Kids bed times during the holidays?
Discussion
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Timmy40 said:
You believe a 14 y/o and 16 y/o are informed enough and responsible enough to understand the long term impact of an irregular sleeping pattern, I don't.
My kids at 16 couldn't give a f
k about research into irregular sleeping patterns, and I couldn't care less even now. But at 16 they were able to decide if they were tired or not, and if they needed to go to bed at 8pm or midnight. At 16 you should be giving your kids advice, not laying down rules & regulations.
I might say "you look knackered, you might want to think about an early night" and they would reply "too right, I'm going to bed at 9 tonight", or "no, I'm fine and there's something I want to watch at 10:30." But to tell a 16 y/old it's time for bed, ridiculous.
Do you read them a story as well?
HTP99 said:
we trust her
This is the key factor. Trust and empowerment. Giving you kids the leeway to make their own mistakes. Treat them like adults, and they'll behave as such.Infantilisation will do your kids far more harm than staying up too late and being a bit tired the next day.
I'm 52 and occasionally even I get it wrong and stay up too late. That's what grown ups do, make choices and take consequences.
Most years I visit Spain and/or Greece for my hols.
Invariably, the parks and playgrounds are filled with well behaved kids every evening until at least 10 o'clock. Ages range from little more than toddlers to early teens. Their parents are either relaxing and chatting, generally paying little attention or some I'm sure not even there. Doesn't appear to be a problem for them. Trust.
Invariably, the parks and playgrounds are filled with well behaved kids every evening until at least 10 o'clock. Ages range from little more than toddlers to early teens. Their parents are either relaxing and chatting, generally paying little attention or some I'm sure not even there. Doesn't appear to be a problem for them. Trust.
doogz said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
My youngest is 17 now but 2 months ago, when he was still 16, telling a 6'2 man with stubble like Clint Eastwood that you could strike a match on, and a voice like Brian Blessed, that it was time for bed, just seems bloody ludicrous.
Admit it.You're scared of him.
thouse. He'd snap me in half like a twig. But he wouldn't hurt a fly. Too nice for his own good I say. Now his older brother is a bit more wiry, I reckon I might be able to take him in a fight, but he's even taller so would have a decent reach advantage! And obviously the 33 year age gap wouldn't do me any favours either. LordGrover said:
Most years I visit Spain and/or Greece for my hols.
Invariably, the parks and playgrounds are filled with well behaved kids every evening until at least 10 o'clock. Ages range from little more than toddlers to early teens. Their parents are either relaxing and chatting, generally paying little attention or some I'm sure not even there. Doesn't appear to be a problem for them. Trust.
I noticed this when out in Sardinia last year; the kids are out with their parents till late, in the restaurants; eating proper food, out shopping, and without exception they were all polite and well behaved, mmmm wonder what we are doing wrong.Invariably, the parks and playgrounds are filled with well behaved kids every evening until at least 10 o'clock. Ages range from little more than toddlers to early teens. Their parents are either relaxing and chatting, generally paying little attention or some I'm sure not even there. Doesn't appear to be a problem for them. Trust.
I'm
Because during the summer it's flipping 40'C and too bloody hot to do a damned thing during the day? No such struggles here in Scotland believe me!
HTP99 said:
LordGrover said:
Most years I visit Spain and/or Greece for my hols.
Invariably, the parks and playgrounds are filled with well behaved kids every evening until at least 10 o'clock. Ages range from little more than toddlers to early teens. Their parents are either relaxing and chatting, generally paying little attention or some I'm sure not even there. Doesn't appear to be a problem for them. Trust.
I noticed this when out in Sardinia last year; the kids are out with their parents till late, in the restaurants; eating proper food, out shopping, and without exception they were all polite and well behaved, mmmm wonder what we are doing wrong.Invariably, the parks and playgrounds are filled with well behaved kids every evening until at least 10 o'clock. Ages range from little more than toddlers to early teens. Their parents are either relaxing and chatting, generally paying little attention or some I'm sure not even there. Doesn't appear to be a problem for them. Trust.
IceBoy said:
P-Jay said:
Mine is younger, 9 - but his bedtime doesn't change at the weekends or Holidays, 8PM. We're all early-to-bed, early-to-rise in my house.
Spot on there P-Jay.Mine are nearly 10 & 13. 8.30-9.00pm lights out!
Mind you everyone in my family think I'm strict but I'm a firm believer of early to bed and early to rise.
