Bed Time - Austin,TX

My daughter is 1 and 1/2. Since she started sleeping through the night, her bed time is usually between 8 and 8:30pm. Sometimes it's a little later if she takes a late afternoon nap.Typically she will sleep until 7 or 8am. I have some friends whose son is 4 and usually takes a really late afternoon nap and then stays up until around midnight and gets up around 10 or so. They do this so that his mom can spend time with him since she works until around 9 or so most nights. I say just stick with what works. Why try to fix what isn't broken. Best of luck to you.

Hello!

My daughter is the same and we have no problem with her. I get home after 5 and I love the time we spend together. I also have a 15 and a 16 year old (all girls) and I did the same with them when they were my little one's age. Every family is different, just do what works for you. My co-workers put their little ones to bed by 8:00 p.m. To me, this is early and I wouldn't be able to spend any time with her. Do what is best for you!!!!!!

Hey, girl, you're the mama! If she "gets up happy and rested" then don't worry about what other people say. Mine went to bed whenever and people said the same thing to me. But they all grew up and never complained about sleep deprivation in the toddler years. Good luck!
BAR, 62. mamma of 5

I didn't read all the responses, but did want to add my two cents. If that is the schedule that works for you and your daughter, then that is what works. It may not work later, if she starts school and school is at 8am or something, but if it works now and she's happy, then I say, leave it. Besides, I am like that too. My 3-year-old & 1-year-old go to bed between 9 & 9:30pm. They sleep until 7:30 (the 1-year-old) and 8:00 (the 3-year-old). They do take a nap in the afternoons, most days (all days for the 1-year-old). They are happy, and rested, and to me, that is what counts. We'll have to adjust later, I'm sure, with school and such, but we'll do that when the time comes.

By the way, most people think I'm crazy too, for such a "late" bedtime, but that's the schedule that worked for us. My husband and I are both night owls, more than early birds, and that's just what developed in our house.

Hello!

I just want to let you know that ALL my 2-year-olds went to bed (I have 7 kids, ages 2 to 14) at around 10:00 or even later. I have never enforced a strict schedule or bed time on my kids until they were old enough to wake up to their own alarm clock (like to get up for church or school). They sleep better through the night, wake up at a decent hour, AND I get to spend a little more time with the little ones this way! :)

Have fun...enjoy EVERY second!
S.

First I will admit to not having read all the posts previous to mine...sorry!
I believe that if your schedule of her going to bed at 10pm and waking up at 7:30am is working for you, then there is no reason to change it.
I assume she takes a nap during the day...as long as she is getting enough sleep, it shouldn't matter what time she goes to bed.
My son will be 2 years old in a month. He goes to bed at 10pm. Wakes up at 8:30-9am and naps from about 2-4pm. He is just fine!
Do what you think is right for your daughter!

I dont want to sound harsh but the people that tell you that 10 is to late are probably the people that want there children out of there hair and have had enough of them by sun down. If its not broken then there is nothing to fix. If this fits your schedule and your daughter is well adjusted then I wouldn't change a thing. Good luck and God Bless.

D. Cearley, Texas

too late for who? those people who dont live in your house? my kid goes to bed at 10-11pm and get up at 7am and is fine. its hard to live up to unflexible standards set by books and other peoples law. dont fret none sweets!

It might be too late for THEIR children. You have to keep in mind that all families are different and every single child is different and have different needs.
My 2 yr old is in daycare. He goes to sleep between 9:30 & 10:00. I have to wake him up at 6:30 to get him to daycare. He does just fine. Kids at this age get the luxury of napping during the day. Even so he does not always nap at daycare, but he days lay down and rest. With that said - My 11 yr old has a set 9:30 bedtime. He does not get to nap during the day, so for a school age child, sleep is more important. When he was in elementary school his bedtime was 8. As he has gotten older we have compromised. When his progress report comes home - IF he is doing well we extend his time 1 hour. But the MINUTE his grades suffer for it, we pull it back again. Don't pay attention to what anyone says. If your child is being productive then there is no need to worry. I would only worry if she was having a hard time getting up or having a hard time during the day then I would worry.
GOOD LUCK

Listen to your daughter and not other people who don't have her experience. You can tell if she is well rested. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Your friends should not say "That's too late for a two year old" but rather "I'm surprised she gets on so well without more sleep." Everyone needs different amounts. My teen sleeps 12 to 14 hours a day in the summer, but barely gets 9 the rest of the year. My pre-teen needs much less.

I agree. Every family style, every child is different.

My almost 5-year old no longer naps, and we've recently implemented the get-ready for bed when the clock says '8'.
She was going to bed WAY too late, and was rather cranky.

My 2-year old, on the other hand, will frequently be up until 9:30 or 10, but she'll nap for a couple of hours in the afternoon.

