Before I share my WFMW tip, I wanted to let you know that Closing Time now has a brand new Facebook page. I hope you’ll visit and become a fan!
Any parent can tell you how important it is to make sure their children get enough sleep. Sometimes it can be hard to juggle schedules, naptimes, and bedtimes. What definitely works for our family is early bedtime for the kids!
Our girls are in bed tucked in for the night by 7:00 virtually every night. Often, they’re already asleep by that time. With both of our children, we have gotten them on this bedtime schedule at as young an age as we could (depending on feedings, etc).
There are certainly evenings when we have to be out past their bedtime, but if we are at home, we do our best to this schedule. It makes a huge difference in their behavior and just makes life more pleasant in general. Another huge plus is that their early bedtime gives Phil and I time together each evening.
For us, it was helpful to read how much sleep kids need at various ages. It helped us to determine when they needed to go to bed. According to WebMD, here are sleep recommendations for children:
1-4 Weeks Old: 15 – 16 hours per day
1-4 Months Old: 14 – 15 hours per day
4-12 Months Old: 14 – 15 hours per day
1-3 Years Old: 12 – 14 hours per day
3-6 Years Old: 10 – 12 hours per day
7-12 Years Old: 10 – 11 hours per day
12-18 Years Old: 8 – 9 hours per day
You may be wondering how early our girls wake up in the mornings. The interesting thing is that they wake up at the same time (basically when the sun comes up), whether they go to bed early or late. Sometimes, when they go to bed later, they actually wake up earlier than normal. These days, they generally get up between 6:30 and 7:00 in the morning. The important thing is to make sure that they are well rested, and early bedtime helps make that a reality.
For more Works for Me Wednesday, visit We Are THAT Family.
- Erin
Twitter: TeriLynneU
says:
ABSOLUTELY! I totally agree with you … Casiday’s bedtime is 8:15 and she can read until 8:30 … She gets up at 7:00. And, like yours, she gets up at that time no matter when she goes to bed. When she doesn’t get enough sleep, she ends up sick. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. The right amount of sleep is a matter of great importance to us.
Amen Sista! Our boys go to bed at 8 and I love that time at night. I don’t know how Moms survive w/o that night time break. Our boys sleep til 8 ish and take a 2 hour nap. PTL!!!
We start bedtime routine at 7:00 and Ladybug is almost always asleep by 8:00. She’s an early riser though, usually up at 6am, then has a 2 hr nap. But I am totally with ya in that kids NEED adequate sleep. And I need that hour after she goes to bed to unwind too. It keeps us all healthy and happy!
You know I LOVE early bedtimes!!
I know this can be such an intimidating switch to parents who haven’t been in the routine of early bedtime… DH and I always encourage people to take the plunge. Kids need it, parents need it, the home benefits all around.
We’ve found that having rested kids also makes the bedtime routine itself WAY easier. Our kids love to go to bed – people are always amazed how quickly and easily they go down, even when we’re away from home.
It works for us, too!
Thanks for sharing this. My two year old goes to bed late. Oh well she is a night owl..
We love early bedtime. Our kids all hit the sack around 8. But I have been know to send them off at 7:30 to read. And they are up @ 7 every day. If we’ve had a week with later bedtimes for whatever reason, we start melting down over the littlest thing. Not worth it. Great tip!
We also love our kids early bedtimes! It makes SUCH a big difference, from their sleep to our marriage
We are basically on the same schedule here, except our oldest usually is in bed by 7:30 pm. It really makes a world of a difference when it comes to their behavior. Sleep is so important for their growing and developing bodies. We also started a routine at a very young age and rarely stray from it. It is funny you say that when they go to bed late, they sometimes wake earlier. That is exactly what happens in our house!
Twitter: AQuietHeart
says:
Not only am I having writer’s block on my own blog, it has also started to affect my commenting as well…
I’m always so happy when I see that someone else believes in early bedtimes! So many of our friends are fairly lax in that area, and while we can flex a little bit here and there, as a general rule, my daughter is in bed by 7:30! Like your girls she is up with the sun no matter when she goes to bed. And, I’ve definitely noticed a difference in attitudes and behavior (hers and mine!) when she gets enough rest.
It seems like there’s not many of us “early to bed” people out there. I’m always excited to find someone else who does it too! It makes all the difference for us!