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Bedtime? But It's Still Light Out, Mommy!
June 30, 2009 at 4:44 PM by Cafe Cynthia - Comments (9)
Photo by social1972
For most of the year, bedtime at my house is between 7:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. This is not a problem in the winter because the days are short and it's dark by bedtime.
But now during summer, when the days are long and the nights are short, I get, "Mommy, it's still daytime, it's not bedtime yet!"
And, "Mommy, the sun's up! Time for breakfast! (between 5 and 6 a.m.)
This is not fun for mom and dad, plus the kiddos are getting way less than the 12 hours sleep they should.
Moms in the Heated Debates group were sharing ways to foil the sunlight and get their toddlers to stick to normal sleep schedules in the summer -- not an easy task.
One mom plasters the windows with aluminum foil, which keeps the early morning sun out very well. Another uses black-out curtains from Walmart.
Still others just give up and let their kids go to bed a little later and hope for the best. It's hard to say no when they can hear all the other neighbor kids out in the street playing.
How do you keep your toddlers on the same sleep schedule in the summer? Does the later sunset and earlier sunrise really mess things up for you?
FILED UNDER: bedtime, sleep, summer survival
Comments:
My daughter normally goes to bed at 9 and gets up around 8. I suppose this fall when I'm working and she has to be up early for preschool, we'll move her bedtime up to 8. Just closing her regular shade seems adequate, she has never woke up before 7.
Bed time in our house has always been 7p.m. but since it's summer, we've pushed it back to 7:30 on most nights (unless they didn't nap and then 7 it is). By the time teeth are brushed and stories are read it's usually 7:30 or almost 8 and the boys are tired enough to go to sleep. Now if they'd just learn to sleep in life would be perfect but I guess this is "mother's revenge" because I was an early riser as a kid!
From my professional and personal experience- consistency is what is really important. If you make the conscious decision to change bedtime, make that plan and then follow thru with it. If it works for your family to do things a bit later and the children seem to be sleeping enough, then it is working. If that is not the case then outside light or not, working on the same bedtime routine is important. Blackout shades or curtains help and remembering to bring down the energy of the home about 30 -60 minutes before bedtime routine.
For early risers you might be able to start teaching your child to read the number on the digital clock. So, if it says 6:00, then it is OK to come into mommy or daddy's room. Another suggestion is pick out 3 things your child can do on their own, in the morning that is safe (that can buy you 30-60 minutes. Toddlers can often understand explanations, keep it short and sweet. Good luck and Pleasant Dreams.
Jessica Shapley, LMSW, CMT
momsupport.org
I have a evening routine for my 2 year. After supper, we play outside for a short time, then she takes her bath which she gets to play with her water toys. Then we play in the playroom until 7:30pm. This includes reading a few books. Then at 7:30 I let her wind down by watching Frannie's Feet on PBS every-night along with a little snack. Then she knows when it is over she gets up turns of the TV, gets her blanket and give goodnight kisses. Then I tuck her tight in bed with no problems.
My DD is 13 months old and from the time that she was 10 months old we have had set a bed time that is 7pm. 730pm if she has taken her afternoon nap (which is a miracle if that happens) She's up anytime between 6:30am-7:45am. I don't mind if she's up early i have always been an earlier riser most morning I'm up from 3am-5am I work early mornings most morning so that's fine with me if she wants to get up at 6am. I had her in bed with me from birth until 10 months old. My SO worked nights and it was just her and I home at night. I REALLY miss having her in bed with me a lot but I know it's for the best for her and I.
The Biggest problem I'm having with her is Naps. By 9-10am shes ready for a nap and just completely misable so she will go down for anywhere from 1-2hrs. Then by 2-3pm she will fight that nap tooth and nail then she is misable until bedtime. So that's were I'm having the most problems with her but other then that bedtime in this house is no later then 7:30. Sorry i got way off track I hope someone can give me some kind of ideas.
When I was little, we all had to go to bed at 6:30 PM come hell or high water. We could ALWAYS hear the kids playing outsiode and the sun was high in the sky, doing it's job. But we all knew NOT to get out of bed because my Uncle would get his kickin' boots on. I don't know what to tell you other than I have been on the kid end.
My 3 yr old son keeps his normal bedtime all year round. He is laying down by 8:00 and usually asleep by 8:30-8:45pm and he loves to sleep so he usually sleeps until 7:30am unless you wake him up and sometimes it is 8am before he will wake up. But he starts preschool this fall and we are thinking about having him lay down in bed around 7:45 and hoping he will be asleep by 8:00-8:30pm. The time change is what usually messes with my kids not the sunlight or it being lighter out.
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my boys go to bed between 7 to 8 pm every night with out no problem at all
ilovemyson2002 Jun. 30, 2009 at 10:34 PM