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My DS is a fair bit younger than your two, but this is what works for us...
- DS dinner is about 5.00 pm. While he's eating I try and get a bit of prep done for our dinner.
- He usually has a bit of a play after dinner and then in the bath at around 6.00pm. If DH is home he does the bath while I cook dinner, if not I make sure we have something simple for our dinner.
- After his bath he's dressed in pjs etc, has another quick play with DH (so they get a little bit of time together), has a story, brushes teeth, breastfeed, then DH gives him a cuddle and sings him a song before he goes to bed at around 7pm. While DH is doing that I usually finish off our dinner so we can eat by about 7.30pm.
HTH
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Hi,
I have just had my third baby. And my two eldest 8 and 6 are still in bed by 6-6.30pm. They have always gone to bed at this time and sometimes since bubba has arrived it has been later, but now 3 months in they are all in bed and asleep by 6.30pm. I start the night time routine as soon as they get home from school. We eat really early, anywhere between 4.30 and 5.30 depending on the weather and how organized I am with food. Our homoeopath told us that the best time for children absorb nutrients from food is between 3 and 5pm, so instead of afternoon snacks we try and have an early dinner, and then a snack before bed if they need.
Our night time wind down since they have been tiny is dinner, bath, book then bed. After dinner, it's quiet time, no more playing and loud talking very quiet, its winds them down ready for bed. I LOVE having the house so quiet so early, it started when I was a sole parent and it has continued into our new family life... works for us, not sure it works for everybody. they are up between 6-7am but happily play until I get up, if it's weekends they wait a bit longer then through the week. I get up to do lunches etc at about 6.30.
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Just a quick one for MyBoys - the bedtime routine became much more simple for me once DD1 & DD2 (similar ages to your boys) shared a room. A few weeks of novelty but now it's a smooth operation once they're both in pjs, listening to a story together and then lights out. Then they both sing Twinkle Twinkle to me!!
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RoyaUK that's really reasuring thank you, they are really good together (for the most part ;)) so i have a feeling it's going to be a really positive thing for them. Love that your girls sing to you. So sweet :D
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ok generally we eat between 5 and 6.. usually 5 when Dh is at work... and when he is on days off we tend to eat around 6 (reason there is 2 of us to get through the night routine)
Baths straight after dinner. or before depending what we are having ie is it messy
in bed by 7-7:15.. Hopefully asleep before 8.. Sometimes they are out like a light by 7:01 :lol: this routine includes my 11 yr old as he needs that sleep..
DD sleeps on average 3 times a week (during the day) on those days she does fight us a little to go to bed but she fights most nights anyways. I do try not let her go down any later then 1pm and def not sleeping later then 2:30-3pm.. Otherwise she is feral to get to bed
While we aren't super strict on this routine it just seems to be what we do every night lol.. Our kids can still adjust if we go out somewhere at night but we tent to avoid that anyways cus it is easier to do lunch rather then dinner out :)
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I like that last bit about being able to adjust Nic :) When I think about it our loose routine does mean that our kids are able to adjust if necessary. If we are invited to a function our kids aren't a mess by 8pm. But a routine is still good for kids... on the whole... but like anything, appetite, etc kids are like adults and need subtle variations. I don't think I'd like my life ruled by a clock... I know that I should be in bed with the light out at 9.30pm every night... but in reality I just don't feel tired at 9.30pm every night and there's nothing worse than tossing and turning waiting for sleep. I think there's a lot to be said for flexibility ;)
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I know my kids are ready for bed by 7 as I just know lol.. they all have their own little signs. for eg Ds1 rubs one eye constantly when he is tired.. Plus my kids are up by 6 EVERY morning regardless of what time they go to bed. The odd time they go to bed around 10 for example they are usually up at 5:30.
so yeh we are flexible like tonight for example. Dd asked to go to bed at 6:30 and boys sat up with my mum watching tv till 7:30.. They put up a fight about going to bed but all 3 were out like lights at 7:45..
