should kids have a set bedtime all the time???
By hmbw_24
@hmbw_24 (404)
United States
February 5, 2007 12:21pm CST
Hi, I was wondering if alot of people are like me in that my kid s have a set bed time all the time, even on the weekends when there is no school. I just think its good for them to get plenty of sleep and its also good for me to have the down time after they are asleep. A lot of their friennds get to stay up late on the weekends and i do not want to jip them out of something that they should be getting to do. What do you think moms and dads? What do you do with your kids on this matter?
3 people like this
15 responses
@Only1Andrea (796)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I think they should. Children need structrue and we all know how important proper rest is for functionability during the day as well as a good breakfast. I think that on the weekends it would be good to let them stay up maybe an hour or so longer, but during the week I think that there should be a definite bed time set and maintained.
2 people like this
@hmbw_24 (404)
• United States
5 Feb 07
thank you so much. your philosophy is about the same as mine on this, i do let them stay up a little later on the weekends some times especially if their is something on tv or a movie they want to watch, but basically i dont think they should just be allowed to stay up as long as they want. on weekend and summer my sister lets hers stay up all nite!!!! and i mean all nite and sleep all day. this is so unhealthy i think. thanks agian
1 person likes this
@potatobutt87 (348)
• United States
5 Feb 07
ok so i have a month old daughter.. so im not positive on everything.. but heres my out look.
i think durring the week days you should have a set time. about the weekends, i would be afraid to let them stay up later, because they would expect to beable to durring the week days.. i dont know tho. i think an hour later is ok.. but anything more then that would be pushing it
@hmbw_24 (404)
• United States
5 Feb 07
i agree and thanks for your response. to let them stay up too late on weekends would like throw them off schedule and they might not be able to get to sleep on time durin the week and therefore not be able to get up on time. congratulations on your little one! enjoy every minute, it seems like that time flies by so quickly.
@jmcafam (2890)
• United States
5 Feb 07
With my girls on the weekday they have to be in bed at 8:30. Now on the weekends they usually stay up until 10:00.I think it works out fine.I do know some parents who allow their young children to stay up for as long as they want on school nights.
1 person likes this
@hmbw_24 (404)
• United States
5 Feb 07
thanks for your response. i do let mine stay up a little later on weekends most of the time, but not too much later. i told someone earlier that my sister lets hers on the weekend and summer stay up as late as they want even if its all nite and then they just lay around lazy and sleepy all the next day, that is jsut not healthy in my opinion. thanks again.
@hmbw_24 (404)
• United States
5 Feb 07
thank you so much i definately think that it is important for their health for them to get plenty of sleep, i know i feel bad if i dont. and even if its the weekend idont want them to lay around and feel sleepy allday from staying up all nite. thanks again
@apky12 (769)
• United States
5 Feb 07
My kids are so young (1 & 2) that they always have a set bedtime but it's between 5:30 and 6:30 at night. I give that leeway. I will do the same when they are older though but it will be later of course. I will make exceptions when they are older if they have something to do every once in a while.
@happymomndad (1035)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I let my 4 year old stay up with me as a treat when he has helped me with things, he is a great boy and he helps me so much. I make time for just me and him or him and his so he knows just how much we apreciate what he does. When the other 2 are old enough we will do the same for them.
1 person likes this
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
8 Feb 07
My son has a fairly set bedtime during the week, but not on the weekends. I don't mind him staying up later because we are. Plus, this give us the opportunity to sleep in on the weekends. Personally, I don't like being on a schedule and I find it hard to force him to adhere to one.
1 person likes this
@mansha (6298)
• India
7 Feb 07
my kids also have fixed bed time, they have to rise early for school so its best that they go to bed early. That way they get up fresh in the morning. On weekends they are allowed one hour extra butr they are usually so tired that they go off to sleep at the same time as usual, lol. I love it when they are sleeping and I can have sometime to myself.
@Bev1986 (1425)
• United States
6 Feb 07
My kids are older now, so they're allowed to stay up a bit later, as long as they get up on time for school. When they were little, they had a set bedtime whether it was a school night or the weekend. I just think it's better for them, so that they get into a routine.
@dreamingmyth (594)
• United States
6 Feb 07
well my son has a set bedtime for every day of the week not just during the week.. on occasion i will let him stay up a little bit later but its rare.. when i was growing up me and my brother had set bedtimes even on the weekends... i think it helps keep a childs body on a sleeping pattern rather then have to switch the sleeping pattern around and struggle eary on in the week
@toots1115 (138)
• United States
6 Feb 07
My baby is only 15 months old,but I have her on a set bed time every night. i am a stay at home mom and after she goes to sleep there are just the little things I can do without her makin a new mess to clean.:) And I do think that kids should have a set bed time no matter what the day. Maybe once a month or if something special is going on.
@poppoppop111 (5731)
• Canada
8 Feb 07
my daughter has a set bedtime. but i think when she starts school this fall i will let her stay up an extra half hour or hour on saturday nights. i know friday she will still be tired from school so i think once a week have a special night where she can stay up a little bit and that even gives us more time together. but during the week and for now it's definatly a strict thing. no matter what she has to be in bed by a certian time.
1 person likes this
@CraftyCorner (5600)
• United States
8 Feb 07
kids should stay close to bedtime, within two hours on all days to keep them from getting cranky. schedual is all important. if they don't have a set bedtime on weekends, it can take them all week to settle down again.
1 person likes this
@Michele21 (3093)
• United States
8 Feb 07
On the weekend I usually let my kids stay up 30 minutes later than normal. Nothing too extreme but it lets them feel special. Sometimes I let my daughter lay in her bed and watch a movie.
1 person likes this
@doodlebug5250603 (1993)
• United States
5 Feb 07
Yes, as a parent i feel that children should have set bedtimes. Children need a certain amount of sleep each night, inorder for them to not be so fussy during the day. If they won't have enough sleep then they can be a pain in the butt.
