Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
With most kids, you can do this long before age 10. I'd say it is more like 5.
Heck I did it sooner than that, around 2 1/2. I'm the parent, I dictate what the bedtime and wake up times are. Their room was safe from hazards, I left them toys to sell entertain and got my sleep. I NEEDED it.
No one is trying to "impress" anyone. I just question the mentality of letting a child dictate bedtime and wake times. That's the parent's domain, they're the ones in charge. It doesn't matter if a child doesn't understand, can't read time etc, the adult does (and can) and they're in charge. They're also larger and easily able to force their will, if need be, to achieve this end, and it's my premise that such is exactly what a parent should do, if necessary, to guide things in the right direction. I can tell you that if either my son or daughter had come banging on my bedroom door at 5 a.m. and they weren't bleeding from the eyeball, they'd WISHED they were. A parent HAS to sleep, it is a NEED, and regardless they're the ones in charge (or SHOULD be).
For those of you who say just submit to whatever crazy schedule the kids set--where does this argument lead? Eventually are the parents supposed to be going to bed at 7pm and getting up at 3am? Where do you draw the line--obviously there is a line to be drawn and the parents are the ones who do it. i think you'd be wise to get a handle on this.
That being said, it's not an easy problem and even more difficult with the waking of the sibling. I do remember seeing in baby catalogues back in the day when I looked at such things (my kids are now 9 and 12) a special alarm clock that projected a picture on the wall at a set time. It let the child know that when they saw the picture it was now ok to get up. THis would have to taught be restricting the attention and entertainment the child received before the magic picture appeared. There's nothing wrong with telling a 2 year old to stay quietly in their room until a reasonable time. Some kids are still dependent upon an adult to lift them out of a crib at this age--maybe the child just has too much freedom, which can actually be an anxiety-producing situation for a small child.
No one is trying to "impress" anyone. I just question the mentality of letting a child dictate bedtime and wake times. That's the parent's domain, they're the ones in charge. It doesn't matter if a child doesn't understand, can't read time etc, the adult does (and can) and they're in charge. They're also larger and easily able to force their will, if need be, to achieve this end, and it's my premise that such is exactly what a parent should do, if necessary, to guide things in the right direction. I can tell you that if either my son or daughter had come banging on my bedroom door at 5 a.m. and they weren't bleeding from the eyeball, they'd WISHED they were. A parent HAS to sleep, it is a NEED, and regardless they're the ones in charge (or SHOULD be).
You may be able to dictate the time the child goes to bed and the time s/he comes out of the room, but you cannot make a child sleep or stay asleep.
No one is trying to "impress" anyone. I just question the mentality of letting a child dictate bedtime and wake times. That's the parent's domain, they're the ones in charge. It doesn't matter if a child doesn't understand, can't read time etc, the adult does (and can) and they're in charge. They're also larger and easily able to force their will, if need be, to achieve this end, and it's my premise that such is exactly what a parent should do, if necessary, to guide things in the right direction. I can tell you that if either my son or daughter had come banging on my bedroom door at 5 a.m. and they weren't bleeding from the eyeball, they'd WISHED they were. A parent HAS to sleep, it is a NEED, and regardless they're the ones in charge (or SHOULD be).
You strike me as the kind of person who has zero respect for their children. While the lazy parent doesn't respect a child's need for structure and guidance, the hard ass doesn't respect a child's need to learn how to exercise judgement or have input in decision-making.
I don't think it's a phase, my son was like this until 15. Now he sleeps until 7:30.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
