thread: Bedtimes for 7 and nearly 5 year old.

  1. #1
    Senior Moderator

    Nov 2004
    Chickens.
    4,989

    Bedtimes for 7 and nearly 5 year old.

    Just interested in what your bedtimes are for your kids? My boys are 7 (grade 1) and nearly 5 (kindergarten, not school). My eldest seems to want to stay up until at least 8pm, and this means his younger brother wants to do the same. I prefer them to go to bed at 7:30pm, which is much more manageable. But they both are "hungry" or "thirsty" etc, and will use any excuse to stay up later.

    I'm a bit of a bedtime crazy, whereas their father is not, and neither are my parents.

    What times do your kids (of this age) go to bed?

  2. #2
    BellyBelly Life Subscriber & MPM

    Feb 2007
    Melbourne
    5,462

    Both my boys (aged nearly 6 and nearly 3) go to bed at 8pm. I used to try and put them to bed at 7:30pm, but they weren't tired enough and would muck around, be noisy and wake DD up . So it's just easier if they're in bed at 8pm .

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Sep 2005
    whoop whoop or not, not sure yet!!!
    1,347

    I am having similar problems Divvy - and I am a bedtime crazy too so I'm finding it tough but I have had to relax it a bit lately for similar reasons to you and trish most nights is 7:30 (especially early in the week if the weekend has been big) with the occasional up to 8pm on weekends or if the youngest has had a sleep during the day (which only happens at the end of the week). The oldest copes with the 8pm ok but the youngest does not. I'm sort of now starting the bedtime routine at 7:30 rather than 7:15 so that they are getting in to bed that slightly bit later - is making a bit of difference.

    Masterchef really mucked with our bedtimes cause they wanted to watch it and would hear the music as they were being shunted to bed

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Nov 2007
    Off with the fairies.
    4,370

    My kidlets ( aged 6 1/2yrs and 2yrs ) are in bed at 8pm. I was thinking I would try 7:30pm at one stage but it never worked out.

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Jan 2010
    1,975

    Mine are 7 and almost 5, too. School nights they are in bed at 7, we do readers (I do DD, DH does DS) then lights out at about 7.15 and we swap kiddies for a brief chat and cuddle. All teeth, toileting and drinks (very small water) are done before 7pm so there are no excuses!

    That's on a school night... weekends are much more relaxed.

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Mar 2007
    Melbourne
    4,031

    My DS1 who will be 7 in September is in bed by 7:30pm..we start him cleaning his teeth and going to the toilet by 7:15pm.
    When he was 5 it was 7pm, that is now DS2's bedtime, he will be 4 in August. They sleep in the same room, so by the time DS1 gets to bed, DS2 is already asleep.
    Weekends are more relaxed...DS2 still in bed by 7pm, DS1 can stay up until 8pm or so.
    We also have water bottles by their beds at night.

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Jul 2005
    Rural NSW
    6,975

    Same as Trish here. 8pm. DH gets home at about 7pm so we all have dinner at the table then. I have a nearly 7yo and a 4yo. I have tried to get them to bed earlier but they just muck around and it just draws out the whole process. If they go to bed at 8pm they are too tired to muck around and generally go straight to sleep.... not as much jack-in-the-box business when my 4yo keeps coming out to the loungeroom etc asking for water/hot water bottle/another kiss etc. Plus my 6yo (also in grade 1) likes to do his reader with Dad. I do the morning routine all by myself and am a bit hell-bent on having DH involved with the night one just to show him that it's not a walk in the park and to stop feeling taken for granted!

  8. #8
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    Melbourne
    533

    I have nearly 8 and nearly 6 and they have both gone to bed at 7:30 for the last couple of years. DD1 could possibly push out to 8pm but as they share a bedroom this is not really a workable option and DD1 is usually exhausted anyway as she's very energetic during the day. I rarely allow them to go to bed later as they tend to wake too early and get too tired the next day. Bed time routine is to make sure every time that they have gone to the toilet (even if they claim not to need to) and had a very small drink before they get into bed. They know that once they're in bed I don't tolerate mucking around! But this has been their routine since very little so they know that bed time is bed time and if they don't cooperate, their night light gets turned off and they don't like that.
    Good luck!

  9. #9

    Divvy I am exactly the same for all my boys. It is meant to be a 7.30 bedtime, but like your boys Kameron will find something to keep him going till 8. We are now saying to him, if you go to bed now, you can read for a while. Lach and Ash are generally pretty good and will be asleep by 8. Only a Friday or Saturday night I allow them to stay up beyond that, but Lachlan and Ashton are usually asleep on the lounge by 8.30 anyway.

  10. #10
    Registered User

    Feb 2004
    Melbourne
    11,171

    7.30pm for Mr 5 here, he gets half an hour longer than Miss 2 who is bed at 7pm. Some nights it's later, but usually around then.

  11. #11
    Platinum Member. Love a friend xxx

    Jan 2008
    hoppers crossing
    2,380

    My eldest who is nearly 4 goes to bed bewteen 8-8.30 my youngest who is nearly 17 mths goes to bed @ 7.30

  12. #12
    Registered User

    Sep 2005
    In the middle of nowhere
    9,362

    oh gosh. My 4.5yo goes to bed at 6...

  13. #13
    Registered User
    Add Beatrix on Facebook

    May 2007
    within a puff of pink
    3,315

    all 3 (3,4 and 6) of mine are in bed by 6:30pm and normally fast asleep. then they are up at 7am...

    Weekends im not as strict but they will put themselves to sleep anyway after 8pm..

  14. #14
    2014 BellyBelly RAK Recipient.

    Apr 2010
    In the mad house at loopy land
    1,230

    Ok so DS2 aged 6 goes to bed at 7pm and DS1 aged almost 11 goes to bed at 7:30pm ive found if they go to bed after that time they take forever to go to sleep where as at those times they drop of easy. We do get the im thirsty ect ect so about 10mins before bed i say right its drink ,toilet bed