My brother, who teases me about my "bohemian lifestyle," usually has his children asleep no later than 8:00, but they wake up at 6:30 or so. . . . I'm a night owl, so I prefer to sleep in a little later than that (and let my children do so, as well).

Don't let other people's opinions change what works for your family. You'll have many years to come for early bedtimes and getting up early for school.

M.

Everyone has their own method. One thing I've learned being a mom is that not every single person is out for your best interest. Sometimes they just want to brag, be "right", lead the pack, etc.
As far as bedtimes....My boys go to bed early, but they wake up early too. The 3 year old is asleep by 8:30 and up by 6:30. The 2 year old is down by 7:30 and up at around 6:30 as well. The oldest doesn't take a nap anymore. This is very sad for me. Anyway, I could put them down later but then I wouldn't have any time to myself. I am a SAHM and reserve this time for reading "mommy" books, pre-cooking, computer stuff, or whatever.

My grandson usually goes to bed about 10 or 11. Depends on how tired he is. He is two. I say if 10 works for your child, then stay with it. She has plenty of time before she has to go to school and will have to probably go to bed earlier. I always say "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Your daughter sounds like she is happy and that's wonderful.

Hi Happy------Do what is right for you and your child. It seems like she is happy and functioning well with the schedule she is on. Lots of times, "well-meaning" moms offer TOO much advice and sometimes make good moms feel like they are doing the wrong things. Sounds like you are a great mother......keep doing what you are doing. If your child starts having problems by staying up until 10:00, believe me you will be the first to notice.

Keep up the good work!!!

I truly believe that you know your child and what is best. Don't let anyone tell you that it is too late. If it works good for her and you do it.

O please. Just do what works. EVERYONE has different schedules, different opinions,etc. My oldest went down anywhere between 9:00pm and 11:00pm and would sleep until 8am or 830am. I'm not much of a morning person so I really appreciated being able to get up and move around on my own for about an hour before he got up. When the second one came around, the first one was in preschool and then it was easier to set an earlier schedule that worked for both of them. (Mostly because I was having to wake both of them up earlier to get Number One to preschool.) But if you just have one kid and it isn't bothering anyone else's schedule- stick with what works. And school will come soon enough. Now that my kids are teenagers (or teenager wannabes) I would love for them to get on an appropriate school schedule those last couple of weeks in August before school starts but it just doesn't happen. They get into their school schedule by being exhausted the first week. Bad mom. O well.

My daughter goes to bed around 10 also! I think if that is what makes them happy and works for your family then other peoples opinions shouldnt matter. I try doing the earlier bedtime also but it just ends up being a bigger battle! So i just stick to what we have been doing.

WELL I HAVE RAISED 2 KIDS, WHO ARE NOW GROWN WITH THEIR OWN KIDS. RAISED A NIECE & NEPHEW, WHO ARE GROWN & SEEMS TO HAVE TURNED OUT OK. HAVE HELPED WITH NOW MY 5 GRANDKIDS WHO ARE DOING GOOD, YOUNGEST NOW 7. & I PUT THEM ALL TO BED WHEREVER THEY WERE SLEEPY, USUALLY BETWEEN 9 & 10. SO DO HER OWN THING, I SAY WHATEVER WORKS FOR HER IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU BOTH.
D.

I have twin 1yo's, a 2yo, and a 7yo. All my children are down by 7:30pm (the twins are sometimes ready at 6:00pm) and they wake on their own by 7:30am. We've had this routine from the beginning for 2 reasons: The American Pediatrics Association recommends a child has 12 hours of sleep at night and at least 1 nap for 1-2 hours during the day, The other reason: My husband and I need our time. After the kids are down, we watch TV, read, check email, have a glass of wine, or whatever else we want to do to unwind. This has been a saving grace for our family. My children are pleasant to have around beacuase they have their sleep and are happily rested. If you are wanting to change your routine, you must be consistent. Try putting your daughter down 15 minutes early for three days, then add another 15 minutes, etc., working up to your desired bedtime for her. You'll enjoy this time for yourself.
HTH J.

Hi Happy M!

If you are happy and she is happy then ignore what "everyone" tells you as being too late. I don't understand why anyone would have an issue with your kids normal sleeping schedule. Are you okay with her being up until 10? If so then let it be until it becomes an issue (like if you have to wake her up early for school!)

Best,
J

If she's happy and you don't mind the schedule - don't worry about it. Routine is the answer. If she's a cranky child, then she needs more sleep. Your daughter gets the same amount as my son every has - at 2-3 he would got to be 7:30/8:00 but he has ALWAYS been up between 5 and 6am. 9-10hrs/night. At 4 yrs old he still take a good 1-2hour afternoon nap. Eventually when school rolls around your schedule will need to change.

