What time should my 14yr old go to bed during term time....?

Question

as he says his friends stay up 'til 11pm.

Answer 1

Each to there own on this one but I think that 10pm is plenty late enough.

Answer 2

8 - 10 hours a night is a good guide. No caffeine or excessive sugar 6 hours before bedtime. At bedtime tv's, computers, video games are shut off or taken out of room.

All of this is reccomended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and can be found at aap.org.

In my house my rules are law until someone can provide valid, documented research done within the last ten years to prove me wrong. I require a well written synopsis of the research and a strong 'thesis statement' that presents the what issue the teenager wants addressed and what the teenager wants the outcome to be. Then it's closed door time for mom and dad. We have 48 hours to 'think about it' which gives us time to discuss it, ask grandma, read abou it, whatever. No badgering during the 48 hours.

Valid research is the same as would be expected at school. It has to be done by people with real jobs and credentials. The companies that support it have to be real. An article that mentions a journal article cannot be research - I want the journal article. Basically my philosophy is that these kids will always have more energy then us so put it to good use. When your son comes home with a note from his doctor that says that 11 pm is the greatest bedtime in the world for kids in your family on school nights, then I would consider it, until then? Your word is law.

Answer 3

My 14 year old son tried to push his bedtime to 11pm using the same argument. I think he was just trying it on !! It was 9.30pm up to the end of the last school year, then we agreed that he can go at 10pm as long as the next day he is up out of bed without any problems. He is allowed a one off if for example England are playing late etc. They need a good 8 or 9 hours sleep as they are growing and changing at such a rate.

Answer 4

I see nothing wrong with 11.
I'm 14 years old and last year I went to bed at 11, the year before that was 10:30, and the year before that was 10.
Although since I now have my own room and computer, I've been staying up till about 1-1:30am. I get myself up at 7 and out the door at about 8:10.
It helps that I have to walk to school though, five minutes of frosty air is enough to wake anyone up.

I don't think my parents really care when I actually sleep as long as I get to school and don't screw off in class. But I'm supposed to be in my room, lights off preferably, by 11.

Answer 5

Well my little sister is 14 and she goes to bed at what ever time she wants. Most nights she stays on the computer to about 4 - 5 AM lol!

I'm 19, but i go to bed a lot earlier because i have to get up early in the morning for work.

Answer 6

Ignore what he says about his friends. In bed by 9pm. lights out by 9-30pm. is late enough when he has school next day. 8pm. bed on Sunday evenings to prepare him for the week ahead. Later times can be accepted on occasions but a late night should be followed by an early one.
Teachers will tell you kids of this age often fall asleep during lessons due to lack of sleep.

Answer 7

Have him start to get ready for bed at 9.30pm so he's in bed by 10pm. Your son can tell his friends that he goes to bed at 11pm, or indeed midnight if he wants, they'll never know.

My daughter's friends told her that they went to bed late but when I checked, their parents told me times that were at least an hour & a half earlier, so you'll find that your son's friends are probably doing the same. What's important is that he's getting the sleep he needs as he's got his GCSE's to study for.

Answer 8

depends what time the 14 year old gets up in the morning, personally i get up at 7 so i go to bed a 10, asleep most nights by about 10.30.
It really deosnt matter what time his friedns go to bed, if he doesnt get enough sleep his life will not be fun. he need the energy and at 14 most boys are just about to hit a growth spurt. Say he has to go to bed at 10, lights out by 11.
I garente most people go to bed at 10. how i know is that i go on msn, and most people log of about 9.55 to go to bed. he wont get bullied or anyhting for goiignt o bed at a sensible time.

Answer 9

Stop TV/computer time at 9:30 and get ready for bed and have lights off at about 10-10:30

Answer 10

I don't think 11pm is unreasonable but definitely no later than that. And if he does want to stay up until 11, make a deal and say Yes but he can't watch TV or play computer games. That way you can stop him watching violence or porn and he'll be so bored he'll probably catch up on homework instead

Answer 11

From memory my parents would send me to bed at about 10:30 when I was 14 and i'd get up at about 7:30 in the morning.

I'm 22 now and I go to bed at 11, and get up at 8:00am so not much has changed except that I send myself to bed now, infact I probably sleep more now than I did when I was at school lol.