My kids have a strict bedtime, AMA

smileforamile

Sun, Nov 04 2018, 7:00 pm

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Last edited by smileforamile on Thu, Jul 11 2019, 3:48 pm; edited 1 time in total

ectomorph

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 3:47 am

smileforamile wrote:

How old are your kids?

What time is their bedtime? What time do they get up in the morning?

How did you get them on their bedtime schedule? And more importantly, how do you enforce it?

Under6

600 and I enforce a 6am wake up (obviously this flies out the window if a child is sick but only for the sick child)

I worked very hard on establishing a routine. At first I enforced it because im bigger and stronger. But they began to enjoy it and now at 415 my kids demand dinner , 445 they demand their bath and they happily march up to bed a bit before 6.

I actually find they often want to start bedtime earlier than im willing. I let them go up earliest 530.

ectomorph

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 3:48 am

Mommyg8 wrote:

How do you get them to fall asleep?

I dont. Sometimes they pop up. I always act happy to see them and lovingly put themback in bed immediately. I feel its my job to put them to bed but its theur job to go to sleep. We have a very long shema they usually fall asleep during

ectomorph

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 3:50 am

Iymnok wrote:

How do you get Dh to not mess it up?

at first he was not thrilled he felt it was very rigid.

Once it was instituted he loved it. We have bh kah several little kids and it really helps the patience Knowing your day will be over soon. Now he really is on board and he helps make sure it happens when he is available which id rarely.

ectomorph

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 3:52 am

Mommyg8 wrote:

How do you get them to fall asleep?

to establish the routine and after we travel I use melatonin a quarter of a pill. Helps establish the6pm bedtime again. I use it once a month on average.

esther11

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 3:53 am

We are also strict on bedtimes, I have 2yr and 4yr with bedtime at 6:30. Recently, in the past month, when we put them in they stay up shmoozing until like 8pm. How would you recommend I address that?

And no, they are not sleeping any later because of it 🙄

ectomorph

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 3:57 am

esther11 wrote:

If they dont get out of bed I ignore it. My job is to put in bed not to make them sleep. My kids talk too.

keym

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 4:19 am

How do you handle the clocks changing?

Do you have plans for when they get older? Depending on where you live, but my 1st grader walks in the door at 4:30. After homework, supper, there's no time to play.

ectomorph

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 4:37 am

keym wrote:

takes about a week to get used to the new routine. I just do wake-up at New time everything else falls into place.

No I don't have plans. I'll see what happens when they're older. I do suspect I will start to stagger bedtimes ie the little kids at 6, elementary at 7 or 730 And high schoolers at 9.

bestme

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 5:31 am

How do you finish supper so fast. It takes my kids an hour to eat supper and then they are always so upset that there is no time to play.

Reality

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 5:43 am

Im not so sure anyone should be taking advice from you. You admit to being super rigid and giving melatonin. Enough said.

Harried mama

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 5:47 am

ectomorph wrote:

I assure you you will not be putting your 8th grader to sleep at 7:30. Nor will your 12th grader be in bed by 9. Speaking as a mom of older kids who also had all her kids in bed very early when they were young.

keym

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 5:50 am

Harried mama wrote:

Thank you. I thought I was crazy. My 5-7th graders go to bed at 8:30/9 and they complain how mean I am. I can't imagine putting them in at 7:30. They get home at 5 and have 2 hours of homework.

salt

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 5:54 am

Do you work outside the house? If so what time do you get home? And what time do your kids get home from daycare?
Do they ever invite friends over or go to friends?
Are you very strict about never being out of routine? - eg, Shabbos do they go to bed later/ get up later, or if you have an event, or need a babysitter. Do you keep this routine all the time?
How do they get back into routine if you've broken it for whatever reason?

My kids are older now, so I don't get any alone time in the evenings. Keep it up, and enjoy it while you can. I'm sure your kids are benefitting.

renslet

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 5:54 am

Wow, that's a mean comment, Reality.
My ped has suggested that I give Benadryl when the clocks change cuz my kids wake up really early, regardless of when they go to sleep and are nuts all day if they are tired.
To each his own.
Most of us do what works for us and what we need to do in order to be a good mother. It may not work for you and that's ok.

Reality

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 6:00 am

renslet wrote:

It was not mean. It was truthful.

I agree with you. A mother has to do what a mother has to do. I am not a perfect mom at all. But I am not giving out advice about my poor mothering techniques!

ectomorph

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 6:00 am

bestme wrote:

How do you finish supper so fast. It takes my kids an hour to eat supper and then they are always so upset that there is no time to play.

my kids eat fast. That's not something I have control over. They don't like to linger over food