Do You Think Bedtimes...for Younger Kids...are Important?

[formercalifornian]

My 12-year-old typically goes to bed between 9:00 and 9:15 and awakens at 6:45 to an alarm clock for a total of about 9.5 hours.

Lights out for my 9-year-old is 8:30 and he awakens on his own around 7:00 for a total of 10.5 hours.

We've never made bedtime a battleground, but we frequently talk to our kids about the importance of adequate sleep to overall health. We also point out when they aren't at their best following a poor night's sleep. Our approach seems to have worked because we rarely have to remind either of them that's time to go to bed.

[Aconite]

Originally Posted by strawflower

Our rule has always been that they must be in their rooms by their bedtime (yes, I make my 15 year old go to her room at 9. I'm a mean mom, I know) but they're free to read, draw, listen to music, etc. while in their room. They're all the exact same way I was when I was a kid- takes them a very long time to wind down to go to bed (45+ minutes).

I'll join you on that "Mean Mom" bench. We have the same rule. Though their lights need to be out before mine are (generally by 11). We have a late-ish start to the morning, though, and don't need to be out before 9 most days.

[maciesmom]

I always had a relatively early bedtime for my young kids. Once they were in high school I really didn't monitor their bedtimes. DD was more of a night owl - but she always got herself up in the morning, got to school on time and is now in college and doing well. DS needs sleep. During the week he is usually in bed by 9 if he can be .... he was the kid who came home from sleepovers with stuff drawn all over him in Sharpie marker (evidently that's what boys do to the first one to fall asleep...back in the day, girls who fell asleep first ended up with their bra in the freezer)...but he's busy and active and is up early for sports practice or zero-hour....