Bed time 16 year old (boring, sorry)

[Fiendishlie]

My DS turns 16 in September and starts year 11 at school. What time should I be sending him off to bed (given that he can read in bed if he wishes as I have never needed to enforce a 'lights out' policy).
I think I may have been sending him off too early and with him hitting 16 I have suddenly noticed he's a very big boy now

Oops, that should have been

I've been blocked in the past, but we are FB friends again now

Don't talk on Facebook and I refuse to text when theyre in the house, but we're a shouty house so we just shout up and down.

I will quite happily watch TOWIE or Geordie Shore with them. We have a fair mix I think, bit of trash, bit of question time although we're never going to watch university challenge or spring watch in our house.

We watch a lot of films too, tends to be more protests about that but they can always go and watch things in their room. Although half the time we all end up in someone's room nosing at what their watching. We have an open house though so at times it can get a bit crowded, but most of their friends seem happy to sit with us.

This thread is a hoot.

When I was 16 I had a motorbike, an evening waitressing job and a sex life.

There's only so much enthusiasm that I can muster for chat about Jared Leto, minecraft and Lana Del thingy of an evening.

Enthusiasm isn't really required though is it, just as long as you don't actually stick your fingers in your ears!

I have an open house too Ruby, theres always a stray teen about somewhere.

The whole of mumsnet is pseuds corner sometimes, that's mild line

I love watching TOWIE with my dd.

You should hear us slagging them all off.

There are a few topics which I have banned from conversations

• the iphone upgrade coming up and all iphone apps
• what happened to Stewie on Family Guy (I HATE Family Guy)
• what she dreamt last night

By 16yrs mine just went of their own accord-very often after me. School nights they would go earlier-they know they have to be up early. They have to be taking responsibility for themselves by that age.
Even school social functions went on until after midnight!
When I was 16 yrs I had regular babysitting jobs and often had to stay until well after midnight-even 2am sometimes.
In 2 years they will be able to go to bed whenever they like-it seems sensible that they are regulating it themselves by 6th form age.

Oh god yes banned conversations include all gadget upgrades, GetOrf.

Me and my DS had a long conversation about meteor showers the other night, he is a bit geeky though.

I love geeky boys.

DD and I spoke about aeroplanes at length the other night.

DD promised me that if I bought her an iphone that she would never, ever, ever even hint at an upgrade. She lied to me.

I had this conversation with my 15yr old dd not that long ago; until then she had a 10pm bedtime for school days, and 11pm at the weekend.

Since deciding that she's big enough and old enough to be trusted with setting her own bed time, she's been really good - it's almost as though the actual set bedtime was a target that she had to hit, whereas now she's asleep far earlier! I was gobsmacked

OP - if you don't want other people's opinions, then it's probably not a good idea to post here (and then be rude).

Line I'm hoping the skies clear here, I've missed them for the last couple of years

Thats what we were discussing, we will be out there looking tonight.

I got my DS (14) out last Christmas to watch the International Space Station pass overhead, thanks to MN. I don't know if we actually talked as such, but it made a change!

I feel like a nasty controlling shitbag now ;) Am going to instigate self regulating bed times for the rest of the hols and then have a think about September.

I reserve the right though to tell 'em to bugger off though if the Jared Leto chat continues after 11pm. Or the being made to watch really funny/tedious videos on YouTube. Or any mention of minecraft. Or if any sentence beginning with 'this really random thing literally, like, happened to my friend...'

September's diferent

I can actually spel

I don't think it's a bad idea for a 16 year old to have a boundary bed time.
I do think 9.30 is rather early if the teen isn't choosing to go to bed then.

But many teens that age as somebody else said, wont regulate themselves properly. They won't think 'shit, I'm knackered. Going to bed at 2am last night was a bad idea. Won't be doing that again'
I know you can not make them sleep at that age but I certainly would be encouraging them to get to bed at a time that would allow the a decent 7-8 hours sleep.
I personally would not have an Under 18 going up to be later than me.

Disclaimer: None of mine are teens yet so I may be chatting shit and have a re-think in a few years....

Oh it's like packed lunch threads, where people think their DCs will eat home-made pitta pouches with hoummous & dates for ever ...

Really, they find their way, hopefully with our help.