How to deal with kids late at night in holidays

barbiedoll

My DS won't lay down until after 10.30pm during the holidays but he has to go to his room by 9.30 and there's no telly, playstation etc. He is allowed to read or listen to music with his headphones on so that he won't disturb my neighbours. (Not that it's much use, he just sings along really loudly! :rotfl::rotfl:)

I don't mind late nights during the holidays but I do make sure that he gets back to his usual routine a couple of days before school starts again. It does drive you mad though, I haven't seen one decent telly programme yet, he insists on showing me his new "free running" moves, which mainly consist of jumping all over the sofa!

mutley74

he can be grumpy if he sleeps past 9pm, varies each day. I have tried in the past letting him sit with me in the sofa to start resting. But that means i can use my laptop (as he wants to see what i am doing) or i cant always watch TV (as some things are not suitable for his age). Earlier this week i went to bed early just for him to spend more time at night with him.
But now i am confused and losing my hair some days.
At present he is next to me playing with some pens on the desk, yawing and getting bored with the lack of attention and nothing to do (no TV and no internet allowed at this time).

Sid_Wolf

can you do some activities with him during the day?? Make him come with you to walk the dog (if you've got one) go for a bike ride, take him down the park with your OH and let them play football etc

And to tire his mind get some wordsearch books or do some kids quizzes online, art and crafts are good and keep them quiet for a bit (works with my brother) has he already got xmas cards to give family? Cus you could always get him to make some

balletshoes

mutley74 wrote: »

My son (9) is driving me mad!!! I know its school Xmas holidays but he refuses to sleep before 9pm. He said he will sleep at 930 but i know he wont. Past few days he waits for me until around 10ish before he will sleep.

he keep saying "oh dad is school holidays..!

any tips welcome to get kids into bed please!

is he misbehaving/grumpy/being a pain during the day because he's later in bed at nights while he's off school? If he is, or if the issue bothers you, put him to bed at his normal time and follow his normal routine. if it doesn't bother you that much, let him stay up later (my DD is 9, she's up later than normal this week, but she can (and does) sleep later in the mornings too, so I don't mind).

balletshoes

mutley74 wrote: »

he can be grumpy if he sleeps past 9pm, varies each day. I have tried in the past letting him sit with me in the sofa to start resting. But that means i can use my laptop (as he wants to see what i am doing) or i cant always watch TV (as some things are not suitable for his age). Earlier this week i went to bed early just for him to spend more time at night with him.
But now i am confused and losing my hair some days.
At present he is next to me playing with some pens on the desk, yawing and getting bored with the lack of attention and nothing to do (no TV and no internet allowed at this time).

i think he needs to be in his normal routine from what you've said here.

mumslave

He is nine and may just not be ready to sleep. School uses up a lot of mental energy, which is just as important as physical. He needs to be tired out enough to at least try to sleep. At nine, i would be inclined to let them stay up a bit later, but not downstairs with me. Normal bedroom time, later bedtime. I dont think there can be much you can do. You cant make someone sleep. A dvd to unwind whilst laid in bed may help, or it may mean you have to engage him more in the day to tire him out enough to try sleep.

whitewing

I tell mine that I need some alone-time to have a chat with Daddy. He gets to stay up late a couple of times and occasionally will join in the chats.

stumpycat

Some children just don't need that much sleep. My son is 7 and very active, but it doesn't seem to tire him out.
We have a deal that on school nights he gets ready & goes to bed between 8.30 - 9.00. At weekends/holidays he stays up, often till midnight (At the moment he's building a lego town)
It works for us. I'm not suggesting for one minute that everybody should try it, but I think there has to be a degree of flexibility to fit into your family life and different personalities.

Caroline73_2

stumpycat wrote: »

Some children just don't need that much sleep. My son is 7 and very active, but it doesn't seem to tire him out.
We have a deal that on school nights he gets ready & goes to bed between 8.30 - 9.00. At weekends/holidays he stays up, often till midnight (At the moment he's building a lego town)
It works for us. I'm not suggesting for one minute that everybody should try it, but I think there has to be a degree of flexibility to fit into your family life and different personalities.

From a very early age I could never sleep early, but my parents used to make me go to bed at a set time. I wasted so many hours of my childhood lying in a dark room wide awake. I could lie there for 4 hours without any stimuli and not be sleepy.

I have always let my children set their own bedtime, as long as it is no later than mine! They do have to go up to their rooms though and are only allowed to do certain activities (reading or drawing etc, no computers etc) DS1 is 12 goes to sleep about 10pm, DS2 is 5 and goes to sleep about 8pm. They both go upstairs just before 8pm. DS2 just has a story and chooses to go straight to sleep.

That said I would change that if they were getting tired in the day or it was affecting their school work but it works for us. they both take themselves to bed earlier if they are tired and can regulate themselves well.

dizzybuff

Britwife wrote: »

I can understand where you are coming from. Usually on the weekends, we let our sons watch a movie in bed and will probably do the same during the holiday. It's a good way to wind down and we get our youngest in bed at 8. Once in a while, we go to bed early and let the boys camp out in the living room.

Actually i cant think of a worst habit to get into. I was always taught my bedroom was for sleeping. My mum knew what i was doing.

Just a lesson she taight me , she sent me to bed at 9 , I decided to stay up late reading. Come 8 next morning my mum came in my room and hoovered , them pulled the cover off and carried on hoovering , woke me up . I soon learnt that if i stayed up I was tired next day .