What time do you put your kids to bed?

United States
February 27, 2007 4:58pm CST
We usually start the process at about 7:30 to 8:00pm, but low and behold 9:30 roles around and my kids are still awake. Granted I've got three girls in one bedroom right now. But my friend puts her kids to bed at 7:30 and by 7:35 they are asleep. What am I doing wrong?
6 responses
• United States
2 Mar 07
I don't think you are doing anything wrong. Bedtime is 7pm in our house. The kids brush their teeth, get their jammies on and are in bed by 7:30 but they don't stay in bed or go to sleep. They are usually up until at least 9pm, if not later. No matter how many times I tell them to go to sleep or go in their room and turn the light out. They just get back up. I tried pushing their bedtime back to 8 or 9pm, thinking they weren't tired yet. But that just made them stay up until 10 or 11pm so we went back to 7pm bedtime. Right now the 2 girls (6 and 4) share a room. My son (who is 5) has his own room but won't sleep in it so all 3 kids are in one room and they won't sleep. They just sit up and talk and play. When I force one of the girls to sleep in my room and my son to go to his room (he actually has a lock on his room just to keep him in there at bedtime) then both my youngest daughter and my son fall asleep within about 10 minutes. It is my oldest that keeps them awake. And she is usually the one that is most tired and has to be up at 7 to get ready for school. She hasn't napped since she was two and it shows. Her eyes are sunken in and she has had horrible dark circles under her eyes since she stopped napping. Her eyes are usually blood shot, too from being so exhausted and she is irritable and whiny all the time. But she refuses to sleep.
1 person likes this
• United States
2 Mar 07
Your house sounds just like mine. Except my 8 year old is the first one asleep, and the three year old is the one who keeps everyone else awake. For awhile we would keep the baby in the living room with us, just so the other two could go to sleep. But now she's in school too, but she only goes half days and takes a nap when she gets home from school. Some nights they are all asleep by like 8pm, but usually that means they are starting to get sick. I feel better knowing that I'm not the only parent with this issue. Like you said about the circles under her eyes, my kids get those to sometimes. And as far as napping goes even when my little one does take a nap it's usually only half hour maybe and hour if I'm lucky. Thanks for the response.
@GuateMom (1411)
• Canada
27 Feb 07
My son goes to bed at 7. You just have to be really firm and start proceedings early. Don´t let them distract you, kids are experts at prolonging bedtime. Anticipate that last glass of water and give them a specified number of kisses. After that, if they keep calling, just say that they will have to wait until morning, that it´s bedtime now.
• United States
28 Feb 07
This is were my husband and I need to work on our teamwork. They ask him he says no, they come to me and ask(but don't mention that they already asked him) and I say yes. So out breaks the Mommie said it was okay and him grumbling under his breath. Are you new to mylot. Today is my first time.
@CRiley27 (983)
• United States
27 Feb 07
You should have a routine that you stick with every night. Brush teeth,potty, quite time together reading a book etc...Something to unwind. We were having a problem with our kids getting up for a hug,kiss,glass of water, forgot to tell us something. What we did was out 3 pennies outside their door. Each time they got up, we would take a penny away, if they stayed in bed,in the morning they could put the money in their bank. Worked for us. My kids go to bed at 7. They are not allowed to play or anything,but they can sit quietly in bed and read a book,or color. They are usually asleep by 8. Good luck.
1 person likes this
• United States
28 Feb 07
That's what we've been starting to do, just get to lazy to keep it up. And then I spend the next week kicking myself in the butt for not doing it. What does the star above your name mean?
@kagandahan (1327)
• Philippines
28 Feb 07
they have a naptime during the afternoon then at night after dinner, they had a quick bath then brush their teeth then at 8:30pm they are already in bed.
@kgs_mommy (260)
• United States
28 Feb 07
My daughter will be one tomorrow and she goes to bed around 8pm. I wish I knew how to help you, but I don't think I have enough experience quite yet!
1 person likes this
@carol79 (201)
• Philippines
28 Feb 07
Oh my, I wish I could do the same for my kids aswell. It is quite difficult for us to put our childrn that early to sleeep because my husband usually comes home late. And my children refuses to sleep and try to wait until their daddy comes home. My babies usually goes to sleep around 11.30PM or even sometimes 12 midnight. I am very lucky if I am able to put them to sleep by 10PM even. I guess I need help aswell and should start making a discussion about this as well.