Sleeping patterns of a 7-8 yr old.

MadDogWoman_2

My DD goes up anywhere between 7.30 & 8.30pm, we read a story, I then play her classical music CD and she is normally asleep with 10 minutes.

She wakes at 7.30pm during the week and 8am at weekends.

She will sleep later if had a late night.

[Deleted User]

Thanks for all your replies. I'm reading but will type more when I can.

kathrynha

My daughter is 8½ but her sleep pattern hasn't changed in the last year.

Generally bed at 7.30 (reads till 8 on weekends and school hols), asleep 9 of 10 times within 10 minutes.
Wakes 5.30-6 in the morning.

So about 10 hours a night.

masonsmum

My 8 year old has just started staying up a bit later, we were always a 7pm bed I also have a 3 year old so its still up to bed at the same time but I let DS1 read or watch some TV in bed till 8pm unless I feel he is very tired and then its straight to sleep at 7.

He always falls asleep straight away and in the morning... heres the weird bit - At 7.30am every WEEKDAY morning I need to wake him, he takes 5 minutes to gather himself and around ten shouts from me, then he gets ready for school but at the WEEKEND hes up with the lark around 6.30/7am???Why oh why do kids do this?? :mad::mad:

[Deleted User]

Thanks for all your replies. Its interesting to see the differences amongst children.


Basically I have an almost 8 year old and an approaching 7 year old. They go to bed between 7-8pm, most of the time reading time is factored in, so could be 7pm reading till 7.30pm or 7.30pm reading till 8pm. Depending on their tiredness.


Generally my DD tends to fall asleep within half hour, but occasionally I've found her still lying there awake at 10.30pm, still tossing and turning, bless her.


My DS has real problems switching off. If he is asleep before 9pm, its unusual. He doesn't have a TV or any tech in his room, just books and lego. He is a fidget pants and finds to chill in bed.


They are both generally awake between 6.30-7am, sometimes a little after, but rarely. However they are usually very good about not disturbing others until we are awake.


My concern is my DS looks tired, I do feel he needs more sleep. He just doesn't seem to be able to get it.


Last night was hideous, he is frightened of thunderstorms and rushed into me about 11pm. I think we both saw practically every hour after that until 6.30am. I remember saying to him at 3.30am, you know your going to school in the morning, I have to work and so you will be going. He's not a fan of school, so any excuse is worth a go.


Thunderstorms aside, I'm not sure if there is anything else I can do. Maybe he hasn't grown into his bedtime yet.


When he is with his Dad, the children say its generally 9pm, sometimes 10pm before they go to bed. I think they are getting used to being up late. (No point chatting to Dad, I can't be involved in what he does).


I like the classical music idea. I've tried aromatherapy/massage music/story cd's/radio etc, but not classical. Think I have a Mozart somewhere.


He better be asleep by 8.30pm, after last night Im already for my bed.


Oh and I have tried wearing/tiring him out playing out, exercise, swimming, bike riding, skating etc, some days he should be absolutely done in, but he still tosses and turns in bed. His eyes look quite tired at times, purple bags underneath them.

Counting_Pennies_2

Deleted_User wrote: »

Oh and I have tried wearing/tiring him out playing out, exercise, swimming, bike riding, skating etc, some days he should be absolutely done in, but he still tosses and turns in bed. His eyes look quite tired at times, purple bags underneath them.

My DS is the one who always struggles, we try to generally leave him, but about once I fortnight when I see tiredness is getting to him, I sit on the side of his bed, rub his head then sit silently not allowing him to talk to me. It does work.


It is probably the last thing that you need as I am sure you need to get loads of jobs done and some time for you, but when you think you can cope with it, do try it. I think sometimes their minds are whirling all over the place and need a little grounding. You sitting there stops them looking all over the place and helps to soothe them


Good luck!

[Deleted User]

Counting_Pennies wrote: »

My DS is the one who always struggles, we try to generally leave him, but about once I fortnight when I see tiredness is getting to him, I sit on the side of his bed, rub his head then sit silently not allowing him to talk to me. It does work.


It is probably the last thing that you need as I am sure you need to get loads of jobs done and some time for you, but when you think you can cope with it, do try it. I think sometimes their minds are whirling all over the place and need a little grounding. You sitting there stops them looking all over the place and helps to soothe them


Good luck!

Thank you I will try that too. Happy to give it a go, just want him to feel refreshed in the morning. Do you find they enjoy the attention of it though and try to fight sleep longer with you there. (Although can't be any longer than usual).


I've always got jobs to do and I can have time for me when they see their dad on Fridays. The weekdays just blur into one sometimes. Academically he is still above average, I keep saying to him, if this is what you are achieving on minimal sleep, just think what you could be doing if you felt refreshed.


He is what he is though. Least its mostly only him, I think if I had two of them doing nightly visits most nights, I'd go bonkers and lose the will to live on a work day.

GetOut

My almost 7yo son goes to bed 7.30-8 and is asleep before 9 once reading and an x amount of cuddles and kisses are done with, awake around 8am so 11hrs per night, usually awakes by himself. On weekends he sleeps for up to 12hrs. Anything less than that and he's an angry bear in the morning so I'm pretty set with times.

I believe loads of sleep and clean eating makes for a very happy child, so I'd say definitely work on this.
Lack of sleep is detrimental in many ways, for both adults and kids.

It could be all sorts of things on his mind, from school to friends to parents and home life. If it was me, I'd speak to my son until it's clear what's on his mind that's keeping him awake, then try and make that disappear, assure, comfort or just let him 'speak it out' of his system. Maybe stay by his bed? I hold my son's hand till he's asleep and he finds that an immense comfort, 7yo is just a baby still and they need their parents a lot in every way possible.

Hope you can find a solution for this

flower24

My daughter is 8, she goes to bed around 7.30 but then has a story from both me and her dad and then she reads to herself for a while, it's usually around 8.30 when she actually goes to sleep. Then she wakes up around 7.30 usually. She shouts out in her sleep quite a lot sometimes, but never really wakes up.

Counting_Pennies_2

Deleted_User wrote: »

Thank you I will try that too. Happy to give it a go, just want him to feel refreshed in the morning. Do you find they enjoy the attention of it though and try to fight sleep longer with you there. (Although can't be any longer than usual).

The key is not to say anything or interact.


My DS will start rattling off loads of facts he has learnt that day, and I will acknowledge the first few then say "It is time to go to sleep now, no more talking". Every time after that if he tries to engage in chatter I say "shh" and look the other way. It does work, just need to be patient.
Good luck