablets or tv in bedrooms and I think a routine is better if they can unwind before bedtime so a nice story and a hot chocolate or warm milk works a treat.

Bedtime for DS has been pretty much the same since he was very young- bath (every other night), pyjamas on, teeth brushed, and then into bed for cuddles and a bedtime story.

I really wish my bedtime routine was as consistent! I used to be quite good, but then I started working part time so some evenings I don't finish work til 10pm (that used to be my standard bedtime wistful sigh) so now by the time I've waddled home (pregnant so it's taking me longer these days!) it's often long gone 11 by the time I've got in, had a cup of tea and got settled into bed...
My one rule is that DP and I don't have tech in the bedroom, so thankfully neither of us is staring at our phone in bed. If I'm not working I do like to wind down with a long bath and a read, otherwise I'm usually fast asleep within 5 minutes!

We watch the cbbcs bedtime story, the pjs and teeth, into bed with two stories, a song then the biggest cuddle and kiss ever!

I think mine is easy as there is only one and she is quite easy, bath, milk, cuddle, story the bed! Then I watch some tv and bed myself!

My boys are 4 and 10. Strictly no screen time after 4.30pm I mean no iPads or consoles. They watch a little tv before bed then I read to my 4 yr old and my 10 yr old reads to himself for 20mins then bed. No late nights on school nights but maybe on a Saturday as it's usually film night. I'm usually in bed by 10pm as I'm a light sleeper so I go to bed before hubby does.

My children don't have screentime as a general rule but we often have half an hour of TV before bedtime so they can wind down.

We used to have dinner early, 5pm, followed by a little television time together then quiet time playing in their beds before falling asleep.