I have a three year old and twin one year olds. With the time change making bed time crazy to begin with, I think it is a good time to reevaluate their bed time. What is an appropriate time for three and one year olds to go to bed?
I have a three year old and an almost one year old. The 3yo goes to bed between 7:30pm and 8:00pm, sometimes earlier if he didn't nap (which he doesn't do much of anymore). He gets up between 6am and 6:30am.
The one year old goes to bed around 6:30pm or 7pm and wakes up around 7am. She takes one, maybe two naps a day of about an hour each.
If they are still taking naps during the day I'd say no later then 8:30pm, even with 2 naps. My kids are now 5,6 and 8 they are in bed by 8pm up at 6:15am. If they kids aren't able to get to sleep that early then less nap time if they take them. My kids need at least 10 hrs of sleep to be successful at prek and school...if fact at the age of your children mine took at least one nap a day for maybe an hour and still went to bed for 10-12 hrs at that young age. All kids are different I notice if my kids aren't able to run off their energy they don't sleep well.
I think between 730pm and 8pm. That's the schedule I have my son on and he usually gets up around 630am. Hopefully he will stay on this schedule as he gets older. I'm going to keep on enforcing it. :)
Hi H., I have three children myself with the ages of 9, 7 and 4. Since they were born and on a schedule their bedtime has been between 7 and 8pm. We start getting ready for bed at 7 and then when they are in their beds I go to each of their rooms and read a book with them. We use to do it together but it was too much playing and this way it gives me individual time with them. I just feel this is a good time to get the kids to bed and still give my husband and I time to hang out before I pass out from my exhausting day.
I hope this helps.
A. Olson
www.aliciasark.com
My experience has always been with my four that the earlier the better. I found that the later my children were awake the more difficult it was to get them to go to sleep. Now that my two oldest are ten and twelve they have to be in bed by nine(they are voracious readers) but usually don't go to sleep until later. They have to wake up in the morning like the two younger kids and are held responsible for getting ready with out grief or they know they have to go to bed earlier. My five and seven yo have to be in bed by 7:30 and 8:00- if seven yo wants to read in bed he has to get in bed by 7:30. I am also the mean mother who makes them go to bed during vacation and on weekends by a decent time - I have to sleep, too.
We've always gone with a 7:30/8:00 bedtime. My kids are 5 and 7 now and still do... having to be at school by 7:45, they really need that much sleep.
They say all kids are different and that some don't require as much sleep as others. My daughter will be 3 in January and for months now, we have been having a hard time staying awake longer than she does! She has fought sleep since she was born b/c she is always so worried she may miss something. She doesn't usually go to sleep until 10:30 and is up by 7:00 everyday. She does take a nap, but only for 1-2 hours if that. Even at daycare, they tell me she is the first one awake everyday. She is very active and we make sure she has outside play time everyday hoping that she may just get worn out and go to sleep a little earlier, but she very rarely does. I would love to have a child that goes to bed by 8:30, but that has just never been the case with my daughter.
Hey H.. I also have 3 kiddos. Ages 6,5, & 3. Their bedtime has always been between 8-8:30pm. Plus, the younger 2 still take 2hr naps everyday. Even if they don't get to sleep right away, they lay there and start dozing off.
Good luck and just do what works for you and your family.
