Bedtime {Poll Discussion Post}

The importance of bedtime is probably highly underrated. The timing of bedtime can strongly influence how night sleep goes and what time your child gets up the next morning. 

Please take a moment to answer the questions below. Doing so will help other parents now and in the future. It is very helpful for me when compiling answers if you at least number the answers you give. You can also copy the questions and answer them. If the question does not apply to you, simply put “N/A.”

  1. What age is your child?
  2. What time is your child’s bedtime?
  3. What time does you child get up each morning?
  4. What is your bedtime routine?
  5. How often do you have an altered bedtime for any reason?
  6. How does your child respond when bedtime time is off? How does sleep go that night and how is the next morning?
  7. What do you do that makes bedtime go smoother?
  8. Any thoughts or advice on bedtime and its importance?

10 thoughts on “Bedtime {Poll Discussion Post}”

  1. 1. What age is your child? 2 yrs 2 months and 4 yrs 8 months2. What time is your child's bedtime? 7:00 school nights 7:30 weekends3. What time does you child get up each morning? 2 yr old 6:45am (or sleeps til he wakes on weekends usually around 7:15/7:30)4 yr old 6:30am (usually wakes around the same time on weekends even though she doesn't have to)4. What is your bedtime routine? At 6:30 (6:15 on bath nights) we go upstairs. Each child goes to the bathroom, brushes teeth and brushes their hair. Then we put on pajamas and read books. Individually we say prayers with each child and sing them a good night song. Lights out, sound machine on, and say good night.5. How often do you have an altered bedtime for any reason? Wednesday nights we don't get home from church til 7:45 so it is a super quick routine to get to bed by 8pm.6. How does your child respond when bedtime time is off? How does sleep go that night and how is the next morning? My 2 yr old does not do well going to bed later than 7:30. He still sleeps well but often wakes early the next morning. And his nap the next day isn't great. We try to take him home early on church Wednesday nights because of this. 7. What do you do that makes bedtime go smoother? Keep the same routine always.8. Any thoughts or advice on bedtime and its importance? Since my kids do not do well with later bedtimes, we know we may have to leave parties early and we do not make late night plans for them.

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  2. What age is your child? 5.5 and 2 years 11 monthsWhat time is your child's bedtime? 7:00What time does you child get up each morning? 7:00What is your bedtime routine? bath, read books, sing a few songsHow often do you have an altered bedtime for any reason? once a week for church (8-8:15); every now and then for special occasionsHow does your child respond when bedtime time is off? usually ok; sometimes hyped up and not obedient while preparing for bed, but almost always go to sleep quicklyHow does sleep go that night and how is the next morning? usually ok; they don't often sleep in later in the morning; 2 year old may go down for a nap earlier the next dayWhat do you do that makes bedtime go smoother? Keep a routine and stick with bed times the majority of the time. Unless its just really late, still do the read and sing routine, even if shortened, to give them a few minutes to calm down and relax before lights out.Any thoughts or advice on bedtime and its importance? I function best when I have a bedtime routine and go to bed at a fairly consistent time, and my kids definitely do as well. We leave functions early or skip out altogether sometimes. However, as they are getting older, there is more room for flexibility. To those with babies and younger toddlers, I would remind them that it is a season!

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  3. What age is your child? 5.25, 2.75, 9 moWhat time is your child's bedtime? 5 yr 7:10, 2 yr 6:45, baby 7:00What time does you child get up each morning? 5 yr 6:45-7, 2 yr 6:30-6:45, baby 7:15What is your bedtime routine? At 6:30 the older two get on pajamas, brush teeth, and go potty. The 5 yr old can then play by herself while Daddy takes the 2 yr old to his room and Mommy starts bedtime for baby. Daddy will read a short bible story, a book, sing a song, give a last drink, hugs and kisses. Repeat with 5 year old. Meanwhile, about 6:45, Mommy takes baby to bedroom, changes into pajamas and sleep sack, nurses and sings a song. When baby is done nursing, into bed. Mommy then goes into 5 yr old and says a prayer and hugs and kisses.How often do you have an altered bedtime for any reason? Only when we travel and we have different sleeping situations which isn't that often (less than once a month).How does your child respond when bedtime time is off? The older children get hyper before bed and talk more before falling asleep. How does sleep go that night and how is the next morning? They will wake earlier the next morning. The 5 yr old might fall asleep during quiet time early afternoon and the 2 yr old might wake crying because of over tiredness from nap. The baby might wake early and will take longer naps to compensate. When the older two were babies, they would wake middle of the night and cry for a minute or two.What do you do that makes bedtime go smoother? Same routine night after night. If there is any major stalling, non compliance, fussing we take away reading the book. Most always, the warning about it does the trick.Any thoughts or advice on bedtime and its importance? My children are so much more better behaved when they have had a long night. They can control their emotions better. It is also very helpful for yourself and your marriage. Being able to do a hobby after bedtime, relax with your husband, grab coffee with a friend, etc helps me be a better mom.

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  4. What age is your child? 4, 2, and 8mo old twinsWhat time is your child's bedtime? 7pmWhat time does you child get up each morning? 7amWhat is your bedtime routine? Babies: nurse, then down for bed. 2 year old: short picture book, then down for bed. 4 year old: 1 chapter from chapter book (read in bed) then down for bed. We start reading at 7pm so her bedtime is more like 7:15.How often do you have an altered bedtime for any reason? Once a week we move bedtime 15-30 minutes earlier so we can either go to bible study or date swap with a friend of ours.How does your child respond when bedtime time is off? How does sleep go that night and how is the next morning? One night is usually ok for a late bedtime, but any more than that and they melt down.What do you do that makes bedtime go smoother? Communicate expectations and be willing to enforce them (NEVER BACK DOWN).Any thoughts or advice on bedtime and its importance? I seriously get anxiety when I think about my kids eventually needing later bedtimes. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that they go to bed so early and I have time alone with my husband to relax and unwind. Early bedtimes are the best. I know at some point our kids will go to bed a little later, but we are soaking up the time now.

