Help me! I can't get my kids to go to bed! They were up until 10:00 p.m.

[JimmyJazz]

last night. I don't know what happened - at one time, I was militant about getting them in bed by 8:00. School is starting next week and I've got two kids who could easily sleep until 9:00 a.m.

This is driving me nutso and I didn't get to return LynnSin's phone call and they are crabby when I have to wake them up in the morning and they won't get dressed and it's causing me to type run on sentences like this one!!!!!!!! Help! :cry: :cry: :cry:

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. Have you tried...

Dire and immediate physical threats, like screaming at the top of your lungs and brandishing horrid medieval weapons like a Morningstar or a 17 foot pike pole?

Just sayin'...;-)

[JimmyJazz]

5. Let's just say that I think they want to find out if my head actually

will just pop off! :crazy:

[Karenina]

2. Chloroform?

:evilgrin:

[youthere]

3. One word-Nyquil.

[calico1]

4. A litle brandy in their milk should do the trick.

Just kidding! :D

[JimmyJazz]

7. Damn! You Duers are HELPFUL!

Thanks! :silly:

[davidinalameda]

6. dramamine works wonders

and they don't get seasick on top of it as well

[JimmyJazz]

9. I think maybe I should edit my OP to state that I need advice that does

not include drugging my children. :7

[davidinalameda]

13. why not?

:shrug:

[asthmaticeog]

8. Three words:

Ball. Peen. Hammer.

[JimmyJazz]

11. Are you advocating violence against my children?

:spank: <----- take that for even making the suggestion :P

[Child_Of_Isis]

10. Find the biggest hill that you can find.

At 5:00 in the evening, run them up and down it a few hundred times. Without any sugar.

[Pirate Smile]

15. You never know with little kids when you are going to get the opposite

reaction from what you expect. They get too tired and then they get hyper instead of sleepy. :crazy:

JJ, what ages are your kids? Mine are 4, 6 and 7.

[Pirate Smile]

12. You have a few days to wake them up when they will have to wake

up for school. It may take a couple of days but they should eventually start falling asleep earlier.

My kids started school on Tuesday. During the summer one would stay up until between 10-11 pm looking at books in her room and sleep until between 9-10 a.m. Last night, after 2 days of school, she was asleep a little after 9:00 pm.

The first couple weeks are hard and tiring but their bodies adjust.

I had planned to get them on the school schedule the week before school started. Did it happen? Nope!

[tigereye]

39. that was what I was going to say!

my kid has been going to bed quite late all summer. But school starts next week and we have gradually been getting him to go a little earlier each night. Last night he read us some Shakespeare - Antony and Cleopatra from the great Marcia Wallace cartoon versions, with great inflections, etc, just before bed, so it was hard to make him stop!

Ha ha ha ha.

[merh]

14. Do like my folks did

Put us in our rooms, tell us to go to sleep and then ignore our rants and raves and cries.

When they ask "why do I have to go to bed?" You simply reply "Because I said so."

I don't know how my mother stayed sane - there were 9 of us. :crazy:

Good luck! :pals:

[calico1]

18. Yep. That's what my parents did to.

And no ands, ifs or buts about it. So you would go to sleep eventually because you did not have a choice.

[merh]

19. Yep - that's how it works.

Out of boredom and exhaustion (totally worn out from the rants, raves and drama of being forced to go to bed), we just eventually fell asleep. As an adult, I sometimes wish there was someone to shut off my toys (computer/DU) and make me go to bed. :silly:

[JimmyJazz]

21. Can I just tell you that I have never told my children,

"because I said so." I don't know why. I just have never said that to them. And, they aren't unruly and undisciplined - this is just something that got away from me. I blame the summer and it staying light out longer.

I think I will try the "stay in your room" approach though - that sounds good. Thanks. :)

[radwriter0555]

25. Well kids don't ALWAYS need the drama of an excuse. Sometimes

they need to be told what to do, and to have the courtesy and respect for you to do it.

