Bed time for a 4 n half year old ?

Bella79

Hi all

My dd bedtime has always been 7.30, im wondering if this should increase a little now shes getting older, as ive noticed shes not ready for bed recently and shes always been so good ?

Phils_debt

Thats the time i put my 4 year old dd to bed ,i put her much older 9 sister to bed at 8.30 and shes in top group in everything at school while the next door neighbours child roams about till 10 outside and is in the bottom group

chunkychocky

My 5 year old and my 3.5 year old both go to bed at 7pm, and both know not to wake us up before 7am. They sleep as long as they need to, which is sometimes until after 7am, often more like 6.30am, but they enjoy sitting in their rooms reading their books for a little while before they come and wake us up.

Every child is different though and I guess it depends on individual circumstances. Mine are always more tired on a school night or if we've been out for the whole day.

Nicki

My 10 year old still chooses to go to bed at 7.30 most nights! My 11 year old happily goes at 8pm on school nights and 8.15 on weekends (though is sometimes allowed to stay up later if football is on at the weekend)

I think 7.30 is fine for a 4 year old. When she starts school properly she will be tired in the evenings and at that ooint you'll be glad that she is in a good routine and is getting a decent amount of sleep. The teachers at DS's school claim they can spot all the children who don't go to bed early enough due to their behaviour and academic achievement btw.

gillypkk

my 2 and 5 year old go to bed between half 6 and 7 every night and sleep right through till gone 7 in the morning.

even if they are not that tired they will lie in bed and talk to each other and unwind and the same again in the morning.

as said above every child is different and my 2 are non-stop every single moment of the day and are knackered by tea time and the 12 year old doesnt nap during the day.

pigpen

Up to my 10.5 y/o are in bed by 7-7:30.. I deserve some peace without them as well as them needing that much sleep.

If it ain't broke.. don't 'fix' it..

building_with_lego

pigpen wrote: »

Up to my 10.5 y/o are in bed by 7-7:30..
I deserve some peace without them as well as them needing that much sleep.

If it ain't broke.. don't 'fix' it..

This! I said this to a friend earlier today and he looked at me as though I had just revealed the biggest secret that made life make sense! It's lovely to know that at a certain time you can switch off from being 'muuuum' and just be you.

FWIW my two are both in bed before seven, the 7yo reads 'til 7:15 or so, the little one (starting school in September) looks at books or chats to himself. Usually asleep by 7:30, sometimes long before. I agree about the 'naughty' kids being more tired, and have noticed that the children who have TVs or consoles in their rooms seem to be in the lower sets at school....

pigpen

building_with_lego wrote: »

This! I said this to a friend earlier today and he looked at me as though I had just revealed the biggest secret that made life make sense! It's lovely to know that at a certain time you can switch off from being 'muuuum' and just be you.

Sometimes I feel a bit bad being glad it is bedtime and loving that time when they are all in bed.. but then I do wonder if I didn't get that time for me would I be quite so happy about spending the other 12 hours a day with them?

It makes preparing stuff to do with them and for them much easier..

Running_Horse

No one has mentioned bath time. We walk up the stairs at 7, and by the time bath, stories and songs are done, it's pretty much 8.

Doesn't stop our 4 1/2 year old waking at 6 though! Would like to do it later, but she is usually too tired.

happy35

i think at this age my son went to bed at about 8pm, he was very active and a heavy sleeper but still used to get up at about 5am, he just doesnt need a lot of sleep

I wouldnt change her bed time until after she starts full time school as you will be able to see then if she still needs as much sleep

jcr16

My children are 7, 5 ( 6 in 11 days ) and 3. they all go up to bed at 7. the boys are usually asleep by about 7.15. my dd will sit in her room drawing, colouring , reading etc but is in bed by 7.30 and then usually asleep within a few min's. They need this routine as without it they really struggle the next day. they love their sleep at the mo they are waking up about 7.30 in the mornings.

as for baths etc, they do there homework soon as get in from school, and then baths are after tea from about 6.30 for the boys. then while they are getting dressed and sorted my dd pops into the shower. works really well for us. then once in bed they get bedtime stories. if hubby out then i'll read with boys first then go into dd bedroom. but if he is home we take turns one read to the boys and one to our dd.

my 3 yr old still often crashes in the daytime for a 2 hour nap, but i am trying to break this. but with no nap he can be asleep by about 6.30 ish and awake at around 7 ish.