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  5. 1. What age is your child? 14 months2. What time is your child's bedtime? After her evening nursing/bedtime routine, which usually ends around 7:45, but as early as 7:30, or as late as 8:00.3. What time does you child get up each morning? 7:304. What is your bedtime routine? Nursing, wash face, into night diaper/jammies, milk (we're slowly weaning), brush teeth, then prayer and into bed.5. How often do you have an altered bedtime for any reason? Maybe a few times a month. My husband's parents live about 45 minutes away, so if we visit them, we do her nursing/milk/jammies at their house, and then let her fall asleep in her car seat on the way home. She transfers over to her crib no problem.6. How does your child respond when bedtime time is off? How does sleep go that night and how is the next morning? Just fine. We've never tried putting her to bed earlier, only later, so she's tired and ready for bed. The next morning is just the same as any morning.7. What do you do that makes bedtime go smoother? We try to keep the same routine every night that we can. 8. Any thoughts or advice on bedtime and its importance? Nope. 🙂

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  6. 1.What age is your child?21 mo2.What time is your child's bedtime? 6:30-7pm3. What time does you child get up each morning? 6:30 makes noise, goes back to sleep. Wakes up nlt 7:301. What is your bedtime routine? No real routine. Give the lovey, white noise good night and lights out. Makes it way easier when putting down at other places .5. How often do you have an altered bedtime for any reason? 1x week maybe 26. How does your child respond when bedtime time is off? How does sleep go that night and how is the next morning?What do you do that makes bedtime go smoother? Goes to sleep fine, wakes a little earlier, not too many issues. If I'm concerned with him going down, I'll do a bath first. 8. Any thoughts or advice on bedtime and its importance? Daily morning Wake time is the most important thing about bed time. Also have them sleep in a pack nnplay every so often so u can take them with u for later evenings at friends from time to time. So nice to have this opportunity!

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  7. What age is your child? 28 months and 8 monthsWhat time is your child's bedtime? 730pmWhat time does you child get up each morning? Toddler 7am on weekdays, 730am on weekends. Baby 730am every day,What is your bedtime routine? Each child gets a bath with Daddy and PJs. Baby gets his bedtime feed. Toddler gets his teeth brushed. Baby gets two songs and a prayer. Toddler gets a few board books, same two songs and prayer. Gets friends and loveys and tucked in. Both get sleepsacks, a dark room, and white noise.How often do you have an altered bedtime for any reason? Toddler usually goes to bed within a 30 minute window after 7:30pm so some nights he might not get tucked in until 8pm after books. Baby goes to bed within a 30 minute window before 7:30pm. Otherwise we don't mess with bedtimes unless we are traveling (2-3 times a year at most). We don't go out late with our kids and we go on dates after tucking the kids in for the night. How does your child respond when bedtime time is off? How does sleep go that night and how is the next morning? They go to bed okay, usually wake up at the same time or earlier the next day, probably fussier in behavior the next day and will need earlier naps.What do you do that makes bedtime go smoother? We've had the same routine more or less since birth for both boys. Same songs, same order, prayers – our boys know what to expect and they calm down as we go through the bedtime motions.Any thoughts or advice on bedtime and its importance? Children experience a lot of comfort and security through routine and our boys find their beds a soothing, restorative place. I think the bedtime routine has been really essential to that and both my boys, while very different in personality, are both great sleepers.

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  8. What age is your child? 15 weeksWhat time is your child's bedtime? 7pWhat time does you child get up each morning? 6aWhat is your bedtime routine? Feed at 530 and 630. Sing in between or other activities that are calm such as bath time or reading How often do you have an altered bedtime for any reason? Generally only if we are out but has only happened a few times How does your child respond when bedtime time is off? How does sleep go that night and how is the next morning? Usually doesn't sleep through the night What do you do that makes bedtime go smoother? Bath Any thoughts or advice on bedtime and its importance? Still working on this to figure out perfect timing but know a routine is important

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  9. 1.What age is your child? 4 months2. What time is your child's bedtime? 5:30-6.3.What time does you child get up each morning? 5:00-5:104. What is your bedtime routine? Bath time at 5:00/5:15, story and/or baby Mozart music 5:30 while feeding, then he falls asleep5. How often do you have an altered bedtime for any reason? 1-2 times per every two weeks (where bedtime may be 6:30 or the latest 7 or 7:30(like if we go to dinner))6. How does your child respond when bedtime time is off? How does sleep go that night and how is the next morning? He actually sleeps later but wakes up at night at about the same time or amounts I believe.7. What do you do that makes bedtime go smoother? Music and a warm sponge bath or bath. Knock on wood bedtime has been this way since day 3, and works awesome trouble is I can't seem to extend it out cuz he's a sleepy boy 8. Any thoughts or advice on bedtime and its importance? Even if you don't have solid naps a solid bedtime plus routine is important but if the time changes that ok they need to be flexible , in fact do something to switch the time up now and then on purpose for that reason… but the most important is the routine.(music warm bath etc)

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