Recommended bedtime - questions

tellred wrote: Hi.

I'm very happy with my childs sleeping habits but have had complaints and comments from other people that he is staying up to l,ate. My son is nearly 3 yrs old and so he doesn't attend kindergarten yet or any type of day care. He just "helps" his mom during the day. He goes to bed at 10pm sharp every night and wakes up between 8:30 and 9:30 every morning. He also has a nap in the afternoon for two/two and a half hours (3-5:30pm). This works very well for me because when I get home around 6 we still have a good four hours that we can spend together, whereas I leave for work before he gets up in the morning.

He is not tired, has no trouble sleeping, gets the recommended number of hours of sleep a day and still gets to spend time with his father in the evening. Is there something terribly wrong with this?

Of course, when he starts to go to kindergarten I guess his schedule will need to change so he can get up earlier in the morning. But will this really be a problem? My guess is that he comes home from KG exhausted and won't have any qualms about going to bed earlier - Am I completely out of my mind?http://forums.parentingclub.com/style_images/1/icon2.gif

I would really appreciate comments from yome experienced parents...

Thanks.

ediep replied: I say if it works well for your family then continue what you are doing. He sounds like he sleeps just as much as my son, just different hours

My son goes to bed at 9-ish on days that he naps and he'll sleep until 7-7:30 or so. If he doesn't nap, he'll go to bed about 7:45. His naps are usually at 1:30 to 3:30

jem0622 replied: Do what works for your household! I agree that he'll need an earlier bedtime with school, but that will come.

Our girls go to bed at 7:30pm. Our boys go to bed between 8/8:30pm. The boys and girls usually sleep until about 7:30am each morning.

Maddie&EthansMom replied: My daughter used to stay up late. She would go to bed when we went to bed. Which was usually around 11 or so. This bothered ME, but not anyone else. It bothered me b/c she was fussy, needed to be in bed and I wanted that time with her daddy. I lost the war. I realized she needed to see him and most of the time he didn't get home until 10 or later. (he's in the car business) That was the only time she had to spend with him. I didn't know how it would work out once she started Kindergarten, but it has worked out really well. The month before she started school we put her on a new bedtime routine. She was mature enough then to understand that she would miss seeing daddy for a couple of days, but she realized if she woke up early enough in the morning she could catch him before he left for work. Now she goes to bed at 8:30 every night (and is quite ready for bed by then, too) She wakes up early, eats with her daddy and he takes her to school before he heads to work.

So, do what is working for you. As long as your son is getting the amount of sleep he needs I think he will be fine.

tellred replied: Thanks for your encouraging responses. It's good to know that I'm not the only "crazy" parent who lets (let) their kid stay up past 7

Thanks again

T

coasterqueen replied: I agree, do what works for your family. I tried many different bed times to get Kylie to sleep in later in the morning but NOTHING works. She could go to bed at 7:30 pm or midnight and she'll still get up between 5 and 6:30 am.

So she goes to bed between 7:30 and 8 pm and it works for us.

C&K*s Mommie replied: So are we all "crazy" or are we the normal ones.... ?? Because I am in the same boat as you, 10p is not unusual for a bedtime. And when I am in class, Christian gets back up & stays up with me when I get home--but usually until 11/1130 when I finally retire.

Kaitlin'smom replied: I agree if it works for you they stay with it for now. Kait is normaly in bed by 8:30p and up most days by 7:30a some days its a bit later but if she is not in bed by 9p she is a grump in the mornings and wakes up way to early 6:30a. So I do have to be strick on bed time even on some night I would love to say up and cuddle with her.

CAMSMOM1 replied: ITA with everyone.

Every child is different. I know that I have always been a late night person, you couldn't get me to bed before 10:00. And I"ve always been that way. Some people require less sleep, and our bodies get tired at different times. As long as your child isn't fussy at night, and is sleeping through the night, then I don't see that it's a problem.
I'm sure your son's sleep schedule will change when he starts school. He will have a more busy day, and will need to get more sleep because he'll be more tired...and waking up earlier in the mornings. I would suggest that a couple weeks before he starts school, try to get him to bed an hour ealier...to prepare him for waking up earlier with school. That way he's not exhausted his first week of Kindergarten.
But I think you're doing a great job, and you know what works best for your child.
And you can't please everybody, they'll always have something to say about how you are raising your children. As long as it's working for you and everyone in your household is happy, then don't worry about what they say.

Ann

BAC'sMom replied: All my kids were “night owls” when they were small. Since we have 2 in school now bedtime is 9:00, the baby goes down shortly after. Do what is best for you and your family.

My3LilMonkeys replied: Do what works for you. My DH works until midnight so he likes to sleep later. So to arrange everyone's schedules Brooke goes to bed at 10 (more time with Mommy at night) and gets up around 9 (daddy gets to sleep in!)

CantWait replied: CRAZY here!!! My 2 and a half year old gets up at 8 in the morning or so and doesn't get to bed until 10 most of the time, so do I think you're crazy???? No way. It obviously works for you, he's thriving and happy, so you have nothing to worry about. Tell those other butt head parents to butt out and mind their own business.

moped replied: I am the crazy one I suppose - I have Jack in bed at 7 every night - without fault! But that is what works for us!

Do what works

redchief replied: As long as your child is getting what's needed as far as sleep goes, I don't think that "bedtime" has to fit into any established norm. In fact, if by staying up later your child gets more calm face time with you, it's even better in my opinion. Do what works. As far as bedtime adjustment for school is concerned, that will be a minor adjustment compared to that of making new friends, learning independence, etc.