Every child and every family is different. What works for your child and you is the right thing to do. You may have to adjust when she starts school, but that's pretty far away now. You can tell when your child is getting enough sleep, and when they aren't and that is when you make changes. Do not change what you are doing because someone else's child goes to bed earlier.

Your the mommy, you do what you know is best and what works for you and your daughter.When she starts school you will see that sleeping habits need to change.At that time you'll train her,and let her know why its important to get plenty of sleep for school.

My 2 1/2 year old goes to bed around 7:30 to 8pm, wakes at 7am, and naps 2 hours each day. That's our new schedule for getting his big brother to kindergarten each morning. This summer, we went to bed later and slept later each morning, and gradually changed to the new schedule over a 2 week period before school started. That is the amount of sleep my child needs. You know what your child needs, and my schedule doesn't matter because we live in different households. You do what you know is best for your child! As long as he can go to sleep within 20 minutes or so, sleep through the night, and wake on his own as a happy, fully rested child, it doesn't matter what the rest of us do. You're a good mom---do what you know works for your family and your child!!!

Ok some of these posts gave great advice and others said what works for them. I have a son that will be 3 in Oct and a daughter who will be 18 months then also. They have no set bedtime unless we have an "early" (before 12 noon) appointment. My kids go to bed for the night anytime between 8:30 and 3 am. They will sleep anywhere from 9 am - 1 pm. and they usually take a 1 - 4 hr nap. Unless I need them to be asleep for me to get something done (housework) then I could care less what time they go down. I usually do have the 18 mo in her crib around 10 and my son in bed at same time but the go to sleep part is different. The lights are off and they can play till whenever. I have actually woke up to find that my son has turned on the lights and is playing with his sister. I just let them play and let them sleep when they want. I dont ever have to be at work before 10 am so I stay up late too. So do what works for you.

I have a 3 yr old little girl that has been going to bed around 10:00 to 10:30 since she was 2. Everybody use to tell me the same thing so I started putting her to bed earlier and she still slept through the night but woke up in the worst moods. Finally I decided that she was getting too much sleep and it was making her crabby so now she is back to going to bed around 10:00. Just remember if your child is tired she will lay down. You dont have to make them go to bed at any time. They know what they need! As long as she is happy and healthy thats all that matters!

OH, ignore those fuddy duddies who think every child's bed should be at 8pm! Not everyone's house hold runs the same way and is on the same schedule! My children, now 3 and 5, have been going to bed at 10pm forever and they are perfectly healthy. As long as your child is getting 11 to 13 hours of sleep a day, including nap time, they are not sleep deprived. I had a neighbor who put her child down at 7pm and then he woke up at 5am! I don't think so, that to me is a crazy schedule! :) You're doing great!

Hey there! i am a stay at home mom and it seems like you have a good thing going. if it isnt broke, dont fix it. my kids stay up with me. i have a 3 and a half and a 2 year old. we lay in bed until the news is over and then go to sleep. we wake up about 8 am. very rarely do they take a nap unless they fall asleep in the car. i have a 9 year old who is in bed by 830 and wakes up for school every morning so he is on a bedtime rutine. i think you are doing fine and don't let people tell you how to raise your kids. i have a friend who has her 2 year old in bed by 730 every night and wakes up at 630 and takes 2 naps a day. every kid is diffrent. don't doubt yourself when it comes to parenting. i always say that my rutine is there is no rutine :) (by the way, my kids enjoy the news. i always felt my daughter had something for randy beamer even at 6 months old HAHA!)

Good luck!

Does not matter what time she goes down, nor what time she wakes, as long as she's getting more than 8 hours of sleep. Most doctors want them to get 12 hours, but if she wakes up fine, and rested it's not a big deal. My children used to go to bed at 7:30 and I realized that I was getting little to no time with them. So now they stay up till 9 or 930 (twins, 2.5 years old), and we let them sleep till 7 rather than putting them down at 730 and waking them up at 6 am. It's worked great, and they still nap from 1 - 2.5 hours a day.

I can top that....my almost 20 month old goes to bed between 10:30 and 11:00 and gets up around 9:30 in the a.m. My response to anyone that says its "wrong" is to come over and 'be my guest', and do it themselves!!!! We have no reason to go to bed earlier or get up earlier...its what works for us. After all, I dont work and she is no where near going to school...I cant begin to think of a reason why I would want to get up at the crack of dawn....its not in my genes!!!!(hers either!)

hahahaha :)

My son was the same way and still is. Not sure how his bedtime ever became 10pm. He always took good naps during the day. Now he is 4 and we still have the same bedtime. Naps aren't everyday anymore, but we make him lay down and "rest" his eyes, most of the time hw will fall asleep. If it works for your family then who cares what others think. She is sleeping through the night, even better!

