Making bedtime later

[Anonymous]

Kids are just finishing up K and 3rd and they are still on an early to bed, early to rise schedule. It’s a real pain and we’d love for them to go to sleep and get up an hour later. We’ve tried adjusting their bedtimes in the past but haven’t been successful (stay up later but don’t sleep later, or they get up earlier, and then get sick). But we’re going to give it another shot. Any tips?

[Anonymous]

What's early?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids are just finishing up K and 3rd and they are still on an early to bed, early to rise schedule. It’s a real pain and we’d love for them to go to sleep and get up an hour later. We’ve tried adjusting their bedtimes in the past but haven’t been successful (stay up later but don’t sleep later, or they get up earlier, and then get sick). But we’re going to give it another shot. Any tips?

Make staying up later fun. Let them read with a book light for a little while. When i was a kid i couldn't get out of bed until 5, and then i had to be quiet in the main areas of the house until 6. (yes i know thats very early for some, you can move the times back an hour or so if you want)

[Anonymous]

My almost 13yo still goes to bed at 845, light out at 930. I don’t change it unless we’re out or something.
Teach your kids not to wake you up until X time.

[Anonymous]

My kids are K and 3rd. One can go to bed at 9:30 and wake at 6:30 without issues. The other (little one) is a higher sleep needs person and she goes to bed at 8/8:30 and barely wakes up at7. If no alarm goes off she will sleep until 8.
Husband is like this too. He needs 6-7 hrs and has no idea how to sleep in. Some of this may just per personal.

[Anonymous]

You cant really until their bodies are ready to adjust to sleeping later. For my son that happened in 4th grade but before that even if he stayed up later he would wake early. Its not something you can fight or force.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My almost 13yo still goes to bed at 845, light out at 930. I don’t change it unless we’re out or something.
Teach your kids not to wake you up until X time.

Going to bed at 8:45 as a kid almost entering high school is crazy. Lots of sports and other activities don’t even start until 7:30 or 8!

[Anonymous]

Just teach them to stay in bed or their rooms (aside from using the bathroom) until a certain time in the morning. Say it's rest time until 7am or whatever time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My almost 13yo still goes to bed at 845, light out at 930. I don’t change it unless we’re out or something.
Teach your kids not to wake you up until X time.

Going to bed at 8:45 as a kid almost entering high school is crazy. Lots of sports and other activities don’t even start until 7:30 or 8!

I’m not the PP you’re responding to but I feel like kids this age actually need this much sleep. But I agree it is hard to get it.

[Anonymous]

The issue isn’t waking us early, we have that handled. Their normal wake up is 3 hours before camp drop off, which makes for a long morning at home, and it’s virtually impossible to do evening activities. We’re ready to be able to enjoy time as a family in the evening instead of home, eat, and bed.

We’re going to try shifting by 15 minutes at a time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My almost 13yo still goes to bed at 845, light out at 930. I don’t change it unless we’re out or something.
Teach your kids not to wake you up until X time.

Going to bed at 8:45 as a kid almost entering high school is crazy. Lots of sports and other activities don’t even start until 7:30 or 8!

I’m not the PP you’re responding to but I feel like kids this age actually need this much sleep. But I agree it is hard to get it.

MY 13 year old goes to bed between 9-10 even in the weekends and the summer, he doesn't like staying up late.....
(We don't give him a bedtime.)

[Anonymous]

When I shift bedtime, I use the same rule you do when adjusting to new time zones - I also shift meals. When you eat has something to do with internal clock regulation. Since I can't shift the sun, I do what I can.

[Anonymous]

We kept the blackout shades up at the “old” bedtime and took the kids to lots of evening outdoor activities so they were exposed to daylight as late as possible. Blackout shades get pulled down after they’re asleep so they sleep in. It helps.

The trick is to treat it just like jet lag and get them out and in daylight when they would usually be asleep. Playing in the yard or neighborhood is great for this. Don’t drive to an outdoor concert or something because they’ll fall asleep in the car on the way home.

[Anonymous]

Mine will not sleep later when the sun is coming up at 5:30

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine will not sleep later when the sun is coming up at 5:30

OP here, this is what I’m afraid of! We can keep them up later, but how to make them sleep in the morning? Probably should have titled the thread differently.