We are all up at 6.30am like clock work.
IceBoy
) (latter not serious)What happens if you are all out for the evening P-Jay? (serious)
I see this thread has descended into one of those bizarre pissing matches where people try to outdo each other over how early they send their entire family to bed and wake them up every morning.
"we're in bed at 9pm and up at 6am"
"well we go to bed at 6pm and we're up at 4.30am... the kids are milking the cows by 6am... we don't even own a cow, they have to walk 2 miles to the nearest farm and if they can't find a cow they better well find something to milk or no breakfast for them!"
You pussies should learn to survive on less sleep.
"we're in bed at 9pm and up at 6am"
"well we go to bed at 6pm and we're up at 4.30am... the kids are milking the cows by 6am... we don't even own a cow, they have to walk 2 miles to the nearest farm and if they can't find a cow they better well find something to milk or no breakfast for them!"
You pussies should learn to survive on less sleep.
16 year olds shouldn't have a bed time. I didn't and I don't recall any of my friends having one either. We had times to be home, but that's different. I used to go to bed around 11pm and get up at 6:30 from around 14 years old. Seemed normal? Going to bed at 8 is mad, it would mean having to get up stupidly early.
Let them stay up as late as they want, it's a bloody holiday and they can deal with getting back into an earlier head down time once they go back to school, part of growing up is learning to go to bed when you need to so let them get on with it.
When I was a young lad, considerably younger than the kids you're sending to bed, the WWF shows on a Friday and Saturday night had only just started at 10:30pm and I wouldn't be missing those for anything.
When I was a young lad, considerably younger than the kids you're sending to bed, the WWF shows on a Friday and Saturday night had only just started at 10:30pm and I wouldn't be missing those for anything.
My 16 year old daughter doesn't finish work until 11pm some nights, she also volunteers on a Wednesday night for a local youth group which she finishes a 10pm.
Generally I find she is too tired to want to be staying up very late, the exception being if she has a party to go to, in which case I ask her for a time she'd like to be collected, generally this is around midnight.
I've always expected my daughters to manage their own time since they started secondary school, this means they set their own alarms and ensure they are at school on time, they have both always had voluntary jobs from age 12 which have been a regular commitment and a part time paid job from the age of sixteen.
They are asked to make a contribution to the household tasks, so as long as they complete their studies, are reliable for both their paid job and the volunteer commitments, I'm not to concerned as to what time they go to bed or get up when the have down time.
Generally I find she is too tired to want to be staying up very late, the exception being if she has a party to go to, in which case I ask her for a time she'd like to be collected, generally this is around midnight.
I've always expected my daughters to manage their own time since they started secondary school, this means they set their own alarms and ensure they are at school on time, they have both always had voluntary jobs from age 12 which have been a regular commitment and a part time paid job from the age of sixteen.
They are asked to make a contribution to the household tasks, so as long as they complete their studies, are reliable for both their paid job and the volunteer commitments, I'm not to concerned as to what time they go to bed or get up when the have down time.
Until about 14 my bed time was 2200, but from 15 onwards my dad stopped trying to enforce it... After I realised going to bed at 4am every day and being up for school a 7am was a bad idea, I started putting myself to bed at 2300 and my dad was fine with that... Depends if your kids are sensible or not lol - during the holidays 1-2am is fine IMO, they're teens afterall!.
14 & 16 going to bed at 10:30? 
When I was 14 i was usually up till 12 at the earliest on my PS2 through the week! Stayed up as long as I could manage weekends/holidays.
At 16/17 I was usually out drinking with friends Fri/Sat till god knows when. And regularly stopped at girlfriends/mates houses through the week. Just went straight to school from there.
I never managed to not make it school/college because I couldn't get up. Not much has changed now I'm up for work at 6 TBH, just a PS4 now instead.
Leave them be, they'll soon learn personal responsibility to be up when they have to.
When I was 14 i was usually up till 12 at the earliest on my PS2 through the week! Stayed up as long as I could manage weekends/holidays.
At 16/17 I was usually out drinking with friends Fri/Sat till god knows when. And regularly stopped at girlfriends/mates houses through the week. Just went straight to school from there.
I never managed to not make it school/college because I couldn't get up. Not much has changed now I'm up for work at 6 TBH, just a PS4 now instead.
Leave them be, they'll soon learn personal responsibility to be up when they have to.
Edited by justanother5tar on Monday 29th June 21:21
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