set bedtime

HuskerMom wrote: When is a good age to start having a set bedtime each night? Keith doesn't have one, we have always just put him to bed when we go to bed. Sometimes it's as early as 10 and sometimes it's as late as midnight or 1. But no matter what time he goes to bed he still wakes up about the same time every morning. We'd kind of like to get him used to a routine but he's almost 6 months old and I don't know if that's too early?

A&A'smommy replied: we didn't set a bedtime until alyssa was about 2 yrs old it was 900 and now its 930 once she starts school it will probably be a about 8. Really you have to decided if you and him are ready for that and see if it works if it doesn't just keep doing what you are doing!!!

moped replied: Jack has been to bed by 7pm since he was 5 months old......

luvmykids replied: Mine were on a regular bedtime by about five months as well. Started at seven, as they got a little older it went to eight, now it's between eight and nine depending on school or whatever but the average is in bed by eight and asleep by 8:30.

Brias3 replied:
We're right about the same.

I think our bedtime for the kids started off more selfishly than anything- as babies/toddlers, I put them to bed around 8-ish just because I needed time at the end of the day to unwind and get things done before hitting the hay myself!

Miranda1127 replied: omg, you are all on the ball. i had no idea there was such thing as a bed time

Calimama replied: Bella usually goes down at 10- 10:30. She put herself on that schedule, we just stick to it.

StephanieM replied: It's never too early for a routine, that being said, my kids didn't have a set bedtime until they started school. I really have no advice for you except, if it works for you and you have a happy healthy baby, why change anything? Kwim? HTH

Momof3inMe replied: Leah is almost 10 months old and she is in bed at 7:30. She only gets 2 naps a day and is up about 3:30 in the afternoon so by 7:30 she is ready for bed and will go right to sleep and sleep until about 6:30 or 7 the next morning.

ediep replied: Emma goes to bed by 7-7:30. She put herself on that schedule and I am very happy with it!! She is 4 months.

Jasons bedtime is 8-8:30 and he is 4 years old.

lisar replied: Raygen has had a set bedtime since she was a baby. I got her on a schedule as soon as she was allowed fromt he hospital. And believe it or not she still sticks to it. She is in bed no later than 7pm every night. She knows its bedtime, and she will take me by the hand and take me to her crib to put her in it. Lexi was the same way when she was baby, I got them on a scheduled that worked for them. So I dont think he is to young.

PrairieMom replied: Mine have always had a set bedtime.Even when they were still getting up every 2 hours, I always put them down at 8. We do everything on a schedule here.

PrairieMom replied:
I can't imagine! After dinner we literally start counting the minutes until bedtime! I can't get them down fast enough!

HuskerMom replied: Thanks everyone for the advice. I think we're going to try a set bedtime and see how it works out. He's a pretty easy going baby so he'll do good with it I'm sure

lovemy2 replied: Dylan is down between 7-7:30 - he set that himself more or less so we stick with it...

Olivia was kind of the same and it has just gotten later and later as she got older - but by later I mean rarely - unless we are out or she has no preschool, etc. the next day she is in bed by 9:00 - preschool nites its by 8:30 - since she stopped napping at about age 4 she is ready by 9:00 - but if we are out at friends or something - she can hang with the best of them!!!!!!!

I am as Jennie has said in past posts - a sleep nazi though - its all by routine - I find my children are MUCH happier when they are rested!!!

Cece00 replied: All 4 of my kids go to bed for the night between 7:30-8:30 pm depending how late they slept for a nap and what time dinner got on the table, but its ALWAYS by 8:30. I need my kids to go to bed for their sake and my own. They have to get up early for school, and that is some of the only time I get to myself & alone with DH all week.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
This is pretty much us as well.

With Tanner we pretty much had a set bedtime from as soon as he started on a schedule. I'd say about 3-4 months. Like Monica said, we started at 7, now it's about 8-8:30 at 4 years old. On the weekends and when we are out or have something special going on, of course there is an occassional break in the routine.