I personally think kids have their own little body clocks, just like we do. When my son hit 2 1/2, I found that if he napped at all, he just wasn't tired until somewhere between 10-11 pm. I would lay with him at 8:00 or 8:30 and read books, then turn off the lights, and he would just flop around in bed talking to himself and singing songs. He wouldn't try to get up; he just clearly wasn't tired yet. That would've been okay with me, except that I like a couple of hours with my husband at night. So I've compensated by not giving my son a nap, and then he's totally ready to sleep at 8:00 or 8:30. It makes for a long day, but I really like that time with my husband. Now my baby, on the other hand (who is 17 months), will take a three-hour nap and is still so happy to go in his crib at 7:30 or 8:00. He actually flails his arms and legs when he sees his crib, because he's so excited. :) He LOVES his sleep. It's funny, because I'm a night owl who's always had trouble falling asleep (even as a child), and my husband can sleep anytime, anywhere, the second his head hits the pillow! :) So maybe they each take after one of us? I would just go with whatever works for you and your daughter. I've heard that night owl kids like ours adjust when they go to school.

my daughter is 2 1/2 years old and i also put her to bed at 10pm and she sleeps through the whole night and gets up at around 8-9am. i have never had any problems with that and no one has ever told me that was too late of a bedtime. i think thats the perfect bedtime and theres nothing wrong with it. i know ppl who dont put their kids to bed till like 2am because thats when they fall asleep, so id be proud if i were u to have a kid that goes to bed at 10pm and gets up at a decent hour in the mornings. good job

I have read that an average two year old need about 10 hours of sleep a night. It sounds like yours is getting about that. My 2 year old is in bed by 9 pm. We try for 8:30 put don't always succeed with a 3 month old also. The two year old gets up around 6:30 am. So I think that as long as your child is getting the recommended amount of sleep and is happy during the day, then the "correct bedtime" time isn't as important.

After raising 3 kids, I have came to realize that each has their own "sleep style". My oldest has always slept longer, and still does @ 18! The middle one has never required as much sleep and still can go to bed at midnite and wake up refreshed and ready to go...You should definitely do what is best for YOUR little one...as she grows older, she may require more sleep, but for now, sounds like she is doing just fine. If she is sleeping from 10:30 - 7:30, thats 9 hours and is plenty for a 2 year old..(Does she also nap during the day? That could also be why she sleeps less than others.)

If it's not broken, don't fix it! :) My 2 1/2 year old goes to bed at 8:30 (asleep by 9:00). However, he is awake anywhere between 5:30 and 6:30. This works ok for us because we are "morning people" and I cherish my hour and a half or so to myself in the evenings (otherwise, I'd put him to bed later). Anyway, if it works for you and her, that's what's important!

Hi-

I agree with everyone else, do what works for your family. Just to answer your question, my 6 and 4 year olds start to get ready for bed at 8:00 and are down by 8:30. That has been our bedtime since they were about 2 years old.

If you feel the need to start getting her in bed sooner, adjust her bedtime very slowly. Put her down 10 or 15 minutes earlier for about a week or so and then go another 10 or 15 minutes earlier until you are where you want to be.

Good Luck,
K.

Looks like I'm probably agreeing with everyone else on this board, but...

I have 3 kiddos - age 5, 3, and almost 2. 10pm has been our regular bed time since my oldest was tiny. It used to be that this was the best time because we had many night-time activities at our church that we were responsible for and we were never home before that time anyway. Now that our lives have settled down and we're home most evenings, the bedtime hasn't changed. And it still works for us because my husband and I don't mind staying up until 11 or 12 and we love being able to sleep in until 8 or 9.

Don't let anyone tell you what works for your family. Every family is different. So long as you are happy and she's getting enough sleep between night time and nap, there's nothing to worry about. Just relax and enjoy!

K.
TheMommyJournal.com

My 2 year old (30 months) is a night owl too... I try, try, try to get her in bed by 8:30 and I fail, fail, fail every night. Her babysitter can get her in bed by 8:20 but she also doesn't wash her hair & blow dry (yeah, my DD has a lot of hair!) and doesn't brush her teeth. Honestly, my daughter's late bedtime stresses me out big time and truly isn't good for my marriage (because my husband just goes to bed without me). And by the time she's in bed, I need at least an hour to decompress (or eat my dinner, since I'm typically rushing though it based on whatever she's doing or I need sometime to do a few prep chores for the next morning). I haven't figured out how to get myself to bed before 11:30 or midnight.

Here's our schedule, although I'm not suggesting anyone mimic it!

