We have scheduled bedtimes in our home for all the kids from the youngest, pre-teen, and teenagers; yet, most nights our kids are not in bed at their scheduled times because of extracurricular activities in the evening—Family Home Evening (FHE); Latter-day Saints Young Men’s/ Young Women’s; Scouts; sports practices and games; family movie night and weekend down time.
Tonight, we were all home. It was a relaxed night. We had a casual dinner, the kids played basketball and rollerbladed outside, they played indoors, and we were able to maintain scheduled bedtimes. It was fantastic and very much needed! We get up so early in the mornings and late nights are rough. It was a blessing tonight that each of the kids were settled on or near their bedtimes.
Although, within 20 minutes after settling my youngest in bed, he came out sharing with me he needed medicine for 23 mosquito bites and he was unable to sleep because they were itchy. Fortunately, it occurred just after he went to bed so he was still able to get a good night’s rest after I applied the Benadryl Gel to each of his mosquito bites. We try, don’t we?
Our nightly routines (family prayer and scriptures, brushing teeth, pajamas on, personalized one-on-one parent/child time) are consistent. Scheduled bedtimes do not change, but annually on their birthdays. At that time, their bedtime extends 15 minutes later for the rest of the year and then changes again on their birthday extended another 15 minutes and so on. Bedtimes are based on their ages. For instance, when they are 12, bedtime is at 9pm; when they are 18, bedtime is at 10:30pm; and 15 minute increments in between. The actual time our kids go to bed changes nightly depending on the night and what activity is happening. If nothing is going on, which is rare, regular bedtime schedules are maintained.
Are you able to maintain a regular bedtime schedule for your kids? If so, how do you do it? Do your kids know the schedule and the routine even on off days when you are out later than bedtime?