my foster son is 3yrs 9mon old. im haveing a delema about giving him a set bed time. my friend sarah's doughter is 4yrs 6mon, and doesnt have a set bed time. my sisters son is 3yrs 3 mon, and does. whos got the right idea.
2007-09-13 12:59:40 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
Set bedtimes not only help your foster son to know a predictable schedule, but help to make sure he gets the correct amount of sleep his body needs. My youngest daughter is 3 yrs 9 mo also, and she goes to bed every night at 7:30pm. This gives her the needed 10-11 hours of sleep she needs. Toddlers do all their growing at night, so it is important for them to get regular deep sleep. My oldest (8) has a set bedtime of 8:00 every night. Having an established routine throughout the entire day helps your child know what is coming next. This gives them a sense of security when they can readily predict the next move. This is especially important to a child who has been in the foster system/removed from their biological family, because they already have had so much turmoil and unpredictability. The more stability and routine your can give this child, the better attachment he'll be able to make to you. Every child deserves a champion.
2007-09-13 16:59:35 · answer #1 · answered by dolphin mama 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Kids need a set bedtime. Their bodies grow so fast they need a set amount of rest a night. And once they start school or preschool they definitely need a set schedule, better to start now. At his age I would say 7:30 or 8:00 at the latest. Sleep also has soooo much to do with a child's behavior and whether they catch a lot of colds etc. Every kids will get sick but kids who are over tired and exhausted, their bodies are run down as it is and tend to catch more.
2007-09-13 13:08:15 · answer #2 · answered by Miss Coffee 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Structure in schedule is important even in the very early months of infancy. I think a bedtime with a daily schedule would be a great habit to begin now. It helps the 3 year old to have confidence and know what is going to happen and when. There is safety in that...to him. Maybe have him help you write it even. A child that age needs about 10 3/4 - 12 hours a day. Keep that in mind!
2007-09-13 13:07:47 · answer #3 · answered by illinoismommy 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would go CRAZY if my son wasn't in bed every night at 8pm. He just turned four and by eight o'clock every night, he is out like a light!
We have a pretty rigid routine when it comes to bedtime. At 7pm sharp, it's bathtime. At 7:30pm, it's a snack and a story or two, and at 8pm, it's lights out. I do this even on the weekends. I think it helps him function better during the day, and he seems to enjoy the fact that he knows what the evening holds. I started this routine when he was two and we've done it ever since. I have a friend who does the same thing, but her daughter, who is 2 1/2, goes to bed at 7:30pm. Their routine is a lot like ours, only it runs a half hour earlier.
Good luck and kudos to you for taking on a foster child! I hope all goes well!
2007-09-13 13:10:33 · answer #4 · answered by brojonesmom 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Your sister has the right idea.
As soon as my son started sleeping through the night, he had a set bedtime of 7pm. He's now 12, and his bedtime is 9:30pm. He also has to be up by 6am on school mornings and by 7am on weekends. The only time he doesn't have a set bedtime/wake-up time is when one of his friends is staying all night.
Because I started this when he was so very young, bedtime is not an issue.
2007-09-13 13:09:58 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Your sister does...My son is 3 and he goes to bed at 9. He has had a set bed time ever since he was born. I have a strick rule about bed times.
2007-09-13 13:09:00 · answer #6 · answered by Shortie1981 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think its important to have a routine, a schedule to follow everyday. My daughter is 3 and she goes to preschool now so she gets up at 730, so that means she goes to bed at 800. Before she was in school she stay up until 10, I know that might seem late but it worked for us, and she got plenty of sleep since we didnt have to get up early for school or anything. Figure out what you want, as far as a routine, if you want the child to have a regular afternoon nap then you might want to get him up early and go to bed earlier that way the nap wont be difficult to adjust to.
Good luck and take care!
2007-09-13 19:31:28 · answer #7 · answered by Heather 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
my boys always a had a bed time they are 3 & 4 and they go to bed at 8:00 and they take a 2hour nap during the day. kids need a schedule.
2007-09-13 15:31:59 · answer #8 · answered by michele c 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My 20 month old gets laid down in her crib at 830 everynite. She got used to going to sleep at that time and I had no problems out of her. Now Im thinking of dropping it down til about 9 because she sits in her room and talks when I put her to sleep and I dont want her to get the wrong idea.
2007-09-15 10:38:27 · answer #9 · answered by boysaremeanandugly 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well i would say to try somewhere around the time of birth...or as soon as possible after. why not have a bedtime? it sets routines and prevents arguments. its bed time now because its that time not because today you were good or bad. its also good for children to be on a schedule
2007-09-13 13:13:47 · answer #10 · answered by tcb 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