The main contributing factor to her bedtime is that I work FT. I really can't leave work before 5pm. Hence, pick up from daycare at 6pm (darn traffic & commute!), then I scramble to make some inkling of a homecooked dinner (even if part if it is canned or frozen); hopefully we eat by 7pm. Dinner more often than not ends around 7:30... although ending at 7:45 is not unheard of, especially if I had to stop of at the grocery store before picking her up (her daycare is open until 6:30 and sometimes I do need that extra time). After dinner, we're up to bathe... Sometimes bath time is 20 minutes, sometimes 30. However if I get rushed about getting her in & out of the tub, then she becomes uncooperative and the whole rest of the bedtime schedule unravels into a series of power struggles and pushing boundaries... So we tend to "mutually agree" on what time to get out of the bathtub. Let's say that it tends to be 8:20 when were drying off... Diaper, lotion & pjs (10 minutes) , drying & brushing hair (10 minutes), brushing teeth (10 minutes)... Holy Cow Batman! its now 9 or 9:10, depending on how many battles we fought about brushing teeth... Wind down with 2-3 stories (which take 15-20 minutes) and then, as of late, she's started announcing that she has to potty right when I say goodnight, which can then delay bedtime for another 30-40 minutes... Last night, my child went to bed at essentially at 10... Ugh, I am such a flakey mom!

However, she sleeps though the night and wakes up around 7:30-7:45 am. She naps 2.5 hours at daycare and also naps 2-2.5 hours on the weekends. She is a happy, energetic, eager to please toddler.... I really shouldn't complain. Of course, *I* need her to go to bed earlier and that, unfortunately, is the root of my frustration.

There are a lot of factors that contribute to the bedtime schedule. Sorry, but I don't' have any suggestions for you... Just thought I'd let you know that you're not alone. And yes, I have other FT working moms that get their 2-3 yo in bed by 8-8:30... I don't know how they manage it... That undoubtedly fuels my own frustration at myself. But then again, their kids wake up between 5 or 6 am... Oi, that would be the death of me! Actually, I think their husbands shoulder more of the childcare workload (my hubby's job requires travel and his business travel has caused the evolution of an evening schedule that is more dependent on me and/or how long it takes me to get everything done).

And of course, it doesn't help that I'm addicted to checking out what's on Mamasource when she's finally in bed!!!

My daughter is almost 2 and we put her down at 8:00 (Sometimes 8:15/8:30. This will be her bedtime until she is much older. At some point if she isn't tired I would be fine with her playing in her crib or reading but we will keep that 8:00 bedtime.

Good luck.

When my kids were young, their bedtime was 8:30 pm and they woke around 7:00 am. Their bedtime was early mostly because I needed some downtime in the evening otherwise a late bedtime would not bother me. I was a stay at home mom so I got to spend a lot of time with them during the day as well.

My 6 and 4 year old go to bed at 7:30. You are going to have to train them differently for school....School starts around here at 7:45, I'd try to adjust them slowly to going to bed and then getting up earlier.

Good luck, you really should try to start soon, so it's not such a big shock when school rolls around.

C. (SAHM of 4 boys, 17, 6, 4, 20 months.)

The recommended amount of sleep for toddlers includes a combination of both nighttime sleep AND naptime. If she gets a good nap in, she may still may be getting enough sleep. Everyone is different when it comes to sleep, and recommended amounts are averages. If she is well-rested and well-behaved going to bed later, then she could be fine. Incidentally, when our daughter was 2, we put her to bed at 8, but most of our friends put their kids to bed later, some as late as 10. You do what works. Change is necessary only if there are behavior problems during the day.

I put my kiddos to bed at 8:00 pm. But like you we use to do the 10:00. I started out a little at a time. I would put them to bed at 9:45 for a few weeks, then at 9:30 for a few weeks and so on.
I went slow, but our doctor told us that the littles ones need 10 to 12 hours a night. Just don't make it happen all at once, she'll get use to as you make the changes if you go slow enough.
G.

I suppose it really doesn't matter as long as she gets enough sleep. My 3 year old goes to bed at 7:30-8 I need time with just me and my hubby before we go to bed!

If you want to change it, try little bits at a time. Good luck!

If the schedule that you have works for your household, don't change it.

Well our just turn 4 y/o has been going to bed at 8PM...During the summer it was 9:30..but we had to move it up to 8PM. We adjusted it by 30 mins a week to get him used to it......no problems now. They say during their toddler ages they need at least 10 hours or more each night...even with a nap during the day!!!!! It is only preparing them for preschool.

R.

Bedtime is no later than 8:30 for my 3 1/2 year old son. The thing you have to think about is this...What are you going to do when it's time for school to start? They cannot go to bed at 10pm and get up for school at 6am. That's not enough sleep for their minds. I would start backing up bedtime in 15 minute increments for a week at a time. If it's a very gradual process, her body will adjust naturally. Before you know it, she'll be going to bed at a decent hour so you and your significant other can have some quality time without being exhausted.

C.

