What's an appropriate bed time for 3.5 years old ?

DD used to go to bed at night between 7:30 to 8 pm and will wake up between 6:30 and 7 am in the morning. She's still taking 1.5-2 hour nap in the afternoon, usually between 1 to 2 pm. For the past two months though I notice her bed time is getting later and later.....I'd do her routine at around 8 pm and she wouldn't go to sleep until 9:30 pm or a bit later. She'll stay in her room, but will talk and sing to sleep and still wake up between 6:30 and 7:00 am in the morning and then she'll get tired by the time she came back from half-day preschool, which is around noon. I tried to send her to nap after lunch around 12:30, but she usually ends up nap at around 1 and sometimes 2 and wake up at 4 pm sometimes. I started to wonder if 4 pm is too late to wake up from a nap for her and it pushes her bedtime to 9:30 plus. Should I limit her nap to one hour ? I prefer that she doesn't go to bed that late.

What's an appropriate bed time for this age ?

My oldest dropped naps and switched to quiet time around that age. On days he napped he was a terror at bedtime so I put up with cranky kid in the afternoon in exchange for a reasonable bedtime for awhile. IIRC they need between 11-13 hours of sleep a night at that age. When he dropped nap he started going to sleep between 7-8p and waking up between 6-7a.

I don't feel like there is an appropriate, one size fits all answer. Our family our night owls and dh doesn't get home from work til 7 so bedtime has always been in the 9-10 range. I'm more concerned with total sleep hours vs when they happen.

From WebMD:
3-6 Years Old: 10 - 12 hours per day
Children at this age typically go to bed between 7 and 9 p.m. and wake up around 6 and 8 a.m., just as they did when they were younger. At 3, most children are still napping, while at 5, most are not. Naps gradually become shorter as well.
http://www.webmd.com/parenting/guide/sleep-children

So, it sounds like your dd is getting 10-12 hours of sleep. Later bedtimes really work for our family but I know they don't work for everyone.

it sounds like you need to start skipping the nap, if you want the earlier bedtime. i

DD is 3y3mo and has for all practical purposes, done away with her nap on weekends. 80% of the time she won't nap. SHe only reliably naps the 2 hours (1-3pm) at school. though it's not a huge deal because we don't typically put them to bed until after 9 anyway.

With skipping nap it is a bit easier bc she will go to bed earlier. On weekdays, she doesn't fall asleep till 930pm probably. IT's not a big deal for us though bc she sleeps in till 7 or 730.

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Originally Posted by SnuggleBuggles

I don't feel like there is an appropriate, one size fits all answer. Our family our night owls and dh doesn't get home from work til 7 so bedtime has always been in the 9-10 range. I'm more concerned with total sleep hours vs when they happen.
Later bedtimes really work for our family but I know they don't work for everyone.

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oh and just wanted to add a HUUUGE :yeahthat: to this. I know i am in the huge minority on this on this board and IRL, but I cannot wrap my head around my kids going to bed at 7:30pm every night. It is so just not happening ever..I typically don't get home until after 6 (usually 630), so i'm not sending them to bed an hour after I get home. We typically have them go to bed around 9 or so, and it's always worked well for us.

My 3.5 year old (now 4)'s bedtime has been in the 9-9.30 pm range. Like the others, it's what works for our family.

I can't wait till the Fall, when she is in the Pre-K class at her daycare and won't be napping every day! Maybe she will actually fall asleep by 8.30-9 rather than jumping in her bed till 10 pm.

For my own sanity, DD1 is in her room by 8. We don't get home until 6 but DH and I need the time at night to clean or do work. That said, if she napped that day, I hear her running around until 9. She gets up btw 7 and 7:30, occasionally sleeping a bit later.


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DS is just 3 and goes to bed 7:30pm and takes his nap from 1pm usually for an hour to 90 mins. Sometimes till 3pm, depending how active he was that day.

DD is exactly 3.5 She recently stopped napping (because she would play in bed until close to 10!) and I shoot for 7:30. Most night's it's closer to 8. She is up around 7 or 7:30.

DS1 has basically dropped his nap at this point - just shy of 3.5. He's in bed before 7, but is an early riser - usually around 6.

Just to show the range of sleep needs, my DS is 4y9m and sleeps approx 8:30p-7:30a (and his teachers think he should go to bed an hr earlier!). He naps approx 1-3, sometimes longer. One reason I am grateful he misses the K deadline and gets another year at preschool. He's an exhausted mess when he misses nap!