What time do your kids go to bed?

Is this a loaded question? Do I answer it honestly or do I say what is ideal? “I mean, I mostly, well sometimes I get them to bed at 7.30pm!”

Some kids go to bed a little later because they aren’t up at 5am and some kids are probably in bed but not sleeping! It’s good to have a routine and just work out what is best for your family. It is not going to be perfect all of the time and neither is the other day-to-day tasks of homework and showers and chores etc.!

From 3 years about 10 hours is needed and then from 12 years about 9 hours and during adulthood – an average of 8 hours, but of course this can vary. 

Once the teenage years hit I think some parents think kids can go to bed when they like, but there still needs to be structure. The biggest struggle is technology, which includes phones or gaming devices. I think they should all be kept out of the bedroom and if they are ever not – a consequence needs to be set in place.

If assignments are not finished, do parents let their teen stay up to finish it? Or should they have been more organised and had it finished before? Well, I think if they have been showing signs of effort, but for many reasons, it is just not finished; it is acceptable. My teenager daughter has friends who just go to bed at the set time, no matter what, so in that case the school consequence plays out!

Bed times are as varied in families as dinner time and all other family schedules and the like, but the most important thing is whatever you do suits your family to run as smoothly as possible. If, you are not happy with what’s happening; maybe call a family meeting and discuss the options and find a suitable solution.