I don't think the actual time she goes to bed is as important and being consistent. Does she nap during the day? How long? I've read in several sources that 2 to 3 year olds need anywhere from 11 to 13 hours of night time sleep and a 1 to 3 hour nap each day. So if she has a long nap, she may not need to go to bed earlier. If you want to move her bed time up so that you can have more alone time with your spouse or just by yourself, you can try moving her nap a little earlier or waking her up 30 min. early. My kids go to bed at 8 PM during the week and 8:30 or 9 on weekends. They usually wake up around 7 AM. My almost 4 year-old doesn't nap everyday but does have quiet time in her room for at least an hour. Some days she actually falls asleep. On those days we let her stay up a little later. My 2 year-old takes a 2 1/2 to 3 hour nap starting at around 2. It's working well so far. Good luck.

Morning Happy;

Just Ignore everyone else!!! Her clock is 10pm to 7:30am,
so let it be!!
My clock is 10pm to 5am, my wife's is 2:30 am to 11am,
everyone has their own sleep clock!
When she starts school it will be a problem, but, after a
few days of waking her at 6:30am for school, she'll adjust
to it!

My 2 year old goes down at 8:30 PM and he sleeps until at least 6:45 AM. He was never a good napper, but since he was moved into his car bed (twin sized big boy bed) he sleeps in longer both at night and during naps. I think they need at least 12 hours total of sleep (including naps) a day. Mine sleeps 10 hours at night and approximately 2 hours for a nap around 12:30 - 2:30 PM. If your child is taking exceptionally long naps, she may be trying to make up for her night sleep. The main problem you may face with putting her down so late is when she starts going to school since she will need to be on an earlier routine to wake up in time.

Hope that helps!

If it's working for her, I say more power to ya! My 3 year old goes to bed at 9:00pm and wakes up at 7:00am. He went through a stage this summer where he was waking up at 6:00am and the rule now is if he wakes up and his clock doesn't say 7: he has to stay in his bed until it does. This alarm clock trick has worked out great for us. I will say, he does nap every day for 45 minutes - 1 hour and 15 minutes. If she is rested and it's not interfering with her mood, don't change a thing!

If that works for your baby and it is not interfering with your "me time" then go with it and don't worry about it. I have 3 of my own (7, 3 and 1) and my oldest was and still is the same way. He'd go to bed when I went to bed, which may be 10, 11 or 12 with no problem. Now that he is in school (7YO) he goes to bed by 9ish but I know some people that manage to have their little ones down by 7:30 or 8:00 but that works for them somehow. My 3yo goes down about 9:30 and the 1yo about 8:30-9:00. If it ain't broke don't fix it! :)

my 2.5 year old boy goes to bed at 7:30 and wakes at 7, then takes a 1.5 hour nap (but is starting to stop napping some days.)

My 2 (almost 3) year old goes to sleep around the same time. We put him to bed around 8pm, but he play and sings in his bed until at least 9pm and most of the time later. My pediatrician told me that bed times are really for the benefit of the parents because there is no "time" a child should go to sleep every night. If she is well rested and healthy, don't worry about what other people say about it!

I would go crazy having my kids up that late simply because I really need a few quiet hours with my husband before I end my day. But every family has their own schedule, and if you like this one and it works for you, keep it. If she's going to go to school one day you may want to very gradually move it up, but until then enjoy your little nightowl!
(To answer your question, my 3 year old goes to bed at 7:30p.m. and gets up around 6:30am)

P. (SAHM with 3 boys)

Personally, I would go insane if my 2 1/2 year old daughter was up until 10pm every night, but if it works for you and she seems to be happy and well rested, then I would leave well enough alone. My daughter goes to bed around 8:30pm and wakes up at 7:30am with a 2 hour nap every day. I suppose some kids just need more sleep than others.

If you feel like you want her to go to bed earlier, then I would look at her nap. What time is she waking up from her nap and how long is she sleeping? I try not to let mine sleep for more than 2 1/2 hours in the afternoon and I wake her up by 4:30pm if she isn't up already so that I can get her back down at 8:30pm.

I think it's completely up to you. I just need my down time at night and, honestly, I can't stay up later than 10:30-11pm myself, so I like to have an hour or so to wind down without the kiddos. The only time I can see this becoming a problem is later when she starts school. She will have to get up much earlier, so you will probably want to start adjusting her bedtime then so that she is getting enough rest. Until then, if you don't mind having her up that late and she is well rested and well behaved during the day, then to each his own!

Each kid and each situation was different. If this works for both of you and is not interfering with anything, if she's getting 10 hours of sleep total, then it doesn't matter what time she goes to bed. But, the nap and nighttime sleep do need to total 10 hours or she isn't getting enough. It's her "grow" time. It's not when she goes to bed as much as it is is she getting enough. It sounds like she is. If she's not overly tired, overly hyperactive (which happens when too tired), or whiny, then I wouldn't worry about it.

