I’m interested to hear people’s views and practicalities of school holiday sleep patterns.
When I say all-rounder = I mean term-time healthy balance between a few things:
- a social or active hobby eg sport or interest (eg drama or music)
- school work, commitment to homework
- friends and going out
- healthy eating
- family including visiting grandparents who they are very close to, or having the maturity to spend 15-20 minutes doing the boring chatting with extended family or parents’ friends if they pop by to our house unannounced (ad-hoc).
- helping at home (this often requires nagging but when they do it, they do it properly, no half-hearted effort).
- looking after their material things (eg cleaning football boots or trainers so they last longer, or not losing things)
we are not wealthy but we have a good life because I put effort into budgeting and planning.
DS14 is an all-rounder, if he is not with his mates, they all “hop-on” to do gaming and then switch off and go to bed around 11pm/midnight. He will be out of bed at a reasonable time the next day, but he does spend a lot of time on his phone. If he goes out one of the parents in his group of friends will collect from a party (usually my husband but not always).
DS17 is also an all-rounder but wants to game until 3am some nights. If he does this, I have to wake him at 1pm or 2pm the next day. He is learning to drive and I have to force him to shower and eat so we can go out in the car to practise before dark. He will take himself out for a 5K run at 7pm and he will cook or wash-up but then just wants to eat and either go out to the pub (they all have fake ID) or a mates house or stay at home on the Xbox until 2am or 3am. If he goes out he is sensible (limited alcohol) and honest about where he is but he does get home late (often walks female school friends home before making his way home).
is this normal? Should I let them do what they want during school holidays? I am thinking that as long as they don’t disturb the sleep of others who have to get up for work early (eg me or my husband), then they just need to adjust their bodyclock 2 days before term starts.
DS17 does have a part-time sports job starting after Christmas. DS14 is very good at visiting grandparents and being helpful there. Both are studious at school and dedicated to their sport training schedule. Both can be pain-in-the-bum teenagers too but we have a good atmosphere and both adults and kids know how to apologise when we shout or snap or answer back.