Not respecting your rules is -- of course -- disrespectful. You are the parent and you are entitled to their respect for your reasonable requests and rules.

Start by telling them early in the day, that the rules have changed and bedtime tonight is 8:30 pm. By dinner time, remind them. At 8 pm, it's off to wash up, teeth brushed and into bed. No getting up, running around, asking for water. Lead them back to bed, lights out, usual routine, off you go.

Set your foot down. There is no room for discussion here. Rules are rules and you're entitled to their respect.

[merh]

26. If you think about it, it really is not a bad statement to make.

There are some things we have to do. We can't speed on the highways - why? because it is dangerous. Society sets the rules in an attempt to protect its members.

Parents must set the rules to protect their children. No rules can be harmful. Don't speed - its against the law. Go to sleep now - because I said so.

:silly: :hug:

[Xithras]

37. One word of warning....

My kids just started back in school a few days ago, so I just went through this. I pretty much did as described here. I sent my kids to their rooms, wouldn't let them come out, and ignored their screams. When my oldest refused and kept leaving the room, I grounded her (which includes taking away her laptop, telephone, and radio).

It's important for your children to know that there are rules, and that there are consequences for violating them. When they ask why they have to go to bed, don't tell them "because I say so", tell them that we have rules and bedtimes because sleep is healthy and they're not allowed to do unhealthy things. It's important for children to understand that rules aren't arbitrary, but that they exist for a good reason. When my daughter asked me why I was grounding her for not going to bed, I made sure to clarify that she wasn't grounded specifically for not going to bed, but for willfully violating the rules of the house.

I also took their lightbulbs away so they couldn't turn their lights on to read or play after I left :)

[Pirate Smile]

46. They understand the fact that if they stay up too late they will be tired

and grumpy the next day at school - or even next week when school starts so they need to start going to bed earlier.

I've said "because I said so" before but I usually just tell them the rational reason why they need to do something and that it is my job, as their Mom, to make sure they do it whether they like it or not.

[halobeam]

16. They are testing you. Stay consistent now or you lose.

When my kids did this, they get a half an hour earlier bedtime from the next night forward until they go to sleep with NO problems. If they didn't give anymore problems, then it would go back to their regular bedtime. Now, when they got a bit older (very early teens) they lose their "late" weekend nights and have a "school night" bedtime and it MUST be without a problem or it stays that way until the problem stops.

Worked for me. The earlier the baloney started, the more energy I had to stay consistent.

Good luck.

[JimmyJazz]

22. Thank you.

They have become masters of the stall technique. I can't believe I let it get this far.

[texas1928]

17. Duct tape

and a hammer. Works everytime. Just a little trouble covering up the knots on their head and getting rid of the tape marks. But hey they will stay in one place and be quiet.

[tjwmason]

20. Give them a good threat

Say to them

"If you don't go to bed and get to sleep right now, this really ghastly man from England called tjwmason is going to come over and explain the rules of cricket."

That should get them running to bed like billyo.

In the mean time :hug:

[JimmyJazz]

24. You are NOT ghastly, darling. But explaining cricket to them might do the

trick :boring: (oh look - it worked for me)

[tjwmason]

31. Just try listening to Test Match Special for a little while

Point your browser to http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/4175912.stm

And click the link for live commentary on the right-hand side.

Sit back and relax, as the cares of the world slip away.........

Then try telling me that cricket's boring. :nuke:

[Hugin]

28. Ah, Cricket!

Those of us on this side of the pond have managed to
break that up into at least three sports.

[MissMillie]

23. Force them out of bed early

they'll be tired enough to get to bed early after a couple of days of getting up at 6:00.

[JimmyJazz]

33. They are tired. That's just it. I can't get them in bed when they

are tired. They force the issue and turn into two little drama queens :(

But, I will try getting them up earlier. I'm gonna have to get to bed earlier myself if I'm going to get them up at 6:00! :hi:

[Hugin]

27. Do they get any caffeine or sugar in the evenings?

That could cause awakeness.