We all have our own biological clocks.

I'm a night person. Two of my other 4 children are also night people.

Meanwhile, my other two boys are day people.

And oh my goodness... you say she's happy and good with the current situation? I can't tell you how jealous I'm feeling right now (ha, ha, ha....).

Let her keep her own timetable. And one of the reasons I'm saying this is because it falls into place with the prescribed times for school (once she starts).

My almost 3 year old son goes to bed at 7:30 PM and starts his day at 6:30 AM. He also takes a 2 to 3 hour nap daily.

Not all children are the same - therefore they all don't go to bed at the same time. Case in point, I have 6 yr old twins who have never gotten the same amount of sleep on any given night. My son, at that age, would fall asleep by 8:30 or 9pm and wake up at 7am. My daughter, even when put to bed at 9pm, would lie awake until 10pm or so and still wake up at the same time as her twin brother and not have any problems. I found that once they started actual school and had extra curricular activities going on is when I was able to implement an actual 9pm bedtime and have no fuss about it from either one of them. And they were both asleep within 5 minutes of getting into bed. I too hear that 9pm is way too late for them - but with the busy lifestyle that we have, it's just not possible to get them into bed any earlier. If your comfortable with the time, and your child is not suffering from lack of sleep, don't change your schedule to match some other kid's. Your daughter's body has adapted to her lifestyle and timing - not some other kid's.

She may be sleeping longer during the day (during naps).

My philosophy: "Don't fix what ain't broke." If she seems rested and this time works in your schedule, let her go. If she starts getting "crabbier" you can adjust either the time she goes down or the number/duration of her naps.

Good Morning!
my son is almost 3, i put him and his six years old sister down at 7. we read stories, talk about the day and then say goodnight. i know its early but i need the break and the off-time as well as they need their sleep. they usually are sleeping by eight. sleep till 7 in the morning. but every child is different and i know its about what time they are used to go to sleep. as long as u dont mind her running around till 10pm.
have a great day!
steffi

My 2 and 4 year old are both bathed, storied, brushed, jammie-ed, etc. by 8 and are asleep by 8:30. My daughter likes to sleep until 8 am, but my oldest likes to get up at 7 am. Both take 1 nap. My youngest naps from 1-3:30 or 4. My oldest naps from 2-3:30ish.

I will tell you this: After 8:00 is mommy and daddy's "Special Time" where we just get to be "us" again and snuggle on the couch, watch a movie, and catch up. If we didn't have this time, it would be very hard to feel connected.

We have 2 policies that we remind each other to stick to:
1) we don't negotiate with terrorists (so we never give in to tantrums, whining, etc).
2) we don't let the inmates run the asylum (so we decide when they should sleep, what they should eat, etc - they are adorable, but they tend to seriously manipulate you. Sure we give choices, but we don't compromise to the point of manipulation.)

Are you a SAHM? Is it affecting your sleep to have her down at that time? You say she is happy and good, so this seems to be working for her.
If it works for you, ignore the rest! My mom said our bed time was always 9-10, but we slept till 8 in the morning, and she preferred that.
Since you asked, our 3 year old goes down between 8 and 8:30, but if that's not right for your little one, don't worry about what other people say! You know what works for y'all.

My daughter will be 3 in Nov. I put her to bed at 9pm, however she may not fall asleep till 10 many night. I think the idea is that they get at least 10-12hrs of sleep a day. Keep in mind this includes nap times! So, if it works for you keep doing what you are doing.

Does she take a nap during the day? If she does, she probably is getting enough sleep. My 21/2 yo would love it if I let her stay up until 10 (my mom insists that she is just a night owl)! And sometimes she does if I can't get her to go to sleep earlier and "give up". Anyway, I asked about the daytime nap because mine has pretty much refused to take an afternoon nap for the past few months. I have a 1 yo and their rooms are side-by-side, so I don't do the screaming thing. Anyway, she was going to bed later around 8:30/9, but since she gave up her nap, I put her to bed around 7:15 and she is out like a light. She gets up around 7:30-8am and she seems fine. I think if your daughter is having a nap during the day and goes to bed later...if she is getting 12 hours she should be fine.

If it isn't broken, don't fix it. If you are fine with your daughter going to bed at ten, and she sleeps through the night, I wouldn't worry about it. There are no firm rules in this game. When my two were little, my only complaint was that if they stayed up, I didn't get much "grown up" time. Enjoy your little girl. They are so much fun.

