how do i get a later bedtime?

Question

i'm 13 and my parents make me go to bed at 9pm. i am little for my age so my parent treat me like them. my brother who is 9 and my sister who 7 go to bed at 8:30pm. sometimes if they think i am not being good they tell me to go to bed at that time but it is usally 9pm. they make all of us how do i start a talk to make my parents let me stay up later.

don't tell me i am a little kid either cause i am a teenager

Answer 1

I'd sit down with them and ask them why they feel that 9 pm should be your bedtime. That gives you a chance to address their concerns. Then I'd try to reason with them. Tell them that you're not sleepy at 9 and you'd like to move your bedtime to 9:30 and see if that helps. Maybe suggest that you'll be in your room at 9 but lights don't need to be out till 10. My parents wanted some time to themselves and as long as we were in our rooms they didn't care when we slept. Of course if you are dragging the next day you should move bedtime up. You can suggest that if they don't feel that it's working you'll change it back but you want to try it to see what happens. If you approach them with good reasons rather than just saying "I'm not a kid anymore" they'll be more likely to bend. The more you act like an adult the more they'll treat you like an adult.

Answer 2

Our child is 12 and she goes to bed at 9:00 and gets up at 6:45. That gets her about 9.5 hours of sleep - which is what she needs for her age. Our kid used to take a LOOOOONG time to get ready in the morning - so her bedtime had to be earlier - because she had to get up earlier. She finally got it together and now she manages to get up - eat breakfast - wash her face - brush her teeth - brush her hair and get dressed in just 45 minutes. She also puts out her clothes and has all of her school books etc. packed up the night before. She's earned her bedtime - for sure.

Look at the info/chart below (it's from http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/yourchild/sleep.htm) and see how much sleep you need. I don't know what time you are getting up - but if it's 6:45 - then you're parents are right on.

Getting enough sleep allows you to do better in school (your brain needs rest) and be healthier (sleep is like medicine - it helps your immune system). You can't really argue against those two very important things.

The chart says:

7 years
10.5 hours

8 years
10-10.5

9 years
10

10 years
9.5-10

11 years
9.5

12-13 years
9-9.5

14 years
9

15 years
8.5-9

16 years
8.5

Check out the website for more information. You might find something that will help you argue your point with your parents.

Answer 3

Wow I would almost guess you are my son. I have a son that is almost 13 one that is 9 and a daughter that is 7. I don't really give him (my 12 yr old) a bed time. Usually around 9 I tell him it is time to chill and get ready for bed but he does not usually got to sleep until about 11. He gets him self up in the morning and goes to school him self. that is why I don't give him a bed time. Maybe just sit down and talk to your parents and see if you can start some trial thing. Where they can see that if you stay up late you will get up in the morning with no problem.
Good luck buddy

Answer 4

Hate to break it to you but 9 pm is decent for a 13-year-old on weeknights. And if you are still tired in the morning and take forever to get out of bed they have every reason to think that you need to go to bed at nine. If you can show them through your behavior that going to bed at 9 is enough rest (get up in the morning without them having to harass you) then maybe you can ask for weekend privileges like staying up a half hour later. Or maybe you can do extra chores as "payment" for a later bedtime on weekends.

Whatever you do, don't say "well my friends go to bed at 10! or something like that. Parents hate that. Maybe talk about how you'd like to prove that you can handle more responsibility and will send yourself to bed at 9. Don't count on them to watch the clock and tell you when it's time. Just do it yourself. And ask them if you prove that for a while if they would consider changing your bedtime on the weekends. Baby steps! :)

Answer 5

I think the first thing to think about is - are you getting enough sleep? How much sleep do you need and when do you get up in the morning? You can tell your parents that you'd like to try different bedtimes to see what works best for you and see if you can negotiate. They may need the kids in bed by 9 so they can talk and have some down time, so take that into consideration as well. Maybe you can be in your room, but do what you like until you're tired. That way, they get their time and you get yours. Good luck and tell us how it works out.

Answer 6

Talk to them. Earn the later bedtime. Point out that the 7 & 9 yr olds only go to bed 30 minutes earlier. Maybe the 7yr old could go to bed at 8, the 9yr old 8:30 and then you at 9pm. If they stick to their guns, it is their house - their rules. You don't have to like them, just respect them. You will have your turn to be a 'better' parent. LOL

Answer 7

I have 3 sons. They are 12, 15, 18.
Up until this year the 12 year old goes to bed at 8/pm during the school nights. 11/pm on weekends.

The 15 year old goes to bed by 9/pm. No phone calls after 9 on school nights. On the weekends he goes to bed at 11 or 12. His choice.

The 18 year old went to bed by 9/pm up until the age of 17 on school nights with the same phone restrictions. On weekends he was allowed out until 12:30. He now has to be home by 1:30 on weekends and goes to bed by 10:30/pm on school nights because he works a part-time job that doesn't let him out of work until 9:30/pm.

The older ones say that they like going to school the next day w/o feeling tired and like they are dragging. Since they began doing this they have all remained on either the Honor Roll or Principal's list.

You really aren't missing anything past 9/p. There aren't any parties or parades happening. Take advantage of the sleep so that you will be alert and better able to cope with your younger brother and sister. Even though they go to bed shortly before you ; YOU still get to go to bed later.

Answer 8

Dude used to be like that with me...there was no way that worked with me. Oh and here's the fun part when Your younger sibs get to be 13 their bed time will be like 10 or 10:30. it sucks being the oldest your like the experiment. But you can get results online that says teenagers can't fall asleep at 9. let me find the link....

this article says teens are most awake during 9 and 10pm read it, highlight parts and give it to your parents so they know you did the research!

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/from/sleep.html

It's from PBS so it's a good source

Answer 9

Heres what my 13 year old does when it's his bed time....He starts the hugging and telling us he loves us. Then he chats for a bit untill we say "get to bed" then he starts with the hugs again. He can sometimes manage to stretch out his bed time 1/2 hour to an hour. (good luck) LOL

Answer 10

They probably just want some alone time and they know teenagers need something like ten to eleven hours of sleep a night to be healthy and funtioning. Just invest in a flashlight and a good book or get a portable video game system and play it under the covers. They might be able to make you go to bed, but they can't make you go to sleep.