When it comes to parenting, I’m pretty laid back about most things, but when it comes to bedtime, there is no negotiation at my house.
I am not here to judge other parents routines because I feel like bedtime and sleep is unique for every child.
Bedtime at our house is 7:00 all the time. Do we get ridiculed for putting our kids to bed so early? Yes, but you know what, it works for our kids! My oldest son needs his sleep and when he doesn’t get it, it is meltdown central.
I think there are several things that can affect bedtime and cause each household to make their own decision, but this is why I chose to become a Bedtime Enforcer!
- What time Do You Get Home?
One of the reasons an early bedtime works for us is because I work from home and my husband gets home by 5:00 everyday. This allows us to still have time for dinner and for my husband to spend two hours with the kids in the evening. We are lucky that he is able to get home early and I understand that many working parents haven’t even left their job by the time he is home. - Routine
Bedtime is a routine at our house and because we try to stick to the same thing everyday, our kids are able to get use to it. After dinner they have about 30 minutes to play and then we brush teeth, read stories, and then into bed we go.
- My kids need sleep
At this point my oldest is five which means its very rare that he naps during the day. By 7pm he is ready for bed because he has been playing non-stop since he woke up in the morning. Many people ask if my kids get up super early and they actually don’t! We have found by going to bed earlier, they sleep more soundly and usually are asleep until about 8 am. - Quality Time With My Husband
Because my kids are in bed at 7pm, this allows my husband and I to spend time together in the evening. With three kids under the age of 5, these few hours in the evening we get to sit back, relax, and watch some television with an occasional glass of wine.
The moral of the story is bedtime is a personal decision when it comes to parenting and only you can decide what is right for your family. Don’t worry if you decide to be stick with an early bedtime, I will welcome you to the bedtime enforcer club 🙂