[JimmyJazz]

32. No - they don't. They get healthy snacks. Sugar is for weekends

and special occassions. And they rarely drink soda or juice.

[GalleryGod]

29. Good story,but, not abnormal End of Summer behavior

Longer days, two weeks at the beach,it all incrementally slips away until :crazy: "Hey!" "next week school starts!".

We,in education, have the same problem with our Summers off...no more Leno or Letterman:cry: :cry:

[JimmyJazz]

35. I'm sorry -

You watch Leno? :shrug:

[GalleryGod]

45. Root Canal vs. Leno ? I'm going to root canal this afternoon

RC will be in the lead, 1-0:nopity:

[tigereye]

43. or Conan O'Brien

that was my downfall last school year - going cold turkey from Conan.

[GOPisEvil]

30. My mom just made me start going to bed earlier as school got closer.

Gradually over the week before school started, I'd go to bed earlier and earlier.

I hope that helps. :shrug:

And...your kids aren't in school yet? School started here last week.

[JimmyJazz]

36. They go back right after labor day.

I think 15 minute increments might work - it's just SUCH a battle :(

[GOPisEvil]

40. Yeah, I hated it too, because I wanted to enjoy every second of freedom.

But, I knew my mom meant business, and she was backed up by dad, so I learned to get over it. :)

If they like school, you might go with the argument that they would probably not like to sleep through the day.

[nini]

34. You need my mom to come over and give the 'evil' eye

We NEVER messed around when Mom brought out that look.


Good luck...I don't miss those days at all. Grandma-hood is much better :-)

[JimmyJazz]

38. I KNOW! One look from my father and I was definitely not going to

be doing any stalling! Sheesh. I don't know this man my children call "grandpa," but he's not the man who helped raise ME! :scared:

[Mizmoon]

41. A REAL suggestion

My kids had to go to bed at 9 UNLESS they read a book. IF they read they were allowed to stay up until 9:30. Now I have good sleepers and readers.

[JimmyJazz]

47. We have book time and I try to tell them that stalling cuts into

their book time, but then it seems like I'm taking away something that is good for them. I think you are correct though. I think our routine has gone to hell over the summer and I just have to re-establish it. Thanks.

[miss_kitty]

42. sounds like power struggle and it's 2 agin 1

And a change in routine for them. They've had a full year and are adjusting to a lot.

It might be a good time to sit down have a talk with them, make the rules clear, have them 'help' with the rules and disciplinary action to be taken when the rules are broken, so they feel like they have some control over their own lives and behaviour. It will give you a tool you can use when you need to remind them "Remember when we had our talk and we worked on the rules? You helped..."

Explain to them that there will be special occasions when they will be allowed to stay up and that as they get older their bedtime will get later. Then you have to be REALLY consistant in enforcing the rules.

Don't know-just a thought.

Good luck JJ with whatever method you employ-I didn't read the whole thread yet :P

:hi:

[miss_kitty]

44. PS

My mom gave me 'Essays by Emerson' to read. Quite the sleeping pill in book form.

:P

[JimmyJazz]

48. Excellent advice - I'll have them help me plan their/our routine!

:thumbsup:

[LynneSin]

49. Have you tried Nyquil and duct tape??

There's a reason why I've never had children!

[JimmyJazz]

51. I WAS thinking about sending them to "Auntie Lynne's" house

for a brief vacation :evilgrin:

[LynneSin]

53. Are they litter box trained? And do they prefer Tuna or Salmon Friskies

:shrug:

[seemunkee]

50. 10 PM, Holy Crap, I'm lucky if my daughter is asleep by 2AM

She's 16 but even at younger ages she never slept. She has enough of a sleeping problem that we had her skip 1st period last year and will again this year.

[JimmyJazz]

52. That's a shame. Sleep disorders can be so debilitating.

I'm sorry for her struggle.