I personally think its kind of late but if it works why fix it? If she is not throwing fits and out of controll durring the day, which usually means a cranky kid, I would let her go to sleep at 10. Most kids go to bed anywhere between 8 - 9p.m. but usuall wake up around 6ish ,that I have been around.

dear happy,
thats a toughy. i swore up and down when my kids were babies id never let them go down that late, not that im not in agreement with your choice. everyone i know puts there kids down that late. i put both my kids (2&4) down at 8p now. but they get up the same time they did when they went down at 7p. they get up at 6a. maybe i should try your method.=) how do you get any alone time though, without being up till midnight?
M.

Really, as long as she gets 13 or 14 hours of sleep a day, include the naps, then she is fine. If the schedule works for you then it doesn't really matter. My son, when he was 2 in a half, went to bed at 8 everynight and would get up at 8 or 9, with just one one hour nap a day. hope this helps....if she is not getting at least 13 hours I would consider a schedule change.

If 10p.m. works for you guys, she sleeps great and wakes up happy, keep on doing what you're doing. Sometimes you have to go with your instincts instead of all the well-meaning advice out there!

I don't have a child this age but can tell you...don't worry about what others say! If she's on a schedule that you're happy with, it's fine. 7:30am sounds like a good time to wake up as long as it is okay with you and she's getting 9.5 hours of sleep and probably taking naps. That's the same sleep schedule my 3 month old has (with about 4 hours of napping a day)and it works great for me. 10pm is not too late. Do what you feel is best! (But you probably already knew that!)

My daughter is now 4 and my son is now 9. I did this with both of my kids and it worked. With my son I was a single mom with my daughter I was married. Either way it makes a huge impact single or married. When she was 2 1/2 she use to go down at 11 pm and wake at 730 a.m. I eventually stared moving her routine earlier by 10 to 15 minutes per week. Sometimes I would move it every two weeks depending on her mood. We finally got her normal bedtime to be at 8:45 p.m. I never realized how much that impacted me. I started to have more "Me" time and I was in a better mood the next morning and I got so much more done with her being in bed. My husband and I got more "US" time he was also in a better mood we were able to talk to each other have a real adult conversations he started to help me more because the distraction from the kids wasn't there. When I was a single mom with my son I was able to do alot more as well.
R. D
-hope this helps

If it works for you then it's fine. My 2 1/2 year olds bedtime is determined by her nap. If she has one she is in bed around 9 or maybe even later. If she doesn't have a nap she is in bed at 7. Her naps are 3-4 hours in length so she is happy and able to stay up.

Between 7 and 8. From what I have read, 10 pm is way too late. The book I go by is "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" and his data is well researched. It may take her some time to get used to a new bedtime. I would also let her put herself back to sleep if she wakes at night so another issue isn't created.
HTH! C.

8pm...9 at the latest

My 2nd child (now 5) was the same way. She has sleep patterns more like me, doesn't need as much, but has tons of energy (wish I did! haha). When she was 2-4 it was more so than now. Since she hit preschool and now Kindergarten her sleep patterns are better. Bed by 9 and up at 5:30pm. I know where you are coming from and if that bedtime works for both of you, noone should be saying different unless she is having problems. If she is happy and you are happy it will all work out.

D.

FYI - my first child is a real sleeper. Needs her 8 -9 hrs or she is a real crab, just like her dad :)

I daughter who is 4 goes to bed around 9:30 or 10pm and also wakes up around 7:30am.

If she gets up at 7:30 on a regular basis then 10 is a good time for her to go to bed. That's 9 to 9 and 1/2 hours of sleep. My son has always gone to bed between 8:30 and 9 but we get up at 6:30am. If you were waking her up early then I would say yes put her to bed earlier but kids usually need about 9-10 hours of sleep a night and if she's getting that then it's fine. Others are probably thinking about the time of night and not how long she is sleeping. If you want her to go to bed earlier then you'll have to start waking her up earlier but sounds to me she's getting enough sleep. As she gets closer to school age you might want her to get in the habit of going to bed earlier but until then as long as she's getting enough sleep then I wouldn't change it. Oh but don't forget adult time with your husband. Sometimes you need time with just the two of you. Good Luck

Don't let other people tell you what to do. If it works in your house that is all that really matters. I think kids are just like us, some need more sleep than others. Personally my 4 year old stays up the majority of the time til 10 or 11. He acts like he is well rested when he gets up around 8. My daughter is the same way. You just have to do what works around your schedule and forget about everyone elses opinions.

I think if they are getting enough sleep, what does it matter if it is from 8 to 5:30 or 10 to 7:30? My kids (3 and 6 yo boys)go to sleep between 7:30 and 8 pm and wake up at between 6 and 6:30 in the morning. It works for me because I get up at 5:30 and they leave for school and daycare at 7:15. They used to go to bed at 8:30 to 9pm, but then I would have to force them awake in the morning and they were cranky, so I moved them back 15-20 minutes every two or three days until they woke up when I wanted them to without being cranky. Now they wake up on their own without having to rush to get ready. I say whatever works!