Reasonable bedtimes

[haggardpete]

Our teenage daughter - now 16 has been going to bed later and later on non-school nights. The trend started a few years ago when she was going to bed around 1Am. But its gotten to 7 AM now, this morning I passed her going to bed at 7:45 when I was getting up. I emphasise she doesnt go out - just sits and watches TV as far as I know and on school nights she is generally lights out by 1 Am or so.

My wife has always maintained 'this is normal' and 'all her friends are doing it' but I am sure this in nonsense, and I am really worried about the effect on our our younger daughter who is now old enough to be affected by this. What are your feelings?

Its not normal, she may have a sleep problem. I would suggest taking her to the GP for help. Also let her learn about good sleep hygiene, so winding down, no TV or computer in bed room etc.

Good luck!

Not at all normal.
11pm on a school night, a couple of hours later on a weekend.
What is she actually doing all night? Surely her concentration/energy levels at school must be affected.

no way is that normal, i would say 10pm at the latest on a school night and 11pm on a weekend. you may thingk 16 is grown up but its not, they need sleep. the average amount someone that age needs is between 9 and 11 hours!!

I think it is normalish. My son has been doing this since i stopped telling him when to go to bed (When he left school) ...as long as he could get up for college - i left him to it (which he always did).

On a resent family holiday he was going to bed at 12ish up at 8am - so i know he can do it !!....if they have nothing better to do they will stay up half the night and sleep all day ! .... There is only a few years that they will be able to do this before responsibilities come along.. let her get on with it.

we have started turning the internet off when we go to bed for this very reason. dd was up til 4am the other night ( aged 17) and its just not good for her to have her pattern turned upside down.

so i told her she could sleep or read a book

i think 1am is late enough.

It's not normal to be going to bed at 7am. But it is normal for teenagers and even 20 year olds to go to bed at 3 or 4am and then get up aroud 2pm the next day.