One Of Those "protecting The Bedtime" Questions

Amy & Sarah go to bed around 6:30/7 -- normally this is great because we get lots of adult time (and they seem to need that much sleep), but it's inconvenient when people invite us to socialize. The main problem is that pre-kids, most of our socializing consisted of get-togethers with DH's colleagues (he's a professor). So now, DH still gets to go to a lot of those dinners (because it's important for his work), but I never do! A lot of those people have babies or small children too, but theirs all seem to go to bed later.

I guess I'm mostly just venting -- but if this were you, would you occasionally try to push the bedtime later (up to an hour or a bit more) so you could get out more? It works OK when we do this, and the kids don't seem horribly tired the next day. I'm just worried about messing up their great sleep habits -- it would definitely not be worth it if it caused long-term problems!

 

I personally think that my kids sleep habits are great. And we push bedtime and naptimes occasionally so that we can still go out and enjoy ourselves. Sometimes we pay for it a day or two later, but most times they handle it just fine!

My kids go to bed between 6:30 and 7:00 as well, and it IS hard! But when we have get togethers or go to friends' houses for dinner, they sometimes go to bed much later. As long as they aren't having a melt down, then I let them stay up. As soon as they start acting cranky, then we leave.

Trust me, I am pretty rigid when it comes to their sleep. BUT, I do not let their sleep schedule rule our lives. They have learned to be fairly flexible and I would not change a thing!

 

Honestly, the girls' bedtime has never kept us from doing anything. Of course, our social circle is pretty small, so we usually go to the same friends' houses. They usually go down between 7:30 and 8:00 and if we're invited over to our friends' houses, we usually take the PNP and go. The girls are really flexible. They'll go to sleep just about anywhere as long as they have their pillows, pacis, and Elmos. We always stay as late as we want to, then pack the girls up and go home. They always go right back to sleep once we get home and it's never disrupted their schedule.

 

Mine have a 7PM bedtime as well. I have pushed it to 8 on occasion but anything later is just asking for it. I also have lots of friends who either don't have kids, have older kids, or they put their babies to bed late. I've brought the Pack & Play and Co-sleeper along to several gatherings that were going past bedtime and put them to bed in a bedroom at the friends' home. When we're ready to leave, we haul sleeping babies out to the car. It's worked well for us so far. We've only had to leave early twice because they were too overtired and overstimulated to settle in the unfamiliar place (and one of those two times was my fault because I forgot to bring their comfort blankies). The other couple dozen times they did just fine. We get some social time and they get their sleep and everyone is happy.

DH keeps hounding me to take them to a hockey game (which goes until after 10) and I absolutely refuse. Apparently, there are lots of kids there younger than ours. :huh:

 

We just did this tonight. Emilie and Trevor usually go to bed at 7:30. We went to some friends' house that we haven't seen for awhile and they have 2 girls that my oldest DD plays with. Well we did give Emilie and Trevor their bottle and put them in PJs around 7:30, but didn't leave their house until a little after 8:00. We got home around 8:20 and put them to bed.

We do this if we are going to people's houses. We have all our family around and frequently do b-day desserts or get together's in the evening, I don't want to miss it all. We have sometimes even left around 9pm. I'd say we maybe do this around 2-3 times a month, some months none at all. But I don't want to miss anything or have my oldest miss things because of the twins.

I'd say if it's important to you to go, then try and go. Just get them ready for bed before you leave to go home.

 

If it was like once a month or something, I would take them, as long as it isn't way too late. Mine also go to bed at 7:00, I have kept them out to 8:00 max. I am kind of freaky about their bedtime and I'm the one who starts feeling panicky if it's getting "late", like 7:30. Do you have anyone who could babysit maybe so that you can go too? We don't get out much, either. Tonight they are spending the night at my parents (our rescheduled date night from last week).

 

QUOTE(summerfun @ Apr 6 2007, 08:59 PM) [snapback]209300[/snapback]
We just did this tonight. Emilie and Trevor usually go to bed at 7:30. We went to some friends' house that we haven't seen for awhile and they have 2 girls that my oldest DD plays with. Well we did give Emilie and Trevor their bottle and put them in PJs around 7:30, but didn't leave their house until a little after 8:00. We got home around 8:20 and put them to bed.

We do this if we are going to people's houses. We have all our family around and frequently do b-day desserts or get together's in the evening, I don't want to miss it all. We have sometimes even left around 9pm. I'd say we maybe do this around 2-3 times a month, some months none at all. But I don't want to miss anything or have my oldest miss things because of the twins.

I'd say if it's important to you to go, then try and go. Just get them ready for bed before you leave to go home.



Just wanted to say that from my post above we did this last night and this morning Trevor slept until 8:45am and we woke Emilie up at 9:00. Naps were a bit messed up, but that's okay. But we all got to sleep in. :banana:

 

I wish we could have more flexibility, but I'm with you on "protecting" bedtimes.

Again, like pps have said, for a special occassion, I will keep them up later. For the most part I too am chained to the house by 7PM every night.