Shift in sleep needs for 6.5 year old? Or longer days with spring?

[Anonymous]

My 6.5 year old kindergartener has been sleeping 10 hours a night for a few years now. Bedtime is 8:00, she falls asleep around 8:30, and is up between 6:30-7:00. For the last month or so, she’s been totally unable to fall asleep before 9:30 and is asking if she can get out of bed at 6:00 (she’s allowed up at 7:00 now). She doesn’t seem tired in the mornings or evenings even though she’s getting about an hour less sleep per night.

Did your kids reduce their sleep needs around that age? Is it time to shift to a “big kid” bedtime? Or could it just be the longer spring evenings and earlier sunrises? We’ve tried playing outside more in the evenings, earlier and longer bedtime routines to help wind down, and melatonin. No luck. What should we do next?

[Anonymous]

DS goes to bed to read at 8 and lights out at 8:30. There are many nights that he is awake at 9:30. He wakes up sometime between 6-7 AM. It used to be he was up at 6 and read until 7 but now we have a growing number of days where he is not up until 7. He is 9. we have not adjusted his bed time. He needs time to rest, even if that is laying in bed and not sleeping. He listens to an audible book until 9 and then can put on some music.

I am guessing that we will need to adjust his bed time soon enough, his rec sports practices and Scouts tend to get him home closer to 8 or 8:30 as it is. We'll probably be moving it to 9. But really, that down time in bed is pretty valuable even if he is not sleeping.

[Anonymous]

Thank you, PP, that is really helpful. I wasn’t thinking about the benefit of quiet rest even if they’re not sleeping. Part of the issue is that she’s got some anxiety and wants a parent to stay in the bedroom until a set time. I get impatient to get out of there, and she gets anxious if she’s not close to sleep when I do leave. That’s a separate issue, but a later bedtime is not appealing to me for that reason.

[Anonymous]

8:00 seems early to me. I would move bedtime to 8:30. Laying in bed when you're not tired can produce anxiety about going to sleep.

[Anonymous]

I would eliminate the parent staying in with her personally. Do a reward the next morning or whatever works. But your bedtime is fine, At 6 my kids light was out at 8 and she woke up around 7. She is 9 now and goes to bed at 8 most nights, then reads until 9. She falls asleep between 915/930. Wakes up between 7-730.

[Anonymous]

Mine goes to bed at 9.. especially in the summer 8 seems a bit early? He reads or listens to audio storybook.. and sometimes not asleep until 10/10:30. He seems to be doing fine during the day..maybe all depends on the child.

[Anonymous]

Agreed. 8 is early for a kindergartner if it’s light out. Mine went through times all through elementary school where they needed more or less sleep. I never had a strict long term bedtime but would adjust. If your kid can’t fall asleep and isn’t tired in the morning, try staying up later. He can always go to bed earlier sometimes or consistently if it’s not working. Don’t call it a “big kid bedtime” to him or make a big deal about staying up later. It will make it harder later if he needs more rest. My oldest is a teen now and I have the hardest time with him, since he definitely needs more sleep than he wants to get and is cranky like the K days at the moment!

[Anonymous]

Yes! My DD SLEP 12-14 hours a day until about 6, and then it suddenly switched to 9.5 hours. She’s 10 now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you, PP, that is really helpful. I wasn’t thinking about the benefit of quiet rest even if they’re not sleeping. Part of the issue is that she’s got some anxiety and wants a parent to stay in the bedroom until a set time. I get impatient to get out of there, and she gets anxious if she’s not close to sleep when I do leave. That’s a separate issue, but a later bedtime is not appealing to me for that reason.

DS was the same way. I would sit in his room and read a book on my iPad or play some games or something. He is in 4th grade now and very rarely asks for me to stay with him. We did ween down so that he could choose three days a week that I stayed in his room and then for a specific amount of time.

DH didn’t think it was a great idea, I thought that DS was a young kid for a short period of time. He would out grow it and I didn’t mind the quiet time in his room doing something I enjoyed while giving him comfort. He now shuts the door himself after saying good night. It makes me happy and sad at the same time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 6.5 year old kindergartener has been sleeping 10 hours a night for a few years now. Bedtime is 8:00, she falls asleep around 8:30, and is up between 6:30-7:00. For the last month or so, she’s been totally unable to fall asleep before 9:30 and is asking if she can get out of bed at 6:00 (she’s allowed up at 7:00 now). She doesn’t seem tired in the mornings or evenings even though she’s getting about an hour less sleep per night.

Did your kids reduce their sleep needs around that age? Is it time to shift to a “big kid” bedtime? Or could it just be the longer spring evenings and earlier sunrises? We’ve tried playing outside more in the evenings, earlier and longer bedtime routines to help wind down, and melatonin. No luck. What should we do next?

A lot of kids need to sleep more during kinder/first, then it slows down as their brains get used to the influx of information. Is she getting enough exercise during the day, at least an hour after school, because if this is the schedule after exercise, it's likely